Here's Iron Maiden's Somewhere In Time as you've never heard it before

Thomas Zwijsen performs Iron Maiden's Somewhere in Time album on the acoustic guitar — (Image credit: Thomas Zwijsen | YouTube)

You may remember YouTuber Thomas Zwijsen as the guitarist who performed Iron Maiden’s Infinite Dreams to a Swiss Shepherd on the edge of a lake.

Well, the Dutch classical virtuoso has returned with the latest in his acoustic renditions of iconic Maiden tracks, all released as part of his Nylon Maiden series. This time, he's recorded their 1986 synth-heavy classic Somewhere In Time in full, in a variety of sun-drenched locations.

On album opener Caught Somewhere in Time, Thomas is joined by violinist Wiki Violin in the grounds of Castillo de Baños de la Encina, Spain's oldest castle. Wasted Years is performed on a tranquil hillside, while Sea of Madness is played next to the shore. The guitarist takes a seat under the shade of a tree for the complex The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, but really, it's the rendition of the Stranger in a Strange Land which caught our eye.

The 1986 single is performed with a snake draped around his shoulders and the headstock of his guitar. We strongly suggest that you do not attempt this at home. Unlike his canine companion who walked off during the Infinite Dreams video, herpetologists will be pleased to note that this uncredited snake had no prior plans during this brooding Adrian Smith number.

Zwijsen has recently covered their most recent album Senjutsu, and plans to tackle the 1988 full-length Seventh Son of a Seventh Son shortly.

At the time of writing Zwijsen's videos have been watched over 38 million times on YouTube, while his channel has 174,000 subscribers. His albums and tablature books can be purchased through his Bandcamp page.

Check out the album in its entirety in the video below:

Born in 1976 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Simon Young has been a music journalist for over twenty-six years. His fanzine, Hit A Guy With Glasses, enjoyed a one-issue run before he secured a job at Kerrang! in 1999. His writing has also appeared in Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, and Planet Rock. His first book, So Much For The 30 Year Plan: Therapy? — The Authorised Biography is available via Jawbone Press.