The 10-track concept album,
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, which was especially dangerous and uncommon for a woman of her time. Sonically,
IGNEA creates a captivating masterpiece which resembles, thanks in part to diverse genre-influences, an epic soundtrack-like experience. Producing, mixing and mastering was helmed by Max Morton (
Jinjer,
Morton) whilst Dmitry Kim managed engineering and drum production.“
Dunes” kicks off with the rough screams of highly-gifted singer Helle Bohdanova, standing in contrast to the song’s feathery, dreamy melodies. A perfect picture of the endless Sahara is conjured when hard-hitting riffs combine effortlessly with far-eastern melodies. The track is followed by “
Daleki Obriyi” – only one of two songs on the album sung in Ukrainian language, honoring their home country and mother tongue. Implying distant horizons, the album’s subject, Sofia, is now far away from modern human civilization. Brutal death metal rhythms and shouts crash together with catchy synth passages, representing the beauty of the islands. Ready to move on, Sofia sails to the next country – spending so much time on the water, it becomes her “
Incurable Disease”. Carried away by the gleeful synth-sounds of the sea and turbulent, pounding waves, it creates an extraordinary voyage. Songs like “
The Golden Shell” and “
Opiumist” – the latter featuring Finnish vocalist Tuomas Saukkonen of
Wolfheart – are an ode to Yablonska’s experiences she gathered in Chinese culture. Cheery eastern melodies and brutal growls create the atmosphere of a heavy trip. On
“Nomad’s Luck”, restless guitar riffs mixed with powerful deep shouts create an ominous sound – a symbol of the constant questioning of one’s lifetime.
Vocalist Helle Bohdanova on the album:
“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. 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…”
