IGNEA Release Third Studio Album ‘Dreams Of Lands Unseen’
April 28th, 2023
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Ukrainian progressive metal band Ignea issued third full-length studio album Dreams Of Lands Unseen on April 28th, 2023 through Napalm Records.
“This record is not just our take on the around-the-world adventures of Sofia Yablonska but also a tribute to one of the greatest Ukrainians of the past century,” commented frontwoman Helle Bohdanova. “Her cutting-edge lifestyle, wisdom, savviness and breathtaking stories are so exceptional that they could inspire to write several more albums. I myself am a passionate traveler, and Yablonska’s philosophy is very close to mine on so many levels. Let me invite you on this journey and show you the dreams of lands unseen through Sofia’s eyes…”
A concept album and as referenced above, Dreams Of Lands Unseen reflects the life of Ukrainian photographer and documentarian Sofia Yablonska, known for traveling to very distant corners of the world while documenting the lives of tribes and natives.
Producing, mixing and mastering was helmed by Max Morton while Dmitry Kim managed engineering and drum production. Wolfheart and Before The Dawn mainman Tuomas Saukkonen guests on the track ‘Opiumist’.
The track listing is as follows:
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01. ‘Téoura’
02. ‘Dunes’
03. ‘Camera Obscura’
04. ‘Далекі Обрії’
05. ‘To No One I Owe’
06. ‘Incurable Disease’
07. ‘Nomad’s Luck’
08. ‘The Golden Shell’
09. ‘Opiumist’ (feat. Tuomas Saukkonen)
10. ‘Zénith’
Ignea’s line-up is as follows:
Helle Bohdanova (vocals)
Dmytro Vinnichenko (guitars)
Oleksandr Kamyshyn (bass)
Ivan Kholmohorov (drums)
Yevhenii Zhytniuk (keyboards)
A music video was filmed for the track ‘Nomad’s Luck’. “‘Nomad’s Luck’ is about all the dangers of the road,” Ignea said. “Traveling on her own to the distant corners of the world, Yablonska could have died multiple times, from poisonous plants and diseases to superstitions and taboos of the natives. She could have settled down but her will for discovering new places overshadowed any risks. In this song, it’s as if Yablonska questions herself, how long she would last this way, ‘pushing nomad’s luck’…”
In addition, a music video was filmed for the track ‘Dunes’. “We continue telling the story of the amazing Ukrainian travel writer and photographer Sofia Yablonska who lived in the XX century,” said Helle Bohdanova. “‘Dunes’ is inspired by her adventure to the Sahara Desert.
“On this dangerous journey, Sofia’s driver fainted from the intense heat, so she had to take charge of driving and also fix the overheated engine herself. Their troubles didn’t end there, as they also had to escape from hostile locals who tried to shoot them. Our song describes how Sofia saw a mirage, so common in the desert. In our version, instead of imagining palm trees and an oasis, she saw the chilly Carpathian mountains with pine trees and rainfalls…”
And as well, a music video was filmed for the song ‘Incurable Disease’. “This particular song is not related to any pandemic or real illness.” Ignea said. “Rather, it is an ode to Sofia’s admiration for the sea, inspired by her frequent voyages by various types of vessels, from small boats to huge luxury liners. Sofia found the mechanics of these boats, the crew’s workings, and the sheer beauty of the waters to be captivating. The song’s lyrics speak from both Sofia’s perspective and my own, as I too share a profound affection for the sea that I liken to an ‘incurable disease’. In fact, I’m even in the process of creating a sea-themed tattoo sleeve on my right arm to showcase my devotion to all things maritime.”
All three clips can be viewed below.
Second studio record The Realms Of Fire And Death was independently released in April 2020.
Promotional photograph by Sergii Chernov.
