Earthsea and Horizon Tours (Y96-early 99): Back to Basics
The Earthsea Tour marked a change in the Coven's style: while its songs had been, up until then, classified as power metal and folk metal mostly, the Earthsea songs followed a nu metal aesthetic.
It also marked a change in the whole band's focus: after its meteoric rise in the early 90's and a series of achievements, the Coven took a more leisurely approach to the tour, seeking almost a "new start" after the setbacks in the Neverwinter Tour. That new policy shows in their decision to accept a less experienced musician to replace Zilda Djanikian: the German keyboard player Nina Hammers-Wirtz was set to learn along the way and improve her skills. However, still in the tour's early concerts she went through personal and health problems that made her lose focus, and unfortunately she had to leave.
Making matters worse, the electric guitarist James Willman, who had followed the Coven for years, also had serious issues that compromised his commitment to the band, and he too had to leave. Though the band remained open for both musicians whenever they felt better, sadly neither returned.
Losing two members proved a serious challenge to the band, who had to hurriedly search for substitutes - and talented ones at that. These were found in Alejo Sinisterra Pinilla (electric guitar) and Leena Laho (keyboard player), who coincidentally also happened to be German. Though they were initially set to be substitutes, their talent and commitment to the band, as well as the good friendship that was formed between them and the more veteran Queens, easily earned them a solid and permanent place in the band.
The Coven's new way did affect their sales and fame, though. No concert managed to reach the 'earth-shaking' rating previous concerts had; and the first Earthsea single released, Shine of the Dragon Star, sold only 1.500.000 copies. However, already at the Earthsea Tour's end, an album and a single were released to great success and excellent sales. The album Earthsea - with songs still fresh from the tour and with the brand-new hit Tenar of the Ring - quickly achieved Gold Album status, and was later went Platinum; not only that, but it's become the Coven's best-selling album to date, with almost 1.500.000 copies sold. The single, Tenar of the Ring, also went Platinum, selling a then-unsurpassed +2.700.000 copies.
After short vacations, the Coven went on with the Horizon Tour, and though the concerts remained between 'perfect' and 'revolutionary', that was the tour that gave the band its best-selling single: Future's Myth, which sold almost 3.000.000 copies. It was also during that tour that both Rhiannon and Agata reached the milestone achievement of 500 Concerts. Otherwise, however, the Horizon Tour was rather uneventful.
That tour was also the last one when the Coven followed the Rising Sun path - starting in Europe before heading east, through Asia, the Americas and Africa before returning to London. For the next tour, Rhiannon decided to try an opposite path, starting in Johannesburg and heading west through the Americas, Asia and only then Europe. That meant another "new beginning", since it would heavily affect the band's city fame - but by then the Coven already knew just how good it was at new beginnings.....
It also marked a change in the whole band's focus: after its meteoric rise in the early 90's and a series of achievements, the Coven took a more leisurely approach to the tour, seeking almost a "new start" after the setbacks in the Neverwinter Tour. That new policy shows in their decision to accept a less experienced musician to replace Zilda Djanikian: the German keyboard player Nina Hammers-Wirtz was set to learn along the way and improve her skills. However, still in the tour's early concerts she went through personal and health problems that made her lose focus, and unfortunately she had to leave.
Making matters worse, the electric guitarist James Willman, who had followed the Coven for years, also had serious issues that compromised his commitment to the band, and he too had to leave. Though the band remained open for both musicians whenever they felt better, sadly neither returned.
Losing two members proved a serious challenge to the band, who had to hurriedly search for substitutes - and talented ones at that. These were found in Alejo Sinisterra Pinilla (electric guitar) and Leena Laho (keyboard player), who coincidentally also happened to be German. Though they were initially set to be substitutes, their talent and commitment to the band, as well as the good friendship that was formed between them and the more veteran Queens, easily earned them a solid and permanent place in the band.
The Coven's new way did affect their sales and fame, though. No concert managed to reach the 'earth-shaking' rating previous concerts had; and the first Earthsea single released, Shine of the Dragon Star, sold only 1.500.000 copies. However, already at the Earthsea Tour's end, an album and a single were released to great success and excellent sales. The album Earthsea - with songs still fresh from the tour and with the brand-new hit Tenar of the Ring - quickly achieved Gold Album status, and was later went Platinum; not only that, but it's become the Coven's best-selling album to date, with almost 1.500.000 copies sold. The single, Tenar of the Ring, also went Platinum, selling a then-unsurpassed +2.700.000 copies.
After short vacations, the Coven went on with the Horizon Tour, and though the concerts remained between 'perfect' and 'revolutionary', that was the tour that gave the band its best-selling single: Future's Myth, which sold almost 3.000.000 copies. It was also during that tour that both Rhiannon and Agata reached the milestone achievement of 500 Concerts. Otherwise, however, the Horizon Tour was rather uneventful.
That tour was also the last one when the Coven followed the Rising Sun path - starting in Europe before heading east, through Asia, the Americas and Africa before returning to London. For the next tour, Rhiannon decided to try an opposite path, starting in Johannesburg and heading west through the Americas, Asia and only then Europe. That meant another "new beginning", since it would heavily affect the band's city fame - but by then the Coven already knew just how good it was at new beginnings.....