The Ereyn Chronicles Part I: The Journey of Beginnings
	Produced by Anthropia
	Released on September 12, 2006
	no chart information
	Find it at GEMM
PR-0609 cover [high resolution scan]

T he monotony of the crossing changes to boredom, to lassitude and then to animosity. A brawl erupts and a dwarf is killed. Which sounds uncannily like my Thanksgivings as a child. Unfortunately, it’s part of the plot synopsis to The Ereyn Chronicles Part I: The Journey of Beginnings. Generally, tackling a fantasy concept on your first album is risky business. Moreso when you’re a one-man band (Hugo Lefebvre writes and plays everything but drums). The story, written by friend Quentin Borderie, is your typical Boy in Budding Manhood Seeks His Special Destiny with Both Hands story. Ayn Rand it ain’t, let alone Michael Moorcock, but if you’re really into fantasy, well, you’re probably on Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell’s site right now coming to grips with your own special destiny. I actually like fantasy. Just finished reading A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony. That also had a forest that made you sleepy and seaweed that made you sleepy. Fortunately, The Ereyn Chronicles didn’t put me to sleep. It’s not a brilliant opus (no work that recycles the riff to Peter Gunn ever is), but it’s a solid melodic metal album, better than its DIY origins would indicate, at times sounding like Rush or Galactic Cowboys firing on fewer cylinders. With time and a bigger cast of players, Anthropia could make the journey from Noble Beginning to Something Bigger. That something bigger would be less wordy, possibly even in Lefebvre’s native French, and less prone to predictable riffs. It’s understandable that an ambitious and (clearly) talented musician like Lefebvre would want to make a grand opening statement. The fact that Magna Carta released The Ereyn Chronicles is proof enough of its mettle. However, there’s nothing that makes this stand out in a crowded field. Maybe they have fewer dragons, more witches, foul-mouthed pixies instead of mocking tree sprites, but the woods are full of interesting prog metal monsters, and The Ereyn Chronicles is only one of them. Thus, The Journey of Beginnings finds itself smack dab in the middle of the forest; an interesting creature if you chance upon it, but nothing to be hunted down for its progressive pelt.

TRACK LISTING

1. WELCOME TO EREYN    2:34
2. QUESTION OF HONOUR    6:40
3. LORDS OF A WORLD    6:34
4. THROUGH THE SLEEPING SEAWEED    8:18
5. FORGOTTEN    8:57
6. LION-SNAKE    5:29
7. WHERE THE SECRETS LIE    (lyrics by Hugo/QMB)    8:44
8. THE WALK AMONG THE RUINS    1:10
9. IN THE MAZE OF A NIGHTMARE    9:35
10. THE DESERT OF JEWELS    10:11
    
    All music and lyrics written by Hugo unless noted

CREDITS

HUGUES (HUGO) LEFEBVRE -- vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, arrangements, choir, mixing, inlay booklet illustrations
DAMIEN RAINAUD -- drums, choir
Quentin (QMB) Borderie -- storyteller, tarot cards
Virginie Drusian -- choir
Thomas "Seek" Letscher -- bass (4)
Willdric Lievin -- engineer, mixing, choir
Marie-Eve Orengo -- witch (6)
Aurore Stapels -- choir
Irokkoi -- artwork

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