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SkyWorld is the fourth public album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released in October 2012; their third major release following the success of Invincible and Archangel. The album contains 22 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. All tracks, except for "Dark Ages", are brand new original tracks. This is the second of their albums featuring tracks with English lyrics, namely Titan Dream (feat. C.C. White and Nick Phoenix), The End is the Beginning (feat. Nick Phoenix), and Back to the Earth (feat. Nick Phoenix). Recording took place in both Brno, Czech Republic and Los Angeles, United States.
The cover and sleeve are designed by Steven R. Gilmore, with the futuristic city illustration by Sergey Vorontsov. The album was later re-released to the industry via Extreme Music, featuring exclusive bonus tracks.
It had sold ~20,000 copies in the United States nine months after release, according to SoundScan.
Aya Peard – vocals on "Titan Dream", "Our Last Hope", and "Ocean Kingdom"
Merethe Soltvedt – vocals on "All the King's Horses", "For the Win", and "Breathe"
Carina Istre – vocals on "Sun & Moon"
Molly Conole – vocals on "Blizzard"
Tina Guo – cello on "Titan Dream", "The End Is the Beginning", "Big Sky", and "Back to the Earth"
Shane Gibson – guitar on "The End Is the Beginning" and "Juggernaut"
James Rickabaugh – guitar on "Big Sky"
Tal Bergman – drums on "The End Is the Beginning", "Juggernaut", and "Our Last Hope"
Chris Bleth – winds on "Realm of Power", "Big Sky", and "Back to the Earth"
Critical reception
James Monger of AllMusic reviewed the album positively, claiming the tracks felt "like the best parts of a Hans Zimmer score condensed into three-to-four minute bursts of over the top tension and melodrama". He rated it four out of five stars.
The critique at IFMCA-associated reviews website, MundoBSO, was positive, saying, "orchestral, melodic, vocal and choral intensity is combined with lyricism and evocative force. It is very spectacular and contains very remarkable moments." It was rated seven out of ten stars.
Two Steps from Hell's music has been licensed for several trailers.
All is Hell that Ends Well and Titan Dream were used in some History Channel commercials.
Blackheart was used in a PlayStation 4 commercial and the cast introduction act from the main show of Mediacorp's premier annual television awards, Star Awards 2017.
For the Win was used in a trailer for the movie, Epic, a commercial for the Cartoon Network series, Ben 10: Omniverse, and a CNN commercial. It was also used by Kenichi Ebina in his performances en route to his victory in the reality show, America's Got Talent, and as the theme song to CTV/TSN’s coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The Colonel was used in a commercial for the Disney XD show, Lab Rats, as well as a trailer for the Pokémon movie, Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel. It was used by Dream Theater, during 2017 as the opening song of the Images, Words & Beyond tour.
El Dorado was used in Sasuke as the theme song for competitor Tomohiro Kawaguchi.
Breathe was used in the movie Chateau de la Reine as a soundtrack cover towards the ending.
"Titan Dream was used in both the 2017 and the 2018 NBC Ironman (Kona) Triathlon broadcast.
El Dorado was used in the 2019 Persian Gulf Map release trailer for DCS.
