Blackmore's Night
Shadow Of The Moon

THE REVIEW

After countless ins and outs from Deep Purple and having created his own "kingdom" with Rainbow, the Man In Black inaugurates the new chapter of his turbulent yet extraordinary career. In 1997, the first ambitious album of Blackmore's Night, Shadow Of The Moon, was released where Mr. Blackmore pours all his pristine passion for the Middle Ages (he lives in a castle in Germany...).
Accompanied by his faithful partner Candice Night, the minstrel brings to life sounds that take us directly into a Renaissance court atmosphere, so after the evocative title track and the two cheerful ballads The Clock Ticks On/Be Mine Tonight, we arrive at what I consider to be the pearl of the album, namely Play Minstrel Play, where you truly breathe in all the charm of old medieval manors, notably featuring the great Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull in this song, who perfectly duets with Ritchie at the end!
Notable also is the "darkish" Writing On The Wall followed by the second gem of the album: Renaissance Faire where you experience the pleasant sensation of being at the court of a powerful lord of the city... Excellent are the instrumental Memmingen and Mond Tanz where Blackmore shows, if there were ever any doubt, that he is not only a great electric guitarist. The rendition of the famous ballad Greensleeves is excellent, where Candice Night, gifted with a voice that blends well with the atmospheres permeating the album, gives the best of her vocal expressiveness. Grand finale with Wish You Were Here (no, not the one by Pink Floyd...).

After years of solos bordering on the sublime, Ritchie Blackmore channels his extraordinary talent into this ambitious and fascinating project, long live the Man In Black!