Albion - It was in the Mont of May II

Albion – It Was of the Month of May II

Self-Released

If Albion’s ‘It Was of the Month of May I’ was already a masterpiece and tied for first place in my 2026 top 10, now we have ‘It Was of the Month of May II’. The material for this album was written around the same time as its predecessor. It is essentially a double album, though the band chose to release it in two separate parts. To be crystal clear right from the start: Albion was already exceptional, but they just keep getting better. Joe Parrish-James (lead vocals, guitars, flute, and mandolin) has definitively found his signature style.

I rarely go through every track on an album, but with so many gems here, it's impossible not to. The opening track,‘Mayflower’, begins with acoustic guitar and Joe’s magnificent vocals. It’s a beautifully calm piece before everything bursts open. ‘White Hound’ delivers Albion’s trademark folk metal power, while ‘Zennor’ starts off just as heavy, featuring guest vocals by James Earl. ‘Five Dogs’ opens a cappella with breathtaking multi-part vocal harmonies, where the stunning voice of Rhiannon Parrish-James elevates the melody to heavenly heights. ‘Birds on a Briar’ is another gem by Joe, featuring acoustic guitar and flute—simply gorgeous.

Next up is a blistering combination of two traditional hornpipes, ‘Fishers and Sailors’, where Ollie Medlow shows off what a phenomenal drummer he is. The band played this live at their concert in Alphen aan den Rijn, and the guitars of Joe Parrish-James and Jack Clark were almost impossibly fast to follow. And let's not forget Peter Szypulsky—literally and figuratively a giant on the bass guitar.

‘Tahitian Christmas’ is folk rock of an unheard-of level; expect to hear this song a lot during the holiday season.‘Marcia’s Song’ brings things back down to a calmer pace, but it is utterly beautiful. Joe Parrish-James’ vocals keep improving with every release—what a incredible voice he has.

The track ‘Return to Gwalia’, which made its live debut in Alphen aan den Rijn, offers ten minutes of pure musical bliss.The vocal harmonies here are to die for, and the song's build-up, topped off with fabulous guitar work, is absolutely sensational. It is the highlight of all highlights.

The album closes with ‘The Hawthorn’, featuring lyrics written by Ivy Parrish, beautifully sung as an acoustic piece by Joe and Rhiannon.

The album was mixed by Alexander Backlund at Fascination Street Studios, with mastering handled by Tony Lindgren.The stunning artwork was created by Travis Smith.

‘It Was of the Month of May II’ is one continuous goosebump moment. It’s even better than Part I—which was already extraordinarily good.

And now for a bold statement: with this album set for release in January 2027, it would take something truly miraculous to stop Albion from claiming my number one spot again in 2027. This is so good, good luck to anyone trying to top it!