Napalm Records proudly welcomes Eye Of Melian to its roster, the Tolkien-inspired symphonic project founded by Martijn Westerholt of Delain and Finnish vocalist Johanna Kurkela of Auri. Alongside this exciting partnership, the band announces their new album ‘Forest of Forgetting’, set for release on February 20, 2026.
Named after a powerful singing spirit from Tolkien’s mythos, Eye Of Melian creates a cinematic and ethereal soundscape that draws listeners into a world of myth and imagination. Their music blends lush orchestration with elegant melodies, crafting a dreamlike experience that feels both timeless and transportive.
The first single from the album, “Blackthorn Winter,” offers a glimpse into this enchanted realm. With its sweeping arrangements and haunting atmosphere, the track captures the band’s signature score-like style. Johanna Kurkela shared, “’Blackthorn Winter’ ended up becoming a very personal song to me after writing the lyrics about living here in Finland, where winter feels like it never ends and summer is the best day of the year.”
Martijn Westerholt reflected on the creative journey behind ‘Forest of Forgetting’: “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 collaboration between us on this record felt very natural. We’ve really found our way of working as a team, and I’m proud of what we created together.”