"Hemispheres" is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on October 24, 1978, by Anthem Records. It reached No. 14 in Canada and the UK, and No. 47 in the US, becoming a steady seller and eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. After an exhausting tour for A Farewell to Kings, the band took a dedicated rest period before returning to Rockfield Studios in Wales to record the follow-up. They spent two weeks writing and arranging new material, facing some difficulties regarding its direction. Hemispheres features the 18-minute opener "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres," which continues the story left as a cliffhanger on the previous album. The final track, "La Villa Strangiato," marks the band's first instrumental.
Upon release, Hemispheres received mostly positive reviews and gained further acclaim over time. It was the first Rush album to receive significant FM radio airplay, aided by the singles "Circumstances" and "The Trees." The album has been remastered several times, including a deluxe 40th anniversary edition released in 2018, featuring previously unreleased live tracks.
In May 1978, after finishing the tour for A Farewell to Kings, which helped the band break into the UK market, Rush took a rest before regrouping to produce the follow-up album at Rockfield Studios. Bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee noted that recording in the UK appealed to them due to their influence from English bands. This time, they approached songwriting without preconceived ideas, renting a farmhouse near the studio for two weeks of intensive writing and rehearsals, despite concerns over the album's direction.
The album was recorded in June and July 1978, taking longer than previous albums. Co-producer Terry Brown and engineer Pat Moran joined the band during the recording process. The studio conditions were less than ideal, and at one point, guitarist Alex Lifeson took it upon himself to fix a malfunctioning door. The band recorded the music simultaneously in their allocated studio time, then moved to Advision Studios in London for the vocal recordings. Lee faced challenges singing the lyrics, as the keys were more difficult than anticipated, leading to frustration during the recording process.
After completing the recording, mixing took longer than expected, prompting the band to return to Canada briefly before finalizing the mix at Trident Studios in London. The album was costly to produce and left the band exhausted, with only one day off during the recording period. Reflecting on the album years later, Lee remarked that the band had underestimated their ambitious goals.
