Cruachan - 'The Changeling' (feat. Nella and Jon Campling)

The child you love, the child you do adore
Has changed into a creature you abhor
A twisted version of the child that was
The darkest of exchanges was the cause

From the woods we come,
From the forest deep
Take the child from slumber,
Take the child from sleep

Cast this wicked child upon the pyre
Force the sinful changeling to retire
Now your child the Faeries shall return
Lest their addled child forever burn

From the woods we come,
From the forest deep
Take the child from slumber,
Take the child from sleep

Πριν από τριάντα ένα έτη, το μακρινό 1992, δημιουργήθηκαν στην Ιρλανδία οι Minas Tirith. Έναν χρόνο αργότερα μετονομάσθηκαν σε Cruachan και συνεχίζουν ακάθεκτοι μέχρι τις ημέρες μας (με ένα μικρό διάλειμμα από τα μέσα του 1997 έως τον Ιανουάριο του 1999).

Μας συστήνονται κάπως έτσι:

«Cruachan were formed by Keith Fay in 1992, originally called 'Minas Tirith', the name was changed when the direction focused more on Irish history and mythology. The main defining factor for Cruachan is the fusion of Irish folk music with metal, which had never been done before.»

...και έχουν κυκλοφορήσει εννέα (9) "ολοκληρωμένους" δίσκους, δύο (2) demos, τέσσερα (4) singles, μία συλλογή, ένα (1) ep και ένα (1) Boxed set. Προ τριετίας ξεκίνησαν συνεργασία με την δισκογραφική εταιρεία Despotz records με προοπτική να "βγει" το ένατο full length album τους, το οποίο φέρει τον τίτλο "The Living and the Dead" και "βγήκε" προ τετραμήνου.

Παρακολουθούμε το lyric video του τραγουδιού "The Changeling", για το οποίο η μπάντα μας λέει σχετικά:

«The Changeling was one of the songs that influenced the original album title 'Forest Songs'. The majority of themes on the album were intended to be about the peasant class of Ireland in the 1600's and 1700's. After the mother and baby home report in Ireland, a lot of lyrical themes went in another direction.

Anyway, The Changeling is about the Faerie folk of Ireland (from where my second name 'Fay' comes from). There are many stories, myths and legends about the Faeries as well as many first hand testimonies from people who firmly believe they have seen them.

The song 'The Middle Kingdom' tells a lot about this but I wanted to go back and talk about a very sinister part of Faerie lore.

A Changeling was a Faerie left in place of a stolen baby. Usually, it was the fairest, most beautiful children who were taken, because the fairies craved and admired these traits. The child was taken for one of three reasons; to act as a servant, for the fairies to receive the love of a human child, or for malice / revenge.

Children with deformities, illnesses or conditions that were unexplained at the time were thought to have been replaced by changelings, which is why many were abandoned or even killed.

There were also those who suspected their baby had been swapped with a changeling who still felt as if they had to look after and love their changeling child, for fear that the fairies would harm their stolen child, or worse, never bring it back.

Belief in changelings endured in parts of Ireland until as late as 1895, when Bridget Cleary was killed by her husband who believed her to be a changeling.

For the song itself it was great to finally have the legendary Nella perform with Cruachan. Nella has performed on the World of Warcraft soundtrack, toured with 'Video Games Live' and worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry.

We had talked about a collaboration for a long time but never found the time to actually do something until now. Alongside Nella we have another legend, Jon Campling. Jon is known for his roles in the Harry Potter movies and Final Fantasy games but recently he turned his hand to music and this song represent his first professional recording appearance.»

Δελτίο τύπου: «Ireland’s Cruachan have enjoyed a storied career since they took those tentative first steps back in 1992.

As frontman and sole original member Keith Fay elaborates; ‘When I started writing music as a 13-year-old, I had no idea that I was laying the foundations for what would become a brand-new genre, Folk Metal, or that I was planting the seeds of what would be one of the longest running Irish metal bands in history.

There have been many ups and downs over the last thirty years, band members have come and gone, record deals have come and gone. We've played some of the biggest metal festivals on the planet, travelled to more countries than most Irish bands would ever dream possible. And it has all led to this - our ninth album, 'The Living and the Dead'.’

With the deal signed, talk obviously turned to new music. ‘The new album only existed in my head but he still pushed me to get a single out. We recorded The Hawthorn and the reaction was immense.’ Buoyed by the amazing reaction to the single, Fay recruited new members for Cruachan in ‘record time’.

‘Joe Farrell had already re-joined Cruachan on bass at the start of 2020, apart from being one of my oldest friends, he was also my rock during this time. Tom (Woodlock), one of the best metal drummers in Ireland, joined us early in 2020.

I've known Dave Quinn for many years so was a relief that I didn't need to audition for guitarists, he came in and was a natural fit for the band. I did advertise for a folk instrumentalist and had a few interesting applications.

Audrey sent me a mail with some links to her playing. My jaw literally dropped and I recruited her right away. She has been playing violin since the age of 4, the quality she brings to every aspect of Cruachan is beyond compare, from our folky stuff to our classical stuff, it has all just moved to a level I never thought possible.’»

Band: Cruachan
Country of origin: Ireland
Location: Dublin, Dublin
Formed in: 1993
Genre: Celtic Folk/Black Metal
Lyrical themes: Celtic folklore, Irish history/mythology, Tolkien, Anti-Christianity, Paganism
Years active: 1992-1993 (as Minas Tirith), 1993-1997, 1999-present

Lyric video: "The Changeling"
Album: "The Living and the Dead"
Type: Full length
Release date: March 24th, 2023
Label: Despotz Records
Format: CD, 2 vinyls, Digital

Track listing:
01. The Living
02. The Queen
03. The Hawthorn
04. The Harvest
05. The Festival
06. The Ghost
07. The Crow
08. The Reaper
09. The Children
10. The Changeling
11. The Witch
12. The Dead

Band members:
Keith Fay - Vocals, Guitars, Banjo, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Keyboard, Bodhrán, Songwriting, Lyrics
Joe Farrell - Bass
Tom Woodlock - Drums, Percussion, Hand clapping
David Quinn - Guitars
Audrey Trainor - Violin, Viola, Cello

Guest/Session:
Kim Dylla - Vocals (backing)
Vreth - Vocals (lead) (track 6)
Jon Campling - Vocals (backing) (tracks 7, 10)
Geoffroy Dell'Aria - Bagpipes, Tin whistle, Low whistle
Camillus Hiney - Accordion (track 5)
Stu ‘La Rage’ Dixon - Guitar solo (track 11)
John Fay - Tin whistle (track 9)
Sinead Richards - Euphonium (track 8)
Nella - Vocals (lead) (track 10)

Miscellaneous staff:
Michael Richards - Recording, Producer, Mixing
Vagelis Petikas - Cover art