Aina (band)

Aina
Background information
Genres	Progressive metal, power metal, symphonic metal
Years active	2003–2004
Labels	Transmission/The End Records
Associated acts	Heavens Gate, Avantasia, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot
Members	Sascha Paeth Amanda Somerville Robert Hunecke-Rizzo Michael "Miro" Rodenberg

Aina is a progressive metal project produced by Sascha Paeth with a number of guest appearances including Glenn Hughes, Michael Kiske and Candice Night. It resulted in the metal opera Days of Rising Doom, which was released in 2003 by Transmission/The End Records. The concept was created by Amanda Somerville who also wrote the lyrics. The music was composed by Robert Hunecke-Rizzo. Ten years after its release, Paeth indicated that there were no plans to revisit the project.^[1]

Story

The album tells the story of a fictional country, Aina, ruled by King Taetius. It begins with a warning delivered to King Taetius (Damian Wilson) from The Prophets. The story involves a love triangle between Oria Allyahan (Candice Night) and the two sons of King Taetius: Talon (Glenn Hughes) and Torek (Thomas Rettke). After the death of Taetius, Torek becomes the king of Aina. However, he flees the kingdom in rage and humiliation when Talon is the one that gains lady Oria's hand in marriage.

Torek befriends a gruesome race known as the Krakhon, to whom he becomes a mix of king and deity; he also takes on the name of their deity, Sorvahr. Quickly, Sorvahr gathers the army of the Krakhon and leads them into a war against the whole world. Eventually he sieges and takes over Aina, casting out his brother, Talon, as well as Talon's wife, Oria, and daughter, Oriana. In an effort to preserve his kingdom, Talon sends Oriana away from him where she can be safe. Meanwhile, Sorvahr rapes Oria, who eventually gives birth to Syrius.

Unknowing of their relation to each other (as half-siblings and as enemies), Oriana and Syrius meet one another and fall in love. As the couple reaches adulthood, Talon returns to the kingdom with a new army to retake the throne of Aina. Talon takes Oriana with him to help lead the army; on the other side, Sorvahr takes Syrius with him to lead the opposing army. As Oriana and Syrius meet in battle, they declare a tentative peace on the battlefield. The peace is shattered when Sorvahr, disgusted with his son for making peace rather than war, kills Syrius. Horrified and enraged, Oriana then takes the fight back to Sorvahr and defeats him on the battlefield; she then takes the throne of the newly reinstated Kingdom of Aina.^[2]

Track listing

Disc 1: Days of Rising Doom

1. "Aina Overture" - 2:01
2. "Revelations" - 5:29
3. "Silver Maiden" - 5:00 singer: Michael Kiske
4. "Flight of Torek" - 5:21 singer: Tobias Sammet
5. "Naschtok Is Born" - 4:39
6. "The Beast Within" - 3:17
7. "The Siege Of Aina" - 6:50
8. "Talon's Last Hope" - 6:10
9. "Rape of Oria" - 3:05
10. "Son of Sorvahr" - 2:58
11. "Serendipity" - 4:04 singer: Michael Kiske
12. "Lalae Amer" - 4:13
13. "Rebellion" - 4:01 singer: Glenn Hughes
14. "Oriana's Wrath" - 6:13
15. "Restoration" - 4:55

Disc 2: The Story Of Aina

1. "The Story Of Aina" - (instrumental) - 15:08
2. "The Beast Within" - (single version) - 3:43
3. "Ve Toura Sol-Rape Of Oria" - (Ainae version) - 3:05
4. "Flight Of Torek" - (single version) - 3:33
5. "Silver Maiden" - (alternate version) - 4:59
6. "Talon's Last Hope" - (demo) - 5:46
7. "The Siege Of Aina" - (single version) - 3:55
8. "The Story Of Aina" - 15:08^[3]
9. "Oriana's Wrath" - (alternate version) (Japanese Bonus Track) - 6:11

Personnel

Creators

• Sascha Paeth (Heavens Gate, Luca Turilli, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot) - Producer
• Amanda Somerville (HDK, Epica, Kamelot)- Story, lyricist & vocalist: Maiden Voice and Oriana's Conscience
• Robert Hunecke-Rizzo (Heavens Gate, Luca Turilli, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot) - Music, drums, guitar, & bass
• Michael "Miro" Rodenberg (Heavens Gate, Luca Turilli, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot) - Arranger & keyboardist

Performers

Singers

• Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) - Talon
• Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Unisonic) - Narrator
• Andre Matos (ex-Shaaman, ex-Angra, ex-Symfonia) - Tyran
• Candice Night (Blackmore's Night) - Oria
• Sass Jordan - Oriana
• Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia) - Narrator
• Marco Hietala (Nightwish, Tarot) - Syrius
• Sebastian Thomson - The Storyteller
• Damian Wilson (Ayreon, Star One, Landmarq, Threshold) - King Taetius
• Thomas Rettke (Heavens Gate) - Torek (Sorvahr)
• Olaf Hayer (Luca Turilli) - Baktúk
• Cinzia Rizzo (Luca Turilli, Rhapsody, Kamelot) - Opera Voice and Background Vocals
• Rannveig Sif Sigurdardottir (Luca Turilli) - Opera Voice
• Simone Simons (Epica) - Mezzo-Soprano Voice
• Oliver Hartmann (ex -At Vance) and Herbie Langhans (Luca Turilli, Seventh Avenue) - The Prophets
• Also featuring The Trinity School Boys Choir as the Angelic Ainae Choir
  • Directed by David Swinson

Musicians

• Olaf Reitmeier (Virgo) - Acoustic guitars on "Revelations" & "Serendipity"
• Derek Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater) - Keyboard solo on "The Siege of Aina"
• Jens Johansson (Stratovarius, Yngwie Malmsteen, Majestic, Dio) - Keyboard solo on "Revelations"
• T.M. Stevens (Steve Vai, Tina Turner) - Bass on "Son of Sorvahr"
• Axel Naschke (Gamma Ray) - Organ on "Son of Sorvahr"
• Erno "Emppu" Vuorinen (Nightwish, Altaria) - Guitar solo on "Rebellion"
• Thomas Youngblood (Kamelot, Ian Parry) - Guitar solo on "Lalae Amêr"
• Erik Norlander (Ayreon, Ambeon) - Keyboard solo on "Rebellion"^[4]

References

1. ↑ (editor), J. (27 April 2013). "Sascha Paeth (Avantasia) Interview @ PPM 2013". Metal Blast. Mons. Retrieved 21 August 2014. 
2. ↑ Jepsen, Steen (September 29, 2014). "Album Review - Aina - Days Of Rising Doom". RevelationZ. Retrieved October 16, 2014. 
3. ↑ Days of Rising Doom @ Encyclopaedia Metallum
4. ↑ allmusic