Lesiem

Lesiëm is a German musical project created in 1999 by the producers Sven Meisel and Alex Wende and active until 2005. The project's music combines elements of rock, pop, electronica, new age, enigmatic and ambient music, as well as Gregorian chant and other choral music. It is frequently compared to French project Era, German musical project Enigma and the Norwegian artist Amethystium.[citation needed] Lesiëm's website makes extensive reference to the group's mystical and spiritual influences. Lesiëm released its debut album, Mystic Spirit Voices, in 2000. When the album was released in the United States in 2002, it climbed to no. 10 at the U.S. New Age Albums Billboard chart. Lesiëm's second album, Chapter 2, was released in 2001 in Europe, and in the United States in 2003 under the title Illumination, where it reached no. 7. at the New Age Albums Billboard chart. The first two albums were some sort of prelude for the pop-opera Times, which was Lesiëm's third album (released as Auracle in the United States in 2004). The musicians started their work in March 2002 and finished it in the end of July. The single "Caritas" (featuring Scottish singer Maggie Reilly and Deutsche Oper Berlin) was presented in December 2002 on the philanthropic TV-show of José Carreras, Carreras Gala.[citation needed] In 2005, Lesiëm released its latest songs for a new version of Times, "Morgain" and "Morgause", both also collaborations with Maggie Reilly.