"Cygnus X-1" is a two-part song series by Canadian progressive rock band Rush. The first part, "Book I: The Voyage", is the last song on the 1977 album A Farewell to Kings, and the second part, "Book II: Hemispheres", is the first song on the following album, 1978's Hemispheres. Book I is ten minutes and twenty-five seconds long (10:25), and Book II is eighteen minutes and seven seconds (18:07). It was released as a limited-edition extended play on April 22, 2017. General storyline A black hole, known as Cygnus X-1 (an X-ray source believed to be an actual black hole), lies in the constellation Cygnus. An explorer aboard the spaceship Rocinante journeys toward the black hole, believing there may be something beyond it. As he moves closer, it becomes increasingly difficult to control the ship and he is eventually drawn in by the pull of gravity. The final words of Book I describe his ordeal: "Sound and fury drown my heart/Every nerve is torn apart." The explorer re-enters the story midway through Book II, left a wandering soul due to the destruction of his body. He has emerged into Olympus, where he witnesses the gods Apollo and Dionysus caught in the struggle between Mind and Heart. Prior to his arrival, the logical thinkers are led by Apollo and the emotional people are ruled by Dionysus. Apollo shows his followers how to build cities and explore the depths of science and knowledge, but a lack of emotional attachment to each other allows Dionysus to lure many of them into the wild forests, where he provides love. Dionysus' followers do not store any food for the winter and are caught unprepared. A conflict breaks out as the two different ways of life clash, leading to the world splintering into hemispheres, each with a deeply unhealthy society. When the explorer reflects on what he sees, he becomes tormented in the lack of balance of the people who insist on one extreme or the other. His silent scream is felt by the warriors and causes them to rethink their struggle and unite. Wanting someone to keep them in check to avoid a repeat of their conflict, the gods recognize the explorer as a nascent new god and name him Cygnus, the God of Balance. The final words of Book II describe a harmonious society where emotion - "the truth of love" - and logic