Íon - Madre, Protégenos
Equilibrium Music
Atmospheric Soundscapes (Folk, Classical, Celtic, Ambient)
9 songs (39:22)
Release year: 2006
Íon, Equilibrium Music
Reviewed by Ken

A few years ago I was asked to review an album called Waves Of Life by Iridia, a duo that included vocalist Valentina Buroni (aka: Leanan Sidhe) of Beholder, a metal band; however, Waves Of Life was far from metal. It was a mix of electronic, ambient music and various other global musical styles: Celtic, hints of Middle Eastern melodies and instrumentation, folk, and classical; to name a few. Recently, I was asked to review Madre, Protégenos by Íon, a project from ex-Anathema/Antimatter bassist Duncan Patterson. Considering his background and the samples I heard, I didn't expect something that was metal; but I definitely didn't expect something utterly void of anything even close to metal. Madre, Protégenos hits me like Iridio's Waves Of Life but with far less of a Delerium-like ambience. Madre, Protégenos has more of an organic, natural feeling, evoking more emotion with its music, like a poet commanding an audience less with wordplay, but with the power of his words.

Patterson has himself penned all but one track on Madre, Protégenos; but the performances on the album showcase a myriad of well-known talents: Marcelo Bovio (vocals) of Stream Of Passion and Elfonía, Mark Kelson (vocals) of The Eternal, Vangelis Yalamas (percussion) of Fragile Vastness, Valentina Buroni (vocals) of Beholder and Iridio, and a host of other lesser known vocalists and musicians from all corners of the world (Russia, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Australia, Mexico, and Argentina).

Madre, Protégenos begins with a track bearing the same name. Immediately, fans of Dead Can Dance will be drawn into any number of past worlds created by Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. It's a dark, eerie canvas painted with acoustic guitar and flute, layered with orchestration, sample-like vocals, chanting, aural melodies, and foreboding piano. This is played out in varying degrees throughout the entire album; with “O Efeito Do Verão” incorporating more orchestra, “Learpholl” plays like a melancholic Irish folk song, while percussion dominates “Anathema Maranatha” and “Ultreia.” The slight orchestral, mostly a capella “Goodbye Johnny Dear” deserves special mention in that it’s a traditional Irish emigrant classic, one that was written in the 1800s by Duncan’s great-grandfather, Johnny Patterson.

Strict fans of metal will likely find little here to indulge in; those who enjoy bands/musicians like Dead Can Dance, Murray Attaway, and Sarah Mclachlan’s earlier, darker material will find a lot of depth to immerse themselves into. Madre, Protégenos is an album you listen to while relaxing: lights out, candles afire, reading, contemplating your dreary life, making babies, and such; it’s an album meant to take you on a journey through its music, or to facilitate the opening of doors through one’s emotional walls of inner-thinking.

MP3: Madre, Protégenos (Clip), Learpholl, and Believe (Clip)

Note: In time these links will likely becoming outdated.

Killing Songs :
Madre, Protégenos, Learpholl, Believe and Beyond the Morning—great songs, not killing songs!
Ken quoted 75 / 100
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