Customer Reviews

The Merlin Mystery

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first heard Alkaemy on a different CD called Celtic Journey while looking for traveling tunes for my trip to Ireland in April of this year. From The Merlin Mystery were two tracks, "Le Morte D'Arthur" and "Nimue's Lament", they were the initial and final tracks respectively on the Celtic Journey CD. The others in between were beautiful in their own right, but they were gravy. Alkaemy's tracks were truly the best I had heard in a long time. Not since Loreena McKennitt's "The Visit" had I heard such ethereal vocals and music. Wonderfully mesmerizing. The "Merlin" narration by Joss Ackland, who has one of those great narrative voices, featured on Alkaemy's CD, is an added bonus.

If you like a mystery, buy the Book and buy this CD to accompany you on a quest for Merlin's Wand of Alkaemy. Who knows, you might even find the prize, but even if you don't you won't lose with this CD. I've about worn out my copy and I still find myself singing Nimue's Lament in my head while I'm working.

This CD is a truly magical experience. From the opening swirl of wind, strings and pipes and incantantions of Merlin's Wizardry, you KNOW this is special.

The style is a wonderful fusion of the Celtic new age and classical, so popular with the Titanic soundtrack. However, this record has very much its own sound, somewhere between Enya, Enigma and Elgar, but with subtle looping rhythms and soaring, emotion-packed vocals. Later on, the music is not afraid to build to a real big noise - particularly on "Uther" and "The Cave". But the strength is really in the subtle, quieter passages. Le Morte d'Arthur and Nimue's Lament are haunting tales of lost loves, of angels and mermaids. The vocals recall Adiemus at their finest - but that isn't surprising when you see that Miriam Stockley, the voice of Adiemus, is part of the Alkaemy experience!

The CD is linked to a fiendishly difficult puzzle book (I've spent hours listening to the music but getting nowhere with the challenge of "the Merlin Mystery"!). It loosely acts as a "soundtrack", but it is a superb stand-alone record as well. It has a real freshness every time you play it. A joy. A real joy.

Buy it. I predict it will never leave your CD player....

I was skeptical at first when I bought this CD (mainly due to my then-obsession with anything related to the Arthurian saga) and was unsure what to expect. I wasn't sure whether simple instruments and vocals would be able to capture the essence of the famed Merlin and the tragic tale of King Arthur, but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and power inherent within this CD.

The girls of Alkaemy have managed to create a resounding, enchanting sound that carries with it all the fabled storytelling power of the ancient bards, who's stories have captivated audiences throughout the centuries with their lyrical expression and tales of gods and heroes. Le Morte D'Arthur, Faerie Entertainer's, Nimue's Lament and the Mystery are four of the most compelling tracks on the CD and through them many facets of the Arthurian saga are brought to life. The rest of the CD is just as good, but those four songs are the ones that clearly stand out in my thought.

The Merlin Mystery did not let me down, and it certainly will not let any other listener down, either!

This CD has some truly ace tracks on it. 1,3 and 6 are really cool. The song Nimue's Lament is better than Celine Dion's song from Titanic. I am comparing the 2 because the sound similar but the lyrics are better in this song and whoever is singing it can sing very well.

Thru out most of the trax on this CD you have female vocal effects that make a genuine magical atmosphere and in the later trax you have some really cool sound effects that place you right in the magical world the music creates.

I highly reccomend this CD to you and the book that accompanies it. It will stand out in any collection.

This music is so etherial ... Beautiful, probably the one of the best CDs I've ever listened to. The music is remisniscent of celtic music yet it is all soft and flows smoothly without any periods of loudness or thunderous crashing notes. It tugs at your very soul.

I enjoyed it so much that I axiously await music from this group again. Sadly, I couldn't find any more CDs by this group, but will most definitely purchase one if it came available.

I'm trilled that I bought this CD and you will be too if you buy it.

This unlikely combination of pop, new age, pseudo-traditional and orchestral music by British pianist/composer Julia Taylor was created as a companion to the "treasure hunt" book of the same title by Jonathan Gunson and Marten Coombe. The result is a surprisingly rich and enticing "soundtrack", which draws the listener into a world of mystery and magic with or without the book. Electronica and the "Merlin Philharmonic Orchestra" are supplemented by Allison Taylor's string solos, singers Shelagh and Sheryle Gwynfar, and occasional, brief narrations by "Merlin" (Joss Ackland). There are different styles and flavors here, and the occasional lyrics are a little sappy, but primarily this is a true instrumental soundtrack--alternatingly sweeping and pensive, driving and emotive, and at all times transporting. I'm not sure I would listen to this while I was solving a puzzle or searching for hidden treasure, as I would pay more attention to the music than to my task, but it's great, evocative stuff for conjuring up creative ideas and losing one's self in. If you like "The Merlin Mystery", you might enjoy discovering the rich and passionate storytelling music of Mychael and Jeff Danna as well; it is also orchestral and somewhat similar in tone. Try "A Celtic Tale: The Legend of Deirdre", and "A Celtic Romance: The Legend of Liadain and Curithir". Darby Devon's work in Highlands is also quite complimentary. Happy hunting!

I know nothing about the band before but when I listen to the clips, I know they are right for anyone who searches for eternal value, mystery, magical power, relationship with the world... Alkaemy is a band of three girls Julia, Sheryle and Shelagh. Based on the Arthurian legend and the story about Merlin, they produced music of subtlety, stylish and yet if you listen to the music with hearts, not mind, to "feel" it, you'll get the power from the music itself. Lyrics is wonderfully written: "It's only love that keeps us hanging on Until the battle in our hearts is won" ~Le Morte D'Arthur "Then I will come to you my love With the passing of the days And I will set you free each time Your hearts is bound in chains" ~ Nimue's Lament You feel loved, encouraged, enchanted..... I am sure this CD will accompany me for a long long time to come. If you like music of high quality,eternity, themed and focused, find nowhere but this one.

This CD is absolutely marvelous. The melodies and lyrics are lovely and entrancing, taking the listener on a magical journey. If you've never heard anything by Alkaemy before, I suggest listening to this recording for the first time with the lights off and just letting your mind wander with the harmonies.

I believe that I have found one of the most relaxing CDs ever. This CD does not bore me, or contain much in the way of in-your-face energy. What it does contain, however, are stellar lead vocals by Shelagh & Sheryle Gwynfar and background vocals on two tracks by none other than the famous Miriam Stockley. Songs such as "Le Morte D'Arthur", "Nimue's Lament (Vocal Version)" and "The Wand Of Alchemy" have stunning vocals and in the case of the former two, very well arranged. Every other track on this CD save one is either instrumental or contains only chanting (background). Some instrumental tracks on this CD leave much to be desired, but the majority are very peacefuly and I often use this CD as a sleep aid. There is but one flaw in this album: track 13 "The Mystery". It really is a mystery why they included this track in it's current form. Now, don't get me wrong, this is a very well done song, and sounds very good, but it is probably twice as fast as the rest of the CD, so if you are using the CD to relax, it is best to skip over this track. It does not fit into the "vibe" of the CD, unfortunately. But the rest of the CD more than makes up for it. I highly recommend this album to anyone.

This cd is the best!!! It helps me fall asleep and is soooo relaxing, I fell asleep at work! The vocals in the cd are so moving and calm and relaxing. I enjoyed this cd soooo much and I bet you will too.