BRONS returns with a 15-track, over-an-hour take on Tolkien’s Middle-earth, released through Dave Brons’s own label in Bradford. It leans into Celtic progressive rock rather than soundtrack imitation, with electric and acoustic guitars sharing space with Irish whistles, flute, uilleann pipes, piano, strings, brass and a full choir. Dave Brons handles guitar, vocals, orchestration and piano, with Daniel Day, Sally Minnear and John Biglands adding vocals among the wider cast.
That broad palette gives the songs room to move from the ominous opening of “Shadow of the Past” through the forward pull of “The Road Goes Ever On” and “Just One More Step”, then into the heavier drama of “The Mines of Moria” and “Whatever it Takes (Boromir)”. Troy Donockley and Catherine Ashcroft bring the pipes, while Dave Bainbridge adds piano, synths and orchestration to “The Mirror of Galadriel”. It’s a substantial, story-led listen for Tolkien readers and prog fans who like their rock coloured by folk instruments, choirs and film-score scale. The paid release also comes in a deluxe CD edition with a 20-page booklet of notes, stories and lyrics.
