The Circling Hour

The Circling Hour is a progressive rock album by Iona, released in 2006. It marked a return to the studio for the band after a break of nearly six years to record a full album.

Track listing

 * 1) "Empyrean Dawn" – 7:49
 * 2) "Children of Time" – 5:33
 * 3) "Strength" – 5:59
 * 4) "Wind off the Lake" – 11:02
 * 5) "Factory of Magnificent Souls" – 5:02
 * 6) "Sky Maps" – 6:39
 * 7) "No Fear in Love"  – 5:59
 * 8) "Wind, Water & Fire - Wind" – 3:30
 * 9) "Wind, Water & Fire - Water" – 3:00
 * 10) "Wind, Water & Fire - Fire" – 7:14
 * 11) "Fragments of a Fiery Sun" – 2:45

Band

 * Joanne Hogg - lead and backing vocals, choir chorus, keyboards
 * Dave Bainbridge - electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, bouzouki, choir voices, Hammond organ, wind chimes, high-strung acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, piano, e-bow guitars
 * Troy Donockley - Uilleann pipes, low and high whistles, tofran, bouzouki, vocals, choir voices, e-bow guitar, slide guitar
 * Frank Van Essen - drums, bodhran, shaker, violin, choir voices, darabukkas, finger cymbals, tambourine, djembe, drum pads, tom toms, violas
 * Phil Barker - bass guitar

Additional musician and special guest

 * Heather Findlay - vocals (on" Fragments of a Fiery Sun")

Production

 * Recorded between July 2005 and March 2006 at Open Sky Studio, Lincolnshire, England, and Studio Frank van Essen, Drachten, Holland
 * Additional recording at Waterworld, Yorkshire, England
 * Hammond organ and piano recorded at Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire, England (engineer Will Bartle)
 * Digital transfers made at DB Studios, Lincoln, England
 * Recorded by Dave Bainbridge, Frank van Essen and Troy Donockley
 * Produced by Dave Bainbridge
 * Mixed by John Kellogg with Dave Bainbridge and Troy Donockley, at Immergent Studios, Los Angeles
 * Mastered by Denis Blackham, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Release details

 * 2006, UK, Open Sky Records OPENVP11CD, release date September 2006, CD