This is the HiFi Edition of the West To East Part I original album.
Currently only available on Bandcamp, in WAV, FLAC and other high-resolution formats.

Do you listen to music on HiFi speakers or in your car?

Then this is the version for you.

This version has a more Dynamic Master;
lower compression and sounds better when played loud on proper speakers or headphones.

For the audiophile fans, somewhere out there!

\m/




A HERO FOR THE WORLD, band is:
Multi-instrumentalist and Singer/Songwriter: Jacob Kaasgaard (SWEDEN)
Female vocals: Louie Ryan (PHILIPPINES)




Support the band with a dollar or more on Patreon:
www.patreon.com/AHeroForTheWorld

Lyrics available on the website at this link:
www.aherofortheworld.com/lyrics/

Albums are available on Bandcamp and iTunes:
aherofortheworld.bandcamp.com






Recorded, Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Jacob Kaasgaard

Track Listing:
1. A Hero Returns

2. Into The Wild West: Premonition (Somewhere Out There)

3. Gold Of Klondike

4. San Fernando

5. Out Where The West Begins

6. Cheyenne

7. Eldorado

8. The Saloon of Death and Dance

9. Outlaw in the Wild West

10. One, Two, Ready, Kill!

11. Unforgiven in Rio Bravo

12. The Other Side

13. Champion

14. Into The Fire

15. Somewhere out There








Track Listing with Credits and Commentary:

1. A Hero Returns
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

On the acoustic version: Guest Acoustic Guitar by Sergio Arturo Perez Pedroza (MEXICO)

Commentary from Jacob:
This song is based on the “A Hero For The Main Theme” first heard on the debut album on the epic song “One Hope Of Light” and on the 2013 EP “On Fire”. Here it serves as the opener of the album, marking the comeback of “the hero”. The melody was written already back in 2007, arranged for symphonic orchestra, for a UK low-budget super-hero movie project that never saw the light of day. In 2012 the theme was revived and set to lyrics, which eventually also named the band. “A Hero Returns” is the first time the signature theme song is played in an upbeat tempo.
The breakdown starting at around 2:30 is the most fun I’ve ever had singing. It starts low, and I sing the same melody in 4 different octaves. I wanted the vocal takes on this album to sound “live”, so I tried as much as possible to only record 1 or 2 takes for each segment.



2. Into The Wild West: Premonition (Somewhere Out There)
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Female Backing Vocals by: Louie Ryan

Commentary from Jacob:
Before “the Hero” goes into the Wild West, we get this Premonition, hinting at the last track of the album “Somewhere Out There”, already leading in to West To East Part II. Inspired by musicals and leitmotifs in film music, this musical theme is planted here, to return again later on the record.



3. Gold Of Klondike
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Female Lead Vocals by: Louie Ryan

Commentary from Jacob:
Lyrically, “Gold of Klondike” starts the epic journey in the Wild West. This song takes place in America sometime around the 1850’s. It’s a story of pioneers braving the frontier in hope of a better life, of striking gold in the West.
The music is inspired by symphonic Western movie soundtracks, complete with an epic choir in the breakdown, and a saloon piano solo.



4. San Fernando
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
This is the second song I ever wrote, back when I was 14 years old. The song was always titled “Before The Twilight”. Then the “Twilight”-movies came out, and I didn’t like the title anymore, so the song was shelved. Then in 2017 I picked up the song again and changed that phrase to “San Fernando”, but the rest of the lyrics remain still the same.
It tells the story of someone being chased, avoiding wrongful execution. By midnight it will be his last day, if the can’t successfully run away.
Musically, this song has several “Truck Driver’s Gear Change’s” making it an exciting song to sing. Personally I like the acoustic version of this song as well, I went crazy there with the instrumentation; adding for example marimba and some other instruments that I had not played before.



5. Out Where The West Begins
Music by Jacob Kaasgaard
Lyrics by Arthur Chapman

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
I don’t read poetry often. But this is what happens if I do.
Melodies soar inside my head. Although we are centuries apart, I feel connected to Mr. Chapman through his words. I could never describe the spirit of the West, nor any other place, with words the way he did.
Unlike “San Fernando” or “The Other Side” which sadly took literally 15 years from being written until being released, “Out Where The West Begins” is the opposite. I composed the music for this in a few minutes, as long time as it would take to read the poem. And then finished the recording on the same day.



