When Symphonic Metal Meets Middle-earth: Eye of Melian Drops “Symphonia Arcana” and We’re Here For It
Look, if you’re not already neck-deep in the Tolkien-inspired symphonic rabbit hole that is Eye of Melian, you’re about to be. The project helmed by Delain mastermind Martijn Westerholt just unleashed their second single “Symphonia Arcana” off their upcoming album Forest Of Forgetting, and it’s the kind of otherworldly sonic sorcery that makes vanilla pop metal look like, well… vanilla.
The Dream Team You Didn’t Know You Needed
Here’s where things get properly weird and wonderful. Westerholt – the guy who helped shape Delain’s symphonic metal sound – wanted an outlet for the lush, orchestral fantasy music bouncing around his brain. So naturally, he assembled what can only be described as a fantasy music Avengers squad:
Johanna Kurkela brings the angelic vocals. If you know her from Auri (that dreamy project she does with her husband, Nightwish’s Tuomas Holopainen), you know what kind of ethereal magic she’s capable of. The Finnish singer has been weaving folk and fantasy together for years, and her voice on “Symphonia Arcana” feels like it could genuinely summon elves.
Robin La Joy handles backing vocals and lyrics, and here’s what she said about the track that’ll give you goosebumps:
“When I first heard the sweeping symphonic soundscape that is ‘Symphonia Arcana’, it felt as though the music itself was calling me into another world. Its lush, orchestral sound became like an enchanting spell, unfolding into an autumn wood of vibrant, otherworldly color.”
Yeah. She’s not overselling it.
Mikko P. Mustonen rounds out the core lineup with orchestral arrangements that sound less like “we put strings on a metal song” and more like “we’re scoring the film adaptation of your favorite fantasy novel that doesn’t exist yet.”
So What Does It Actually Sound Like?
“Symphonia Arcana” isn’t your typical symphonic metal track. This is movie score territory – think Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings work if it grew up listening to symphonic metal and decided to get dramatic about it. The track builds and shifts, taking you through mystical emotions with the kind of dynamic orchestration that makes you want to throw on a cloak and wander into the nearest forest looking for adventure.
It’s cinematic, it’s lush, it’s the sonic equivalent of stepping through a wardrobe into Narnia, except this particular fantasy realm is called Lórien (yes, that Lórien – the gardens where Melian, the powerful primordial singing spirit from Tolkien’s legendarium, once dwelled).
About That Album…
Forest Of Forgetting drops February 20, 2026 via Napalm Records, and from what we’re hearing, it’s going to be twelve tracks of “the real world can wait, we’re going on an adventure.” The album opens with “Of Willows And Shadows” and weaves through tracks like “Child Of Twilight” and “Blackthorn Winter” – each one building on that dreamy, bombastic Hollywood score approach.
But here’s where it gets even weirder (in the best way): the album features Nightwish multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley on flute and uilleann pipes, plus the incomparable Patty Gurdy – yes, THE hurdy-gurdy fairy herself – on “Dawn Of Avatars.” If you don’t know Patty Gurdy, drop everything and fix that immediately. The German musician turned the medieval hurdy-gurdy into a folk-pop sensation, and hearing her Celtic magic mixed into Eye of Melian’s symphonic fantasy is the kind of crossover we never knew we desperately needed.
Oh, and they cover Bruce Dickinson’s “Tears Of The Dragon” (originally from his 1994 post-Iron Maiden album Balls To Picasso). Because why not throw a charming metal anthem into your fantasy folk opera?
The Bonus Content No One Talks About But Should
Here’s something cool: Forest Of Forgetting comes with instrumental versions of ALL the tracks. That’s right – you can dwell in those impressive orchestrals alone, perfect for when you want that epic fantasy soundtrack vibe for working, gaming, or dramatically staring out windows contemplating your next quest.
Why This Matters
In a world drowning in AI-generated slop and recycled radio-friendly pablum, Eye of Melian is doing something genuinely distinctive. They’re not just making “symphonic metal with fantasy lyrics”- they’re creating immersive sonic worlds that respect both the complexity of orchestral composition and the raw emotion of fantasy storytelling.
Westerholt himself puts it perfectly:
“This album has been a really inspiring process – both for me as a songwriter and in what each of us brought to it. It has a lot of what EYE OF MELIAN is known for: cinematic, score-like arrangements, minor chords, and those epic, mysterious atmospheres. The lyrics tie everything together; they bring out the worlds and stories that the music hints at and make the whole thing feel complete.”
The Verdict
Look, “Symphonia Arcana” isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of mead. If you think all music should fit neatly into three-minute radio slots and feature predictable verse-chorus-verse structures, this ain’t it. But if you’re the kind of person who thinks the world needs more hurdy-gurdies, more Tolkien-inspired mythology, and more music that sounds like it belongs in a fantasy film that doesn’t exist yet?
Welcome home, weirdo. You’re going to love this.
Check out the official video for “Symphonia Arcana” and mark your calendars for February 20, 2026. Forest Of Forgetting promises to be exactly the kind of ambitious, genre-defying fantasy music project that My Kind Of Weird exists to celebrate.
Pre-order: Forest Of Forgetting is available for pre-order now through Napalm Records
Watch: “Symphonia Arcana” official video on YouTube
Follow: Keep up with Eye of Melian for more otherworldly musical adventures
Are you diving into the Eye of Melian rabbit hole? Let us know in the comments what fantasy-inspired music projects have captured your imagination lately.
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