AINUR

"Fate Disclosed" and the intro narrative of Ted the official designer, discordant sounds to dive into the AINUR tavern. "Wars Of Beleriand" follows with a very nervous prog metal intro, a good riff, flute, melodic atmosphere tinged with various moments; the only instrumental that delves deeper into the universe. "Hell of Iron" for the 1st song sung; it starts with melodic metal with progressive drifts just for verbal jousting that can remind those of AYREON; the riff is almost done in the AOR and then comes back to a SYMPHONY X aria, in short, it hits the mark anyway. "Wars Begin" and an old-fashioned intro that opens onto a rhyme-ballad, symbolizing the calm before the storm; it evolves on a prog metal rhythm all at once with forward synths and a vocal match, a plus for these worked voices. "Kinslaying (The First)" and a second narration by Ted leading to a folklore-medieval variation where the female voice is highlighted, a long crescendo on yet another warrior joust, a smooth vocal final. "Grinding Ice" and a redundant title on a musical and verbal chord, you have to wait for the break to have a Celtic, tribal, folkloric and Tolkienian space; grandiloquence is the right word.

"Battle Under The Stars" and an intro where Derek SHERINIAN's paw is felt; the rhythm starts off with oriental tones, Luca's violin takes center stage, the sequence is interesting because it is short but condensed, the finale with guitar solo and the synth which celebrate the victory of the Elves is worth the detour. "Spirit Of Fire" with the contribution of the voice of Roberto TIRANTI and Ted at the opening; the flagship track, about Fëanor the mighty elf at the center of the plot; an explosive track with riffs, melancholy, progression and melting pot between instruments and vocals; the divine flute surrounded by choirs puts a singular folk meditative accent on this piece which passes very quickly, a sign. "The Broidress" follows with Celtic flute and soft, divine voice, a Tolkian ballad to rest from these various musical fights but not from the fatal childbirth of Miriel. And finally comes "The Great Battle (Or The War Of Wrath)" which attacks with the cult track, a nod to "From Ancient Times" for the quote; piano and voice almost whispered to KWOON then it rises with the contribution of Roberta and Elena, vocals reminding me on a few notes of the legendary QUEEN; it goes up again, a nervous riff, the drums getting into it, the violin adding more, the guitar riff becoming the rhythmic basis, memories on the SYMPHONY X of "Twilight In Olympus"; an uphill title with beautiful drawers. "Apocalypse" to end this long album with a slightly repeated variation, an epic title repeated acoustically on the digital version that I preferred, the violin more present and changing from the rhythm used in the long run; the war against the Dark Lord is finally over and Middle-earth can now focus on a new beginning.

AINUR is therefore releasing a stronger thematic album, faster, higher, more metal in fact; the meeting between complex and classical prog metal; an album more provided in progressive variations than its predecessors, more complex too. An album a bit messy on the other hand and a length which can tire out; an album to be incorporated in several times ?, an album which nevertheless gives in the grandiloquence of prog metal opera and which changes a little with this singular classical instrumentation.

The music on the 25 tracks is a dynamic blend of classical and rock in which the climates change frequently:

classical orchestrations in the titletrack, twanging acoustic guitar, violin, harp and a sensitive electric guitar solo in Coming To Doriath,

slide guitar and bombastic Hammond organ in Daeron's Betrayal,

a mid-tempo with solos on violin, piano, acoustic guitar and organ in Hirilorn,

propulsive guitar riffs, fat Minimoog synthesizer flights, powerful vocals and a fiery guiar solo in Towards Nargothrond,

from mellow with acoustic guitar and violin to an exciting accellaration with heavy guitar riffs, fat Minimoog runs, brass and high pitches female vocals in The Hound Of Valinor,

sensational Hammond and Minimoog with propulsive guitar riffs in Carcharoth,

an exciting blend of classical and rock with violins and flashy Minimoog flights in Hell's Awakening

and from tender Grand piano and dreamy vocals to fat guitar riffs, strong flute play and a dynamic rhythm-section.

