We have finally reached the 6th studio release of Blackmore’s Night, excluding the festive Christmas album “Winter Carols”. Entering the process of speaking about Blackmore’s offer in rock music is needless as also disputing whether he is “wasted” in the musical path he has been following over 11 years approximately. Undoubted is the fact that whatever project Blackmore is engaged in he offers the maximum in the art of music.

The new accomplishment of Ritchie’s renaissance/folk-rock band “Secret Voyage”, loyal to the steps of its predecessors, does not contain something astonishingly new other than nice renaissance music based other on traditional sounds and other on Blackmore’s composition with distinctive feature is the ethereal voice of Candice Night.

Turn down the lights, light a candle, close your eyes for a while and travel with Blackmore’s Night in other times, enchanting and fairy with vehicle their atmospheric sounds and nostalgic verses.

The opening “God Save The Keg” introduces us ideally to the climate of the record while the next “Locked Within The Crystal Ball” is an 8minute hymn of epic proportions which will surely be remembered as one of the band’s classics. A medieval tune which is turned to a folk rock hymn by Blackmore’s mark. “Gilded Cage” that follows, inspired from a traditional French melody, calms us down with sound of the violin stealing the show. Influences from traditional European tunes continue in “Toast To Tomorrow”, which is inspired from the Russian tradition, but also in “Peasant´s Promise” containing elements from the traditional English sound. Also, the rapprochement of the classic Rainbow song “Rainbow Eyes” particularly stands out with the crystal voice of Candice lending a different dimension to it. “The Circle” is on the most special moments of “Secret Voyage” with the woodwinds and the amazing vocals elevating the song. A rearrangement of a well known track is not missing from this year’s release of Blackmore’s Night as there is “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis of course through the scope of the band.

It surely is a fact that “Secret Voyage” continues the course set by the previous releases by Blackmore’s Night nevertheless it is not considered as their peak even though it contains some of the best songs they have ever composed. But for the friends of Blackmore’s Night and quality music in general it offers a chance to escape from the difficult modern-day reality through the musical passing to past eras.