There is a new world available to explore and wonder around to your hearts delight. It’s full of wonder, grandeur and beauty. The world I speak of is Forest of Forgetting; this is the latest album from EYE OF MELIAN that was released yesterday and I’m here to tell you way this is a realm you need to experience.
It opens delicately with Of Willows and Shadows; it does a fantastic job of capturing the feeling of being introduced to a new world. Johanna Kurkela’s ethereal vocal work and the curious sounding music work together wonderfully to create this new world we are about to embark upon.
In the press notes, it describes this album as a masterclass in symphonic song writing so whimsical that the real world fades away; in this instant, that is most certainly the case. Each of the singles had something magical to offer. In Symphony Arcana, it was capturing the anticipation of discovering a new world. There was elegant stylings in Blackthorn Winter and a sense triumph and victory in Dawn of Avatars.
Now I have touched upon the singles, I will talk about some of the album tracks that haven’t been released. Elixir Of Night has got to be my personal favourite track on the album. It captures the beauty of night so perfectly the delicate melody reminding you of twinkling stars and then the vast sounding background builds into something majestic. The melody of this song is both captivating and calming; the exact feelings one might feel on a quiet night. The addition of Patty Gurdy’s hurdy gurdy and Troy Donockely’s pipes is the final bit of folky magic on top of this stunning track.
When first listening to The Buried Well, I didn’t take to it at first. Not that it sounded terrible, just not a lot stood out. I bet you’re wondering why I am even mentioning it; it’s because the more I listened to it, the more I grew to like it. It was a grower for me. The vibe I get from this track is if Danny Elfman or Hans Zimmer were to compose the music for Final Fantasy; no complaints here as the melodies in those soundtracks are grand and majestic, film music composers would give it that more oomph.
The tribalness in The Mirror grabbed my attention instantly; The Plague Song in Prince Of Egypt strongly comes to mind when I first listened to it, mainly due to the similar sounding vocal chorus showcasing the feelings of anticipation. The more I listen to the track, the more I am noticing the vastness of it all; in my view, this represents the reflection that we all need to take and when we do, there is often a lot to see. The musical stylings in this track emulate this feeling so well.
Forest Of Forgetting is a stunning piece of work that will transport you to a far off land. It will certainly help you escape reality for a while, something we all need to do now and then. One of the great things about this album is that it can appeal to most music lovers, so if you’re looking to escape reality and try something new; Forest Of Forgetting is beckoning.
Rating: 9/10
Words: Lotty Whittingham
Forest of Forgetting is out now.
Find EYE OF MELIAN here.