The epic final composition (almost 20 minutes) starts promising with lots of vocalists, wonderful Grand piano and moving electric guitar. But after 9 minutes there's complete silence until the final half minute, then we hear narration and it's over, a bit disappointing musical idea to let the proghead listen to such a long silence!

Although at some moments my attention slips a bit away (due to the fact that some climates tend to sound a bit too similar), I enjoyed this 2-CD. Because of the tension between the mellow parts with classical instruments, and the heavy and bombastic parts and the exciting work on guitar and vintage keyboards (like the Hammond organ and Minimoog synthesizer).

My rating: 3,5 star.

Looking at some of the standout moments, right from opener `Welcoming of Eriol', Gianluca Castelli's piano delicately and subtly dazzles, as a mix of charmingly Italian- accented English vocals (perhaps bringing to mind a less stuffy and grandiose version of Hostsonaten's `Alive in Theatre' live album) swoon around a haunting melody with restrained power and conviction. Violin, cello and harp weave magically together with warm group harmonies in the chorus of the madrigal `Mourning - The Coming of Nienor'. Tracks like `The Beginning of Days' are sweet and joyous, the droning group harmonies of the finale of `Verge of the Forest' is hypnotic, and the album closer `Lorien' is refreshingly upbeat and softly romantic. More ambitious and lengthier pieces impress even more and hold the most interest to progressive music listeners. `Yavanna's Song' begins with softly stirring horns and violin and careful jazzy drumming, before taking an uneasy, more up- tempo darker acoustic guitar turn alongside groaning cello.

But best of all is when the group moves closer to a more traditional Italian prog/RPI sound. `The Fall of Gondolin' features a passionate and raspy theatrical male vocal, melancholic flute, and a dashing range of exotic acoustic guitar flavours with wilder jazzy and classical piano outbursts. `Glaurung's Death' includes dirtier huffing flute and a pompous operatic vocal with a fiery Mediterranean acoustic guitar, violin and piano extended instrumental finale. The first half of `Hirilorn' has a lovely extended instrumental build on clarinet and acoustic guitar before sprightly piano, flute and violin duel in the finale, and `Return from Death' has a sprinkling of maniacal classical piano and tricky murmuring bass throughout. The symphonic drama of the almost ten minute `The Time Beyond' incorporates everything from operatic vocals, sweeping orchestration, glistening classical piano, heavenly violins that rise into the sky and the most sly of tiny Mellotron wisps.

Admittedly thirteen tracks equalling seventy four minutes mostly in a similar style becomes a little repetitive after a while. I'm not sure if the band would even fully identify themselves as a full-blown progressive rock band, but they should definitely consider incorporating longer instrumental breaks more often into their music, as many of the pieces here are loaded almost beginning to end with vocal passages that become a little tedious from time to time. However, this is immaculately performed with great conviction, and looking over the photos of the group all dressed in medieval garb inside the CD booklet reaffirms what a true sense of community these performers share together. Tolkien fanatics who will connect closer with the lyrical themes and book references will be the ones who really cherish `The Lost Tales', able to appreciate it on so many more levels than more general progressive rock and RPI listeners. But so much love, passion and devotion has gone into this work from the Ainur collective that the sheer talent on display cannot be denied.

Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.

Ainur is one of the countless bands who has done something on Tolkien. So much that we can almost set up an own Tolkien genre. But wait a minute; we already have. It is called symphonic prog. OK, most Tolkien bands is somewhere between symphonic prog and progressive metal. More like what some Dutch bands is doing. Not to mention Nightwish.

Ainur has both legs in this landscape between symph and prog metal. Mostly in symph prog, it has to be said. Their sound is crystal clear without any hints of Rock Progressivo Italiano whatsoever. The musicians is doing a great job throughout. The vocals is both clear and operatic male and female vocals. The instruments is basically more of the classical orchestra setup with woodwinds and violins in addition to some electric guitars, tangents, bass and drums.

