It was released on 15 March 1999 on EMI Classics and is the sequel to his 1974 concept album Journey to the Centre of the Earth, itself based on the same-titled science fiction novel by Jules Verne.

The album features the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, and guest performances by Ozzy Osbourne, Bonnie Tyler, Tony Mitchell, Trevor Rabin, Justin Hayward, and Katrina Leskanich.

It tells the story of Professor Lidenbrook, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans who follow a passage to the Earth's centre originally discovered by Arne Saknussemm, an Icelandic alchemist.

The idea to produce a sequel album first came to Wakeman in 1991 during a solo tour of Italy, when a journalist suggested to record a new and extended version of Journey with new technology.

Several weeks later, during the Union Tour with Yes, Wakeman set up the tentative plan of re-recording the album live in concert with added music for a prospective release in 1994, the twentieth anniversary of the original.

[1] During the tour's stop in New York City, Wakeman visited the office of Arista Records and pitched the idea to an acquaintance, but was turned down.

[1] Wakeman pursued other projects until idea was revived in 1996 when, in a two-month period, four record companies expressed an interest to fund and release a new "epic" album from him.

[2] Wakeman wrote the story as if he was Verne writing a sequel, and purposefully unassigned names or genders for the travellers, "because they could be the person listening".

[1][3] Wakeman's idea was well received by the three record companies, and he was asked to produce a demo tape of some songs, narration, and orchestral parts.

[1] With assistance from Frank Rodgers of music publisher The Product Exchange, who soon took over as management for the project, the idea arrived at label president Richard Lyttelton, who discussed the album with Wakeman over lunch in February 1998.

[1][4] Recording began in March 1998 and took place in six different locations, including Wakeman's home studio named Bajonor on the Isle of Man.

Wakeman felt the former needed a "raunchy female rock vocal", to which a chance comment to a colleague led to contact with Katrina Leskanich, who agreed to participate.

Gilbert Heatherwick, the head of EMI's US division, asked who would take the role and suggested English actor Patrick Stewart.

Wakeman was aware that booking Stewart would result in higher costs, but Lyttelton liked the idea and made it happen.

[6] In August 1998, shortly after his trip from Los Angeles to record Stewart's narration, Wakeman collapsed on a golf course and was rushed to hospital.

[5] The two agreed to use the London Symphony Orchestra with conductor David Snell and the English Chamber Choir conducted by Guy Protheroe, which cost £122,000.

As if in slow motion I saw the baton going up and even when I only heard a rough mix in the control room it was as if thick clouds were making way for the sun to emerge.

[5] On 9 February 1999, the album received a 300-guest launch party arranged by EMI at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London.

The Birmingham Evening Mail wrote the album is "twice as long and equally as ambitious" as the original and rates Stewart's "precise narration".

The orchestra and choir "enter into the spirit of things with gusto", but the review concluded with "expect a punk rock backlash in the year 2001".

[9] A review in The Boston Herald by Kevin R. Convey gave the album 1-and-a-half stars out of five, saying Wakeman "hasn't lost his touch" and that the sequel "is every bit as pompous and bombastic as the original", which contained a "thoroughly silly script" for its narration and "risible" lyrics.

[10] In October 1999, a review from Shawn Perry for About.com praised Stewart's performance for his "infectious precision" in his narration and the album's opening of "lush orchestrations, slyly garnishing Stewert's poignant articulations throughout".

From then on, Perry thought the album takes an "ethereal tone ... with no real central theme to convey" but considered Tyler's and Hayward's songs as highlights.