[MUSIC NEWS] EYE OF MELAN Release New Cover
EYE OF MELIAN delve into a metal classic with the third single off their upcoming album Forest Of Forgetting, out on February 20, 2026 via Napalm Records. EYE OF MELIAN reimagines “Tears Of The Dragon”, the captivating emotional hymn Bruce Dickinson released after his departure from Iron Maiden. The Tolkien-inspired brainchild of Martijn Westerholt (Delain) and Johanna Kurkela (Auri, Tuomas Holopainen) transforms the iconic song, originally featured on Dickinson’s second solo album, Balls To Picasso (1994), into an enchanting, cinematic experience. EYE OF MELIAN blend lush symphonic soundscapes with Kurkela’s gentle, ethereal vocals, transporting listeners into a realm of pure fantasy.
Mikko P. Mustonen about “Tears of the Dragon”:
“I grew up listening to this song, but it wasn’t until I got older that I truly felt the weight of its lyrics. I’ve always loved the fantasy reference – even something as powerful as a dragon must eventually yield and let its emotions break free.”
Watch the Official Video for “Tears of the Dragon”
EYE OF MELIAN open the gates to a different world with their new album Forest Of Forgetting, out February 20th, 2026 via Napalm Records. Named after a powerful primordial singing spirit from the world of J. R. R. Tolkien, EYE OF MELIAN draws inspiration from the master of fantasy and expands on his ethereal concept. Created by Delain’s Martijn Westerholt and featuring Auri’s Johanna Kurkela as a lead vocalist, EYE OF MELIAN’s Forest Of Forgetting is a masterclass in symphonic songwriting so whimsical the real world fades away.
With this opulent album, EYE OF MELIAN extends an invitation to faraway lands full of wonder. Forest Of Forgetting unfolds as quite the opposite of its title: utterly unforgettable.
Martijn Westerholt about 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.”
Order Your Copy of Forest Of Forgetting
lnk.to/EyeOfMelian-ForestofForgetting/napalmrecords
Completing the all-star lineup on their debut with Napalm Records are orchestral arranger Mikko P. Mustonen and backing vocalist and lyricist Robin La Joy, blessing twelve lush compositions with immortal life. Mesmerizing from the first gentle notes of opening track “Of Willows And Shadows”, Forest Of Forgetting weaves otherworldly piano melodies and epic strings around angelic vocals worthy of the powerful Valar themselves. “Child Of Twilight” deepens EYE OF MELIAN’s dreamy and bombastic Hollywood movie score approach, carefully building up an exceptionally enchanting atmosphere that carries on into the equally cinematic “Blackthorn Winter”, ever so elegantly broadening the view into the alluring realms the band is melodizing. “Dawn Of Avatars” features Nightwish multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley on flute and uilleann pipes, as well as hurdy-gurdy songstress Patty Gurdy, before EYE OF MELIAN turns in the direction of heavy metal with a charming rendition of Bruce Dickinson’s anthem “Tears Of The Dragon” (originally released on Balls To Picasso in 1994 after the singer had left Iron Maiden). Forest Of Forgetting also comes with all its tracks as instrumental versions to dwell in the impressive orchestrals alone.
Forest Of Forgetting tracklisting:
Of Willows and Shadows
Symphonia Arcana
Child of Twilight
Elixir of Night (feat. Patty Gurdy and Troy Donockley)
Blackthorn Winter
Lady of Light
Dawn of Avatars (feat. Patty Gurdy and Troy Donockley)
Forest of Forgetting
The Buried Well
The Mirror
Nepenthe
Tears of the Dragon (Bruce Dickinson Cover)