The problem with this album is that it is overly ambitious and it is doomed to fall flat on it's face if it does not have some really great pieces of music. Unfortunate, Children Of Hurin is sorely lacking one or two really great songs. The music here is good, but not great. I have to admit I tend to lose interest halfway through this album. But Children of Hurin is a good effort from the band which reached for the stars but did not quite make it.

A bland character for a bland album.

3 stars

Big epic piece, I was looking forward this album a lot. Ainur did very well in past and the more you are listening to their albums, the more of a story you feel. These re-tellings of written words are always amazing, given that genre so fitting for these ancient magical fantasy stories, RPI. There are more "rough" parts, there are milder ones, exactly as the story goes up and down according to twist of fate (or more like narrator).

This album is of course poetical, epic, for sure concept and so on, but how it is about music itself actually ? There are parts where you can certainly feel Opera, except forementioned Symphonic elements, you can also experience neat guitar solos, mood parts (especially Before The Throne is full of them).

4(+), not bad album, but I fear it's too long to appreciate fully for now. I don't hope, I certainly know for sure that I will eventually like this album more in future. But take this review as words from someone who listened to this few times and is only in the beginning of the journey.

There are weaker parts, there are very good ones too, in average it doesn't make average, but high quality album. As we're used to from Ainur.

Forget about the Classic Italian Prog sound here.''From ancient times'' has a dominant fairytale atmosphere throughout the album,not to mention that all lyrics are sung in English. Unfortunately the music often gets lost in the need of story-telling with lots of spoken/sung parts back-rounded by atmospheric keys and medieval flutes.Female vocals are really great,producing a result close to RENAISSANCE's musicianship,supported usually by nice piano and organ parts.I'm not really fond of the following male operatic vocals.Despite they are also qualitive,they seem to bore me a bit along the way.Musically speaking the album is closer to Folk/Acoustic Prog Rock with elements from Classical Rock OperasMassive use of string instruments,flutes,pianos and keyboards in order to capture and adapt Silmarillion's images.AINUR do that well at some point,though most of the tracks sound quite similar. Surprisingly the few tracks containing the electric guitars/bass/drums combination (the longer ones actually) are closer to Hard Progressive Rock than Classic Prog.Metal riffing and intense vocals support this claim.Yet the balance seems a bit lost trying to listen to the album in its full version.Calm spacey,classical or medieval parts are mixed with almost metal music and that's not the best thing I can face.

The band is talented,no question about it.The problem is that music in here is quite similar in moments,a bit too calm for most of its part,while this Tolkien adaptions-thing seems too old- fashioned for me.However,I believe these musicians can do much better things in the future and I will support them with a 3 star rating.Recommended,considering always the afore- mentioned warnings.

These elements works in music too, because there's strange kind of harmony (excuse me, it's new for me to hear music inspired by book) between these two. Yeah, um, it works actually quite easy. I hear this music, first feeling that I'll have to laugh a little bit, but then I say to myself: "Why not, I mean, this works good, even it's not gothic choir, but rather bunch of merry elves singing together songs of joy".

4(-), 'cause they're still working it out. But in a very good way. I like it, I in fact wanted to give it at least (+), but there are gaps. And holes. And empty spaces, deaf parts of certain songs.

That's it, LOTR is simply interesting franchise. I don't know it master Tolkien predicted this, or even wanted to be all this commercial, but talking about inspiration for music, it's OK. And we all know that Rock Progressivo Italiano, or least its modern form is suitable for all kind of music, themes, moods and capable of transcending the genres. One word, Collosus Project, this band really reminds me it, except they're devoted just for J. R. Reurel's work. And they're doing it fine.

