They are contemporaries of fellow Celtic artists Enya and Clannad; however, Iona's works are also influenced heavily by jazz-fusion, prog-rock and ancient Christian themes.
For Iona's 1990 debut album, the band added: drummer Terl Bryant, bassist Nick Beggs (former bassist of Kajagoogoo) and several studio musicians -- Fiona Davidson (Celtic harp), Peter Whitfield (strings), Troy Donockley (Uillean pipes) and Frank Van Essen (tuned percussion). The self-titled album received very little press, even in their home country, though a Dutch network compiled a documentary based on Iona, the band and the island.
Two years later, Iona returned with "Book of Kells", and the album was praised by North American critics
as well as those of the British Isles. David Fitzgerald left in 1992 to pursue a degree in music and, as a result, Iona lost much of its jazz influences by the following year's Beyond These Shores. The group made up for Fitzgerald's absence, however, by inviting Robert Fripp to guest on the album. Both albums also featured former Kajagoogoo bassist/stickist Nick Beggs. A contract with England's Alliance Music led to "Journey into the Morn"; the album was released in 1996 in the U.S. and Canada, and was listed among the top five folk albums in Q Magazine's Year End Review. "Heaven's Bright Sun", a live album, came the following year, then "Woven Cord" in 2000, and "Open Sky" in 2001.
Their latest release, new to 2007, is called "The Circling Hour".
iona has been a Leipzig, Germany based postrock-band from 2005-2010 that now reemerges as The Yuki Rush. https://ionanoise.bandcamp.com/album/a-noise
There is also a Romanian experimental / hip hop band who also go by the name "Iona",
Factory Of Magnificent Souls
Iona Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On this island of the mad
I've thought of you on this island of the outcast
On this island of the sick and sad
Thought this island had a tragic holiness
Thought it had a painful grace
Thought it had the ugliest history
Thought this island was the most beautiful place
And I saw the altar of this world's cruelty
I saw the stadium of the devil's goals
And I saw a man duck and weave the most evil punches
I saw a factory of magnificent souls
Thought of you on this island of the limestone
And the pain of dust torn eyes
Thought of you on this island of the convict
Toiling under the bluest skies
Looked upon this island of the reconciled
And I saw a stone carved cross
Thought of you on this island of redemption
Closed my eyes and thought of what freedom had cost
And I saw the altar of this world's cruelty
I saw the stadium of the devil's goals
And I saw a man duck and weave the most evil punches
I saw a factory of magnificent souls
No one ever asked questions with marks as sharp as these
They pierced the veins of Jesus who was one of the least of these
And no one ever gave an answer with as gentle a word as this
You took violent indignation
And you killed it with a political kiss
And I saw the altar of this world's cruelty
I saw the stadium of the devil's goals
And I saw a man duck and weave the most evil punches
I saw a factory of magnificent souls
The song “Factory of Magnificent Souls” by Iona talks about an island inhabited by lepers, the mad, the outcasts, and the sick, which is considered to have a tragic holiness, a painful grace, and an ugly history but, at the same time, is the most beautiful place. The singer of the song reflects on this place and thinks of someone throughout the song. She sees the altar of this world's cruelty, the stadium of the devil's goals, and a man who duck and weaves the most evil punches, which represents the world's cruelty, violence, and evil. But, at the same time, she sees a factory of magnificent souls, which represents the hope, resilience, and redemption of humanity.
The singer also reflects on the island's past, thinking of the pain of the convicts toiling under the bluest skies, and the reconciliation that has taken place, symbolized by a stone carved cross. She thinks of the person she has been reflecting on, who has taken violent indignation and killed it with a political kiss, showing that there is a way to fight against cruelty and evil with non-violent means.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the human condition and the island represents the world we live in, full of both darkness and light, cruelty and hope, pain and redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought of you on this island of the leper
I thought of you while isolated and rejected by society
On this island of the mad
In this place of mental illness and chaos
I've thought of you on this island of the outcast
I thought of you while feeling like a social outcast
On this island of the sick and sad
In this place of illness and sorrow
Thought this island had a tragic holiness
I felt that despite its suffering, this place had a sacred quality
Thought it had a painful grace
I saw beauty in the midst of suffering
Thought it had the ugliest history
I was aware of the dark past of this place
Thought this island was the most beautiful place
Despite its flaws, I found this place to be incredibly beautiful
And I saw the altar of this world's cruelty
I witnessed the place where the worst deeds of humanity take place
I saw the stadium of the devil's goals
I saw the arena where evil triumphs
And I saw a man duck and weave the most evil punches
I witnessed someone skillfully avoid evil influences
I saw a factory of magnificent souls
I saw a place where amazing people are born through hardship
Thought of you on this island of the limestone
I remembered you in a place of stark beauty
And the pain of dust torn eyes
I felt the physical pain caused by the limestone dust
Thought of you on this island of the convict
I thought of you in a place where people are punished for their crimes
Toiling under the bluest skies
Working hard in a place of clear blue skies
Looked upon this island of the reconciled
I saw a place where people have made peace and come together
And I saw a stone carved cross
I saw a symbol of faith and redemption
Thought of you on this island of redemption
I remembered you in a place of spiritual healing
Closed my eyes and thought of what freedom had cost
I reflected on the price that has been paid for freedom
No one ever asked questions with marks as sharp as these
No one has ever asked such piercing and confrontational questions
They pierced the veins of Jesus who was one of the least of these
These questions are so powerful that even Jesus, who was among the oppressed, was affected by them
And no one ever gave an answer with as gentle a word as this
No one has ever provided such a compassionate response
You took violent indignation
You harnessed your anger and fury
And you killed it with a political kiss
You used diplomacy and tact to resolve the situation
Contributed by Mateo N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alyson Kelly
on Revelation
Revelation
by Iona
____________________________________________________
Waiting for the Spirit of Truth to tell
Power on Earth to stand in the face of hell
Waiting for the sky to clear
Waiting for the Son to appear
Waiting to see you
Waiting to hear you
Waiting for vision
To see your, your
Revelation
Learning the purifying flame
Regeneration after the growing pain
Longing for the words to flow
Longing for the world to know
Waiting to see you
Waiting to hear you
Waiting for vision
To see your, your
Revelation
Waiting to see you
Waiting to hear you
Waiting for vision
To see your, your
Revelation
Waiting to see you
Waiting to hear you
Waiting for vision
To see your, your
Revelation
Waiting to see you
Waiting to hear you
Waiting for vision
To see your, your, your, your
Revelation