Well, here we are, less than a year following the release of Lovelorn , their debut, Leaves’ Eyes has dropped a new one into our collective laps. Less than a year? What, were they just so eager to get another out, they rushed it and it obviously sounds the part?
Nope. In fact, I’d go so far as to say Vinland Saga is superior to their first album in every single way. Again taking front woman Liv Kristine’s Norwegian roots as inspiration, Leaves’ Eyes sophomore effort loosely chronicles a crewmember aboard Leif Erickson’s epic journey to the New World 1,000 years ago (who many historians believe discovered America long before Columbus was even an itch in his papa’s pants) and the love he left behind. The band calls it history gone rock. Now, while I wouldn’t start teaching this in World History 101, it’s an daring and rarely used subject matter for an album.
Vinland Saga is epic rock/metal cooled with the occasional Norwegian folk song and the pitch perfect soprano of Mrs. Espenaes Krull. I have been a fan of hers since her Theatre of Tragedy days and I have to say she hasn’t sounded better. Her harmonies are multi-faceted this time around. Where Lovelorn’s vocals, while technically good, didn’t seem to stand out in the mix, here they breathe class and beauty all over the soundscape.
The music has also stepped up as well. More direct and rhythm focused on the first album, Thorsten Bauer and Mathias Roderer’s guitars have opened up to the big solo (“Farewell Proud Men”) or the inspired acoustic sweep (“The Mourning Tree”). Kettledrums and string arrangements have also been brought in to further add to the whole epic flavor. Here they sound like Leaves’ Eyes, their own identity, whereas the first album constantly reminded me they were still Atrocity backing up Alexander Krull’s