Guitar solos, strong element here. For example Spaghetti Epic's 1-3, this is similar, except completely different setting, but way how to do it is the same. Bad thing is that I don't complete story and don't want to spoil it by reading these infos and hints. Nope, all I need is a good depiction of Middle-Earth atmosphere and as far as I can tell, they quite made it. Victorian, or Baroque opera-like singing underlines it, tens of instruments also (see Mandalaband's second album?), so

5(-) for bringing this feeling and managing it. From time to time, I decide to add half a star here and there, or take it from some albums, depending on how good the music sounds like after some time passes bye. And I think I like this album more and more. There's almost no "sound" bad, no tone done in a way. You still don't expect where the stream will take you, but you feel weird, familiar feeling. Let's embrace it, don't hesitate.

Ainur, a 18 pieces band, is another band inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Silmarillion'. And this is normal, today (unfortunately). This band sung in English and for me not plays RPI in a strong sense. Is this a problem for a correct evalutation? Maybe... Maybe yes or maybe no... Because I can not able to evaluate this situation. In fact Ainur not plays true Prog. Or better, Ainur plays a sort of Folk Prog that is not Folk, not Prog and not Rock! In my mind this music sound as Opera Music!

Strange that the weight of cello, harps or flute are minimal when the electric guitars or synths have a good weight (too weight for electric guitar) and it is strange also that in some passges the music is also Power Metal (more for rhythms, style of vocals and structure). It is not strange the production style, extreme close to 70's.

My vision of Ainur's music is not totally bad. But I haven't a positive view for Ainur. Certainly 'From Ancient Times' is a good album that is easy to listen but that have few true Prog moments. Insignificant is the Italian tradition of Prog and in my opinion technique is the only true word for a correct description (and view) about this album. Interesting are 'War Of Wrath', 'The Fall Of Nargochrond' and 'The Fall Of Gondolin' but the rest of the album is close to New Age Rock. In this sense I think that Rick Wakeman is a good comparison also if Rick's music is too better (but I can not judge because this statement is prepared by my mind...!).

In my personal view 18 musicians for this type of music is too as number of musicians. Also because too are the voices, not all used correctly (with a good weight, more correctly).

Now I think that Ainur is a good band with good music, this is a correct judge. But not totally Prog. Sure if you love Prog Ainur is a band for you and in a correct view Ainur is a Prog band.

This is a CD/DVD box set that contains a wonderful 32 page booklet in which you can read how about this Tolkien inspired dark concept story (taken from the book Silmarillion). The music is performed by musicians who use a wide range of instruments, from harp, violin, French horn, clarinet and flute to keyboards and many male and female singers like a bass bariton. The amount of classical instruments is a strong indication what we can expect from Ainur during the 13 songs on Children Of Hurin.

CD: The first composition Morgoth's Prophecy is an impressive start, we can enjoy lots of dynamics between the classical instruments and the electric guitar and sensational Minimoog synthesizer flights, layered with classically trained vocals. The other 11 songs also deliver a blend of classic and progrock music with the emphasis a bit more on classical. But just when it tends too sound a bit too classical, the music turns into fluent, often sumptuous progrock like sparkling piano, porpulsive guitar and lush organ in Mim And The Outlaws, sweeping guitar riffs and fat Minimoog runs in The Sack Of Nargothrond and beautiful interplay between electric guitar and the Minimoog with a progmetal sounding rhythm-section in Glaurung's Death, Ainur succeeds to keep my attention during the entire album! The sound on Children Of Hurin is in the vein of their debut CD entitled From Ancient Times (2007), I tend to prefer their second effort and I am very curious to the development of this promising new Italian progrock band.

DVD: The main footage is the Original Ainur Live Video featuring two songs from the Children Of Hurin CD, we can witness that Ainur is very capable to perform their story on stage, also in the track War Of Wrath (on the From Ancient Times album) that contains heavy guitarwork, pleasant keyboardwork by two members along violins and a bariton, great tension between two musical styles. Finally two live songs from earlier concerts in this section. The other extra's are Interview, Recording Sessions, Ainur History Documentary, Ainu Live Documentary and Extra Video.

A big hand for the unknown new Italian progrock band Ainur, they deserve a bit more attention on this site! My rating: a very solid 3,5 stars, next album 4 stars?