In 1978, Rush was riding high after two consecutive albums that pushed their presence into the prog spotlight.  After a short break that followed a tour of the UK, the band went back to Wales to record this prog masterpiece.  I liken this album as Rush’s Close To The Edge (by Yes) due to the 18 minute song that fills side one and a few shorter pieces that make up side two.  And just like Yes, this is their apex in prog-ness where they pushed the boundaries of the prog metal genre to the point that they felt the need to shift gears for their next release.  A Farewell to Kings promised to continue the story of Cygnus X-1 but to be quite honest, it doesn’t really follow as the first “book” takes on a sci-fi theme whereas the latter has more of a Greek theme about the gods Apollo and Dionysus.  I'm not sure how that fits together lyrically but musically, it follows along with brief snippets that harkens back to the first book.  Side two is certainly not an afterthought either with the last two tracks featured in their set lists to the very end.  If I was presented someone who has never heard Rush before, I’m not sure I would recommend this as their first introduction, as I feel Moving Pictures would be better suited to convert a virgin Rush listener.  That being said, anyone who is a Dream Theater die-hard fan, this would definitely be my first choice as it would show all of the prog metal fans out there where it all started. 

This 40^th anniversary edition is augmented by a live disc that captures the band on the Tour of the Hemispheres.  Most of the tracks were culled from a show in the Netherlands at the Pinkpop Festival and the “2112” track was sourced from a show in Germany (although the liner notes incorrectly state it is from Arizona).  It is a great addition to this set, but I was a bit disappointed that a full show was not added to this package.  Maybe they were trying to fit everything they could on one disc, but the powers that be should know that Rush fans are more than willing to spend the extra dollars to get the complete show, even if it does span over two discs.  That is my only complaint to an otherwise great product.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 3 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

The record opens with a six part continuation of the Cygnus X-1 saga.  As mentioned earlier, lyrically, the story doesn’t really follow the previous sci-fi themed track on their last record.  Musically, it does continue with many similar elements while containing a brighter production.  As you would imagine, this track takes many twists and turns throughout its eighteen minutes with Section “IV. Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind” and Section “V. Cygnus Bringer of Balance” being the standout parts.  This is pure prog metal nirvana that ends with a short acoustic piece that has a very uplifting and positive vibe.

You can tell right off the bat that this is not the opening number for the show.  Either way, it is a classic from the 2112 record, and I was surprised it was left off All The World’s A Stage.  It starts off with a riff that definitely has some Asian influence and proceeded to be slightly more straight ahead rock but with prog flourishes thrown in for good measure.  The fact that the lyrical content dealt with drugs made it a fan favorite for years to come.