On March 12, BLACKMORE’S NIGHT released “Nature’s Light”, its eleventh studio album and the first in six years, via earMUSIC. Today, the band, founded in 1997 by award-winning vocalist Candice Night and legendary guitar icon Ritchie Blackmore, has revealed the disc’s fourth single, “Second Element”. The official music video for the song, produced and directed by Jeffrey Pickett, can be seen below.
According to Blackmore, “Nature’s Light” is dedicated to the unique magic of renaissance faires. “I heard something that was a similar kind of melody, so I took that melody and gave it to Candice,” he describes the inception of the song. “I said, ‘This represents people going to a faire, a very ceremonial thing, with the King and Queen coming through.’ and it needed to have the bombastic pageantry of celebration. A regal announcement that royalty was coming to town.”
The ten new tracks make for a quintessential BLACKMORE’S NIGHT album. Once again, Blackmore and Night successfully mix the tradition of folk music and their love for the Renaissance era, inspired by the myths and legends of ancient times.
While the album is rooted in a traditional approach, fans of Ritchie Blackmore‘s unique style will not be disappointed. Heartfelt ballads, such as a brand-new version of “Wish You Were Here”, set the scene for the magical tales on “Four Winds” and “The Twisted Oak”. On the two instrumental tracks — “Darker Shade Of Black” and “Der letzte Musketier” — Ritchie‘s guitar brilliance shines through.
“Nature’s Light” wasreleased on multiple formats. Among these is a strictly limited 2CD hardcover mediabook edition, including a bonus CD featuring a carefully selected set of BLACKMORE’S NIGHT‘s masterpieces from their extensive back catalogue. Furthermore, the album has become available as a CD digipak edition, a strictly limited heavyweight 1LP gatefold edition on yellow vinyl, a 180g 1LP gatefold edition on black vinyl as well as digital.
“Nature’s Light” track listing:
01. Once Upon December
02. Four Winds
03. Feather In The Wind
04. Darker Shade Of Black (instrumental)
05. The Twisted Oak
06. Nature’s Light
07. Der Letzte Musketier (instrumental)
08. Wish You Were Here (2021)
09. Going To The Faire
10. Second Element
