Leaves' Eyes: Symphonies of the Night

Leaves' Eyes is the first symphonic metal band that really caught my attention. Sure, I was familiar with that style of metal generally but was only vaguely aware of the major bands and albums that were already available. I have always been a fan of doom metal and worried I wouldn't like the emphasis on symphonic passages. Things changed for me when I picked up a copy of Njord at a local record store. I did so mostly on a whim; I had read an article about the band a couple of weeks earlier and was curious to know more. When I put Njord on, I was quickly hooked on Liv Kristine's lovely voice and the sheer strength and power of the backing band. Several months after that first encounter, I picked up a copy of Meredead, another good album, but one with a slightly softer edge. Around this time, I also began to discover Liv Kristine's solo work.

With Symphonies of the Night, Leaves' Eyes offers listeners another satisfying eleven songs, all of which feature their trademark sound, including strong and majestic orchestral passages (performed by real musicians and not programs), folk instruments, and plenty of that "beauty and the beast" vocal style as performed by Liv Kristine and Alexander Krull. Even though Meredead was a good album, it wasn't as heavy as other work. With this album, the band delivers a stronger set of songs that will certainly please fans and should attract plenty of new ones. There's a grandeur to the music here, one that effectively captures mood of the various stories the band repeats in word and music. Among the topics here are the tales of three interesting women: Joan of Arc, Saint Cecelia, and Eleonore de Provence. I won't take the time to rehearse their stories here. Interested readers should definitely learn more about these women; if they do, they'll find the songs all that more interesting and beautiful. In that light, I should point out that this album turns a little bit away from their traditional use of Norse Mythology, shifting, instead, to the brave, interesting, and tragic lives of medieval women. I don't have the lyrics to this album, but I can only assume the concluding track "Ophelia" concerns the tragic end of Hamlet's spurned and sorrowful love Ophelia. Her suicide by drowning has captured the attention of audiences, readers, artists, musicians, and writers for generations.

This album has a strong Romantic quality to it: its title, its melodies, and its tales all point to a desire to capture a world of powerful feeling and mysterious sources of beauty. It is also an effective blend of storytelling and music that successfully juxtaposes feelings of tragedy, beauty, and melancholy. Simply put, it is a triumphant new release from a terrific band. Check it out.

I'm tempted to conclude with one more personal note: I once asked Simone Simons (lead singer of Epica) if she knew Liv Kristine and whether she was as cool as she seems. She said yes.

Track Listing:
1. Hell to the Heavens
2. Fading Earth
3. Maid of Lorraine
4. Galswintha
5. Symphony of the Night
6. Saint Cecelia
7. Hymn to the Lone Sands
8. Angel and the Ghost
9. Eleonore de Provence
10. Nightshade
11. Ophelia

Added: November 20th 2013
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 2726
Language: english

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