Auri is the incredible voice of Johanna Kurkela, Nightwish mastermind Tuomas Holopainen and Troy Donockley. III Candles and Beginnings is their third masterwork, written in Finland and Yorkshire; it is a worldly experience that crosses many musical landscapes from folk through to progressive and experimental that reflects the rich tapestries of life and the reverie of childhood experiences.
From the beautiful and sumptuous harmonies of the excellent Blakey Ridge and gorgeous Museum of Childhood, III Candles and Beginnings is an album of hope, its ethereal beauty matched by a sense of confidence and faith held together by the exemplary vocal work of Johanna Kurkela her rich voice at times so fragile to be heartbreaking and others as warm as a gentle lovers embrace. The Apparition Speaks is a prog-inspired instrumental blessed with a great experimental riff. The Invisible Gossamer Bridge is blessed with excellent world-building, cinematic musicianship and dynamics that the musicians provide, even if at times it is reminiscent of their ‘’other’’ work. A Boy Travelling with His Mother is it the conclusion, an epic, subtle triumph cascading with symphonic flourishes, guitar work and those ethereal vocals.
III Candles and Beginnings was never going to be any less than excellent; it is the sort of journey that one experiences and feels rather than just simply listens to. It is an uplifting tapestry of emotions that, when woven together, creates a unique piece of work that can’t do anything except elicit a response and a smile. An album that is unafraid to experiment with convention and create dreamscapes that are to be enjoyed, not feared. Auri have created a beautiful and haunting experience.
Auri: Facebook
Release Year: 2025
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Category: Album
Country: Finland
Reviewed by Sparky
