Blackmore's Kingdom is, as far as fans know, both the album and group name of an interesting bootleg CD that apparently originated somewhere in Eastern Europe. The album purports to be an instrumental project of Deep Purple/Rainbow/Blackmore's Night guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, and contains versions of several instrumental songs apparently taken from Blackmore's Night albums, as well as instrumental versions of other folk songs. However, Blackmore has disavowed any involvement with this album.

Upon listening to it, it does seem doubtful Blackmore actually had anything to do with Blackmore's Kingdom. The musical style of the non-Night songs is entirely different from Blackmore's Night: where Blackmore's Night seems to rely mostly on acoustic and electric guitar, synthesizer , and drum machine, Blackmore's Kingdom goes more toward an acoustic feel, with acoustic guitar, flute, violin, and drum. Also, while the Kingdom guitarist's style is similar to Blackmore's, many fans feel it is not quite the same.

It is a pity that we will probably never know who truly recorded the new cuts on this album. Despite not being truly a Ritchie Blackmore product (save perhaps for the filched Blackmore's Night songs stuck on the disc), the album is a very decent compilation of folk songs and should appeal to anyone who also enjoys Blackmore's Night. Although the CD is somewhat hard to find, all of the songs are floating around on peer-to-peer as mp3s.

Track List

  1. Me'm'ingen
  2. Unquest Grave
  3. A Maid Bedlam
  4. Scarborough_Fair
  5. The Trees They Do Grow
  6. Minstrel Hall
  7. Wind Dance of the Fairies
  8. Lovely Joan/The Spirit Flies Free
  9. Sovay
  10. All Things Are Quite Silent
  11. Mond Tanz
  12. Greensleeves
  13. Breton Dance/Douce Dame Jolie
  14. Sylvie
  15. When I Was on Horseback
  16. Ancient Sojourn
  17. Planxty Corcoran
  18. The Monagham
  19. Lullaby

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