Auri, the prog/folk Nightwish offshoot featuring Troy Donockley, Tuomas Holopainen and Holopainen’s wife Johanna Kurkela, will return with their third album III - Candles And Beginnings through Nuclear Blast on August 15.
The trio have also shared a video for the first single to be taken from the upcoming album, Shieldmaiden.
"Our new album Auri lll is waiting to be released, and one of its songs, Shieldmaiden, has already escaped," laughs multi-instrumentalist Donockley. "It’s a mysterious song, obscured by its own slow rising power. Auri thrives on mystery and ambiguity so all is well…"
At the same time, the band have announced their first ever tour - something of a relief to many Nightwish fans following the band's decision to take a break from touring following the release of Yesterwynde last year. The band will perform throughout Europe during August, September and October, including dates in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. You can see the full list of dates below.
III - Candles And Beginnings will be available as 2 LP gold, 16-page booklet, 2 LP green/white/dark green splatter, 16-page booklet, a limited edition CD earbook with 36-page booklet and a CD Jjewelcase with 20-page booklet.
Pre-order III - Candles And Beginnings.
Auri - A Trail Of Candles & Beginnings tour dates
Aug 13: FIN Kitee, Kiteesali
Aug 14: FIN Kitee, Kiteesali
Aug 16: FIN Tampere, Tampere-talo
Aug 20: FIN Oulu, Madetojan Sali
Aug 22: FIN Vaasa, Ritz
Aug 23: FIN Helsinki, Helsinki Festival / Huvilateltta (+ Eye Of Melian)
Sep 12: UK Manchester, RNCM Theatre
Sep 13: UK Edinburgh, Queen's Hall
Sep 15: UK London, Union Chapel
Sep 16: BEL Gent, Theaterzaal Vooruit
Sep 17: FRA Paris, La Cigale (+ Eye Of Melian)
Sep 18: NED Utrecht, Tivoli Vredenburg (+ Eye Of Melian)
Sep 20: SWI Zürich, Volkshaus
Sep 21: GER Stuttgart, Liederhalle
Sep 22: GER Cologne, Theater am Tanzbrunnen (+ Eye Of Melian)
Sep 23: GER Essen, Lichtburg
Sep 25: GER Mannheim, Capitol
Sep 26: GER Munich, St. Matthäuskirche
Sep 27: AUT Vienna, Simm City
Sep 29: HUN Budapest, MOM Kult
Sep 30: CZE Prague, Hybernia
Oct 1: GER Berlin, Passionskirche
Oct 2: GER Leipzig, Kupfersaal
Oct 4: POL Warsaw, Palladium
Oct 6: GER Hamburg, Laeiszhalle
Oct 7: DEN Copenhagen, Amager Bio
Oct 8: SWE Stockholm, Nya Cirkus
Oct 9: NOR Oslo, Sentrum Scene
Oct 10: NOR Bergen, Grieghallen
