Inspired by Tolkienian mythology, prog-rock orchestra Ainur has been composing J.R.R. Tolkien masterpieces into galloping escapades across the audio landscape for nearly two decades.
Their next anticipated record “War of The Jewels” is due out March 19th, 2021 (CD+Digital) (Vinyl – June 12th) via Rockshots Records, which sees the band take an interesting evolution in sound from previous releases. Ainur will completely immerse fans in J.R.R.Tolkien’s war atmospheres. They have imagined every story and every battle and recreate them through unique and deep music.
The band comments: “‘War of the Jewels’ is the eleventh volume of “The History of Middle-Earth”. In Tolkien’s mythology is the tale of the big wars that came out after the creation of the Silmarils by Fëanor. The main theme is the big battles of Beleriand, except for Nirnaeth Arnoediad that will have big space in our next album. The main implied character is Fëanor, the mightiest of the Elves. Musically, it’s a thematic album as all our previous and future ones and you will recognize musical themes that we already used in “From Ancient Times”, “Children of Hùrin” and “Lay of Leithian”; however, the atmospheres are more aggressive and mighty than in the past because the topics we have put in Music this time needed a more powerful musical support.”
The compositional process of “War of The Jewels” has been very long. It started in 2009 (or maybe before) and it ended more or less last year. Ainur sees it as their “rebirth” album. They have been working hard composing and arranging their music to create the best tribute to Tolkien’s histories that they can.
Today, the collective shares their music video for the next single ‘Kinslaying (The First)‘ [ft. Ted Nasmith] in support of the upcoming full length.
Video for ‘Kinslaying (The First’)
The band adds: “This song came almost by chance. Everything began with the initial chord, then we put the classical instruments on it and everything else came in the blink of an eye. We wanted to describe one of the darkest moments in Tolkien’s mythology: the Alqualondë fratricide, also called ‘First Kinslaying’, when Elves killed other Elves for the first time. When we asked Wilma (our poetess that writes almost all our original lyrics) to write something about this dark moment, she came back with one of the best lyrics ever written for us and a verse of this song became the ‘main topic’ of the album: ‘No longer Brothers, while vessels burn, beyond the riot of waves that churn’. From minute 5 you will be amazed by the powerful sadness of these words.”
Track Listing:
1. Fate Disclosed ft. Ted Nasmith (2:08)
2. Wars Of Beleriand (6:58)
3. Hell of Iron (5:46)
4. Wars Begin (7:01)
5. Kinslaying (The First) ft. Ted Nasmith (7:43)
6. Grinding Ice (8:27)
7. Battle Under The Stars ft. Derek Sherinian (4:39)
8. Spirit Of Fire ft. Roberto Tiranti (Labyrinth) & Ted Nasmith (7:17) (video)
9. The Broidress (3:43)
10. The Great Battle (Or The War Of Wrath) ft. Ted Nasmith (11:58)
11. Apocalypse (4:24)
12. Apocalypse (Acoustic Bonus Track) (3:46) [Digital only]
Album Length: 1:13:55
Artwork by Felipe Machado (Blind Guardian, Axel Rudi Pell, etc)
Album pre-order:
CD Digipak: https://bit.ly/Ainur_Digipak
Gatefold Vinyl:https://bit.ly/Ainur_Vinyl (available on Record Store Day – june 2021)
Ainur is:
Luca Catalano – Composer, Guitars, Vocals
Marco Catalano – Composer, Drums, Vocals
Alex Armuschio – Composer, Keys, Lead Vocals
Max Clara – Lead Vocals
Roberta Malerba – Lead Vocals
Elena Richetta – Lead Vocals
Giuseppe Ferrante – Bass, Contrabass
Luca Marangoni – Violin
Carlo Perillo – Viola
Daniela Lorusso – Cello
Cristiano Blasi – Flutes
Chiara Marangoni – Horns
Wilma Collo – Lyrics
Discography:
2006 – From Ancient Times
2007 – Children of Hurin
2009 – Lay of Leithian
2012 – Progressive Rock Night (DVD)
2013 – The Lost Tales
2014 – There and Back Again (single)
2019 – Fall of Gondolin (single)
2020 – Shadow from the East (single)
2021 – War of the Jewels
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