Independent artist Ember Belladonna unveils a haunting and ensnaring fantasy through her latest album The Grove. Released on February 9th, 2024, Ember Belladonna opens our eyes to the world of The Grove that reveals fantasy and enchantment through wondrous vocals, mesmerizing melodies, and bewitching metal fury.

Ember Belladonna explains: “My goal with my music and with this album is to make the flute the lead within a genre it’s not always heard in. To surprise people with the way this instrument can sound, and how it can fit into metal music in ways you don’t expect. You will hear what sounds like more ‘traditional’ flute playing as well as a much edgier sound throughout the album In certain tracks I use a type of flute called the glissando flute paired with a guitar pedal to give it a completely new sound.”

Featuring guest appearances from Lycanthro’s James Delbridge, Inferno Doll, and The Darkeyed Musician, this album explores power, magic, nature, and storytelling.

From “Tenalach” we are pulled into a realm unlike any other. Blending elegant flute with the harmony of river waters and summer winds, we feel ourselves being lured into the world of the Grove to begin our journey.

Embracing the folk-like enchantments is the album’s signature track, “Heart of the Grove” featuring The Darkeyed Musician that perfectly captures the album’s overall theme of fantasy and folklore. Vocal prowess and passionate composition take this track from the folk-like harmonies of expectation and let them flourish through darkened forests and mysterious pathways. Unveiling a multitude of shadow and flame, the dynamic and wonder of this track capture the heart with images of adventure and unknowns that pull you in, and keep you yearning for more.

“The Wild Hunt” caught me from its very first note. Intriguing flute work haunt, like the summon to some ancient ritual both forbidden and yet well-known as it shifts its hastened pace into “The Ruination”. Lycanthro’s James Delbridge accompanying vocals on this one amplify the power-metal feel of this track’s tone. It’s fun and exciting, as if we’re galloping on horseback through fields of wheat and wildflowers to find the forgotten ruins that will return peace to the land. The gentle chant of ‘ruination’ at the back of this track’s melody is elusive yet all too pronounced. It’s mysterious yet powerful, perfectly balancing out this track’s heaviness and folk-style with metal unification and glory.

The tantalizing tranquility of title track “The Grove” in its instrumental bird is elegant and stunning. Like the entry into a mysterious woodland, a small outcropping of wildflowers reveals a small hut that is veiled in secret and beauty until it leads us into “Spirit Woman”. An almost Egyptian-like inspiration emerges for this track, featuring harsh, foreboding vocals from Inferno Doll‘s Laura Inferno that speak of shadows and unknowns. The risk to reward, and the enchanting beauty that seduces in return for immortal glow with bloodshed, it’s the darkness of the ever-stretching unrivaled foe. The skeletal grasp that has been digging its filth into the grove’s brilliance has lingered far too long.

The balance of story and music are flawless on this track, making it both a frightful tale and a connection to the grove’s wondrous existence. Not all worlds are bright and blooming, some must face hardship and vengeance before rebirth.

“The Unnamed” brings a hastened pace but its one that also brings the feeling of completion. It’s the bard’s song at the end of a long night; the reassurance of a good deed done, and the journey’s end. Without victorious cry, of hero’s reward, a job well-done is still a job well-done and that sense of satisfaction cannot be undone. It’s the perfect closure to this fantasy world’s exploration, one done with beautiful wind work, balanced drums, and gentle yet bountiful strings that keep the metal essence alive. Still, the imagery of the vivid grove cannot be undone, as the established world has long since persisted through Ember Belladonna’s stunning flute work, and the sensational sounds that have surrounded it.

Based out of Regina, Saskatchewan, Ember Belladonna began her flute journey at the age of 9 before falling in love with Metal shortly after. From then on, she continued her classical training, hoping one day she could find a way to merge her love of metal with her classical influences. Taking notable inspirations from an array of cinematic epics, video games, and soundtracks like The Lord Of The Rings, Baldur’s Gate, and The Witcher alongside artists like Myrkur, Heilung, Eluveitie, and Children of Bodom, Ember Belladonna does not only wish to merge her influences and inspirations but blend them into entirely new realms.

The Grove speaks to my fantasy heart on so many levels. From the whimsical melodies, to the rhythmic metal and every vivid image painted by the pair, this album not only offers up a soundtrack to every fantasy lover’s daydreams, but gives us remnants of games, tales, and movies we adore.

Whilst painting our own imagination over every soundscape, we are pulled into memories and lead through The Grove – a realm we yearn to explore evermore.

You can keep up-to-date with Ember Belladonna, and grab your own copy of The Grove, via her Bandcamp, and site, along with her socials like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.