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",
No Fear In Love
Iona Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Peering into the veil of the aurora’s light
My soul is drawn by love, too pure for words
Deeper than instinct, beyond my reason
I am lost in wonder at what fills my gaze
Lost in my thoughts of such infinite ways
I am found in mercy, I am found in love
There is no fear in love
There is no self to gratify
There is no argument to win or lose
Love is beyond the mind
Love is beyond its reasoning
Love is the path that leads to paradise
Like this great arc of sky, a window to infinity
A bright and deathless morning waiting for me
Love to be imprinted on my heart, like notes upon a score
'The music eager to open heaven's door
There is no fear in love
There is no self to gratify
There is no argument to win or lose
Love is beyond the mind
Love is beyond its reasoning
Love is the path that leads to paradise
On this distracted planet
So wounded by our greed
Where we have taken more
To satisfy our need
Where love is our salvation
The perfect mystery
There is no fear in love
There is no self to gratify
There is no argument to win or lose
Love is beyond the mind
Love is beyond its reasoning
Love is the path that leads to paradise
The song "No Fear In Love" by Iona is a testament to the power of love, both in the spiritual and emotional sense. The lyrics are filled with metaphors and vivid descriptions of the beauty of nature, as well as the depth of human emotion. The opening lines set the scene with the comparison of a river of fire stretching across the sky and the veil of the aurora's light, drawing the soul towards a love too pure for words. The singer is lost in wonder and infinite thoughts, but also found in mercy and the flow of water and blood.
The chorus declares that there is no fear in love, and that there is no self to gratify or argument to win or lose. The idea of love being beyond the mind and reasoning suggests that it is an intangible force that transcends human understanding, and it is the path that leads to paradise. The verse about the distracted planet wounded by greed emphasizes the importance of love as salvation and a perfect mystery.
Overall, "No Fear In Love" is a poetic and inspiring ode to the power of love. It touches on both the spiritual and emotional aspects of love, and encourages listeners to embrace it and let go of fear.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a river of fire stretched across the sky
I am in awe of the beauty of the aurora borealis stretching across the sky, like a river of fire.
Peering into the veil of the aurora’s light
I am trying to catch a glimpse beyond the curtain of the aurora's light, as it fills me with wonder.
My soul is drawn by love, too pure for words
The love that fills my soul is so pure that it cannot be expressed in mere words, drawing me towards it.
Deeper than instinct, beyond my reason
This love goes deeper than my natural instincts and lies beyond the bounds of my capacity to rationalize or understand.
I am lost in wonder at what fills my gaze
The object of my gaze fills me with such wonder that I am completely captivated by it.
Lost in my thoughts of such infinite ways
I am lost in thoughts about the infinite ways in which this love can manifest, leaving me awestruck.
I am found in mercy, I am found in love
I am renewed and lifted up by experiencing mercy and love, which find me in my moment of need.
I am found in the flow of water and blood
Within the flow of water and blood, I am reminded of the transformative power of love that washes over me and cleanses me anew.
There is no fear in love
When I am filled with love, there is no room for fear, doubt, or anxiety.
There is no self to gratify
Love demands no gratification of the self or ego; it is a selfless expression of giving and sharing.
There is no argument to win or lose
Love is not about winning or losing; it transcends any argument or competition.
Love is beyond the mind
Love cannot entirely be understood by our mental faculties or reasoning; it is a profound mystery.
Love is beyond its reasoning
Love defies logical explanations and practical analysis; it is a powerful force that operates beyond our rational understanding.
Love is the path that leads to paradise
Love is the pathway that leads us towards our ultimate destination, the eternal paradise of perfect goodness and wholeness.
Like this great arc of sky, a window to infinity
The great arc of sky seems to reveal an opening to infinity, connecting me with the wonder and mystery of existence.
A bright and deathless morning waiting for me
A glorious new beginning awaits me - a day that transcends death and decay, free from all fears and pains.
Love to be imprinted on my heart, like notes upon a score
I long for love to be engraved upon my soul, much like how musical notes are etched onto a score, so that it guides my every action and thought.
'The music eager to open heaven's door
The inspirational music of love seems poised and eager to open the door to heaven, where divine beauty and goodness reign supreme.
On this distracted planet
I am conscious of the myriad of distractions and temptations that pull me away from the eternal verities of life.
So wounded by our greed
This planet that we live on is deeply wounded by our selfishness and boundless greed, which have led to wars, conflicts, and environmental devastation.
Where we have taken more
Human beings have relentlessly pursued more power, more wealth, and more possessions, often at the cost of others' well-being and the natural world.
To satisfy our need
We have convinced ourselves that these endless pursuits are necessary to satisfy our innermost desires and longings, even though we are ultimately left empty and dissatisfied.
Where love is our salvation
But despite all the brokenness, pain, and fragmentation, I hold on to the hope that love can ultimately save us and heal our world.
The perfect mystery
Love is the ultimate mystery of existence, yet it is also the most perfect and profound thing we could ever encounter.
Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alyson Kelly
on Revelation
Revelation
by Iona
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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