Prog News, Press Releases - Eloy`s new concept about Joan of Arc in progress

Dear ELOY friends,

Firstly, sorry for the long communication hiatus on our part. The band has been on a break and as such there has been no news.

Unfortunately, we no longer live all in one place, have very different lives, and it has become more difficult to organise things together. Nevertheless... »the fire is still burning« and I have always succeeded in reactivating Eloy in a mostly stable formation!

Our very successful concerts in 2011, 2012 and 2013 were met with truly sensational feedback – both in the media and by you. This has led me to take on a very special, highly complex work whose realisation will require more time and effort than was ever necessary for any of the band’s other projects. I am aware of what I am letting myself in for but, motivated by the experience of the tour, I wanted a lofty goal and have set the bar very high.

I have chosen a topic that I have had in mind for many years and originally intended to use for a solo project and stage work: namely the equally unique, touching and fantastic story of Joan of Arc, for which I have found the highly appropriate and distinctive title, »The Vision - The Sword - And The Pyre«.

With my deep knowledge of the story, I had no shortage of musical vision for this ambitious work. I envisaged a musical melange combining diverse tonal and stylistic elements that merge by the end to a coherent whole. An emotional musical firework with powerful choirs and symphonic orchestral arrangements but also forceful guitars, pulsating rhythms and atmospheric waves from the keyboards. Since those are indeed all essential aspects represented by Eloy, I quickly came upon the idea of producing the work not only as a musical spectacle for the stage, but to invite my fellow musicians from the band for a creative role in creating a two-CD concept album.

Although the circumstances mentioned above mean the working conditions are not optimal, and therefore everything will take significantly longer, this creative challenge is certainly worth it. I am therefore very pleased that I could persuade my scattered bandmates to once again accept such a challenge, despite the significant organisational difficulties.

Thank you for your patience. I am of the firm conviction that we will be able to put an end to the wait before the year is out. You can expect a work full of energy and passion.

Let yourself be surprised!

Faithfully yours,

Frank Bornemann