6. Cheyenne
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
Musically, this is one of the mid-tempo songs of the album. One of the few songs that include flute in the orchestral arrangement.
The song, written in 2016, wears its influences on its sleeve. As with most modern rock and metal, you can hear the influence of Manowar from songs like “Spirit Horse of the Cherokee” and “Warriors of the World”. Some might be reminded of the Kevin Costner movie “Dances with wolves”.
The choir (“Nonoma” chant in the beginning) is derogative from my own choir arrangement of “Good King Wenceslas” from the 2013 release “Winter Is Coming – A Holiday Rock Opera”.
Lyrically, it tells the story of “the Hero” traveling through the land of the Cheyenne.
They were some of the most powerful, resilient and beautiful Native Americans.
I tried to describe their unique power.
Fun fact is that “Wolf on the hill” was the name of an actual chief of a Cheyenne tribe. Nonoma is a mythological figure, the Thunder spirit of the Cheyenne tribe.

On the break, after the second chorus, there’s a brief flashback in the melody to the song “Die if you stand in my way” from the 2013 EP “On Fire”.



7. Eldorado
Music by Jacob Kaasgaard
Lyrics by Edgar Allan Poe

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
Along with “Out where the west begins”, this is another similar case when I read a poem and complete melodies appeared at the same time in my head.
The lyrics perfectly tell the story of a man searching over the hills, everywhere, for gold, fortune or luck; “Eldorado”.



8. The Saloon of Death and Dance
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Female Backing Vocals by: Louie Ryan

Commentary from Jacob:
This little epic track serves as an interlude, right in the middle of the album.
The melodies have been presented already in “Gold of Klondike”.
Imagine the contrast of “Death”; the choir in the first half.
The “Dance”, the “saloon piano” that appears at the end. It is one of the most fun styles to play on a piano, albeit quite unusual nowadays. There’s not many chances on any song, that you get to play piano like this, as it might seem ironic. However, on this track (as well as on the breakdown of “Gold Of Klondike”), that’s the whole point; the pianist is taunting Death, it’s like the piano is saying: “I will sit here and drink bourbon and play this old wild west saloon piano until end. Devil may care – because I fucking don’t.”



9. Outlaw in the Wild West
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Additional Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Guest Pedal Steel Guitar by Steve Giddings (UNITED KINGDOM)
Guest Banjo/Ganjo by Thadd Mitchell (Iowa, USA)
Guest Electric Guitar by Brandon Autry (Nashville, Tennessee, USA)
Guest Acoustic Guitar by Sergio Arturo Perez Pedroza (MEXICO)

Commentary from Jacob:
On me and Louie’s 6-month extended trip to the USA back in 2014 I got a surprising interest in country music. During a stay in Nashville, Tennessee I wrote numerous songs inspired by the awesome musicians there. “Outlaw in the Wild West” is one of those songs, written in one night, inspired by a band performing at “Robert’s Western World” in Nashville.

To me the lyrics are like a simple motto in life.

“Like an Outlaw in the Wild West
Livin’ Free Never Care ‘bout the rest
I will ride the speed of light
Through the desert and the night
Like an Outlaw in the Wild Wild West“

Musically, this song features some guest session musicians, for example on Banjo/Ganjo and Pedal Steel Guitar. I wanted this song to sound like it would have on a live recording, hence the jammed repeats in the end. I sang it like I would live, raw, mostly in one take.
The verses are very similar to those of “Gold of Klondike”, reminding you that this is a concept album; the songs are “stand-alone” as well as working together, not unlike the type of song-writing often used in musicals and movies with certain leitmotif’s re-occurring when it suits the story.
Further, the lyrics on the bridge (“Tried and Sentenced for heresy, Wanted Dead or Alive, Yet many had died”) are a flash-back to the 2013 debut album’s “A Quest For The Brave”.



