The ethereal trio AURI returns with their highly anticipated third studio album, III – Candles & Beginnings, to be released on August 15, 2025.
As a first glimpse into AURI’s evolving soundscape, the beautiful lead single ‘Shieldmaiden’ is available now, accompanied by a stunning cinematic video directed by longtime collaborator Ville Lipiäinen.
Driven by the heavenly vocals of Johanna Kurkela, the rich soundscapes of Tuomas Holopainen, and the boundless instrumental mastery of Troy Donockley, AURI once again invites listeners into a genre-defying world. Fusing elements of folk, progressive, and symphonic music with hints of world, pop, and avant-garde, III – Candles & Beginningspromises an immersive journey for the senses.
Troy Donockley comments: “Our new album Auri III is just waiting to be released, and one of its songs, ‘Shieldmaiden’, has already escaped. It’s a mysterious song, obscured by its own slowly growing power. Auri thrives on mystery and ambiguity, so it’s all good…”
The creative process for this new chapter began in 2023, shortly after the completion of Nightwish’s Yesterwynde opus in 2024. While Troy composed in the serene landscapes of Yorkshire, Tuomas and Johanna created melodies and lyrics from their base in Kitee, Finland—connecting worlds both musically and geographically.
