The EP debuted at number one on the Finnish Singles Chart and spent twelve weeks in the top three, topping it for another four weeks and spending six weeks at number two.[7] It charted for a total of 49 weeks, including two weeks in early 2004.[8] The EP has been awarded double-platinum certification in Finland and has sold over 36,000 copies to date, becoming the sixth-best-selling single of all time in Finland.[9]Over the Hills and Far Away entered also the European charts, in the Top 100 of Germany,[10] Austria,[11] France[12] and Switzerland.[13]
The EP has two new songs and a remake of Angels Fall First's "Astral Romance", sung by Tony Kakko beside Tarja Turunen. The title song is by Northern Irish singer and guitarist Gary Moore, and has backing vocals by Tuomas Holopainen and Kakko. "It had a bit of a karaoke vibe because the backing track was so similar," Moore observed. "I don't mean that insultingly, but it was almost identical. I believe they're a pretty big band now, so it's cool that they did it."[14]Tapio Wilska sings on "10th Man Down".