10. One, Two, Ready, Kill!
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Guest Guitars by Artur Hearhadze (BELARUS)

Commentary from Jacob:
Years ago, one of my first jobs was as a pianist in a 10-man showband on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. We played musicals and big show productions with a click track. In-ear the count-in was a click along with a man saying (One… Two… One, Two, Ready, Play!), in the rhythm of the music at the time you were due to start to playing. This song is a slightly more fun change of that phrase that has always lived inside my head.
Lyrically this song also includes a flashback on the choruses to the song “Die if you stand in my way” from the 2013 EP “On Fire”. It furthers the aggression of “The Hero”, he has now temporarily become “The Vigilante”; working outside of any laws. He is “Livin’ Free Never Care ‘bout the rest”



11. Unforgiven in Rio Bravo
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
Musically this song, written in 2016, I don’t even remember writing the melody, it went so fast. The lyrics on the other hand, is some of the most fun lyrics I ever wrote. As a fan of movies, and Wild West movies, I challenged myself to write the lyrics featuring as many Western movie titles as possible. I challenge you to count how many Western movie titles there are in this song. I’m guessing at least 15, maybe 20. Amazingly, and not ironically, it still manages to tell the story coherently (hopefully) connecting well from the previous tracks.



12. The Other Side
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
This is the first song I ever wrote. Back at 13 years old. Now, more than a decade later when I picked up the song again (there was only some old demo with bad sound quality), I couldn’t manage to change a single word in the lyrics. They were like printed in my memory. This song, like many others, will never mean as much to most that hears it as it does to me. It is a song for the lonely, for the vagabonds, for the drifters.
Why did I let the song rest for more than a decade before recording a real version?
While the music (the chord progression), is based on Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”, these chords have been used by nearly every power metal band.



Commentary from Jacob:
This is the first song I ever wrote. Back at 13 years old. I was too shy to write any songs in Swedish language. Now, more than a decade later when I picked up the song again (there was only some old demo with bad sound quality), I couldn’t manage to change a single word in the lyrics. They were like printed in my memory. This song, like many others, will never mean as much to most that hears it as it does to me. It is a song for the lonely, for the vagabonds, for the drifters.
Why did I let the song rest for more than a decade before recording a real version?
While the music (the chord progression), is based on Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”, these chords have been used by nearly every power metal band. For example, listen to these below songs, and you will hear it’s the same chords by Pachelbel underneath;
Manowar – Courage
Gamma Ray – Land of the free
Avantasia – The Seven Angels
Rhapsody – Emerald Sword
… and there’s a hundred more examples.
I realized this and it led to me taking many years away from power metal. I thought everything I heard sounded the same. After around 2002-2003 I haven’t heard a power metal album more than once. In my head, power metal sounds better that it does in reality. I have a chugging guitar and drum beat eternally stuck on my mind. On the “Power Version” of the “the Other Side” you can hear this beat chugging along, on to the other side. Maybe the grass is greener. Who knows.



13. Champion
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
This song was released as a Single/EP back in 2016. That was a small comeback for the band. The song was dedicated to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a modern Swedish hero for the world.
The song was written already back in the summer of 2014 during the soccer world cup.
In this story it is a call-to-action, for “the Hero” to not give up, fight to win, strike one more time and maybe this is the time he will prevail. Maybe it is not too late. There is still hope as long as he is alive.



14. Into The Fire
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Commentary from Jacob:
This song is a mash-up of past and future songs.
Notably, the verses are from “Sacred Land at Heaven’s End”, which is a 10-minute track from the next West To East installment.
The bridges and solos are flashbacks to “Die If you stand in my way” from the 2013 EP “On Fire” and “We are forever” from the 2013 debut album.
The choruses are unique to this song.
It connects the old with the future.

He says:
“Into The Fire
I’ll never ever let you down
I’ll be the one to fight and
Fire
Into The Fire
I’m there forever til it’s done
This is my test of mind and power“

By this time “The Hero” has already left the Wild West, alive, on to a different time or dimension.
This song is a promise that in this life, and in any life to come after, he will fight until there is nothing more to protect, nothing left to fight for.



15. Somewhere out There
Music and Lyrics by Jacob Kaasgaard

Lead and Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion by Jacob Kaasgaard

Female Backing Vocals by: Louie Ryan

Commentary from Jacob:
Both musically and lyrically this is a finale; and a departure from Part 1 segueing into the Part 2 (to be released hopefully in 2018).
“The Hero” and his crew continue the quest on this Earth, towards the East.
Somewhere out there… he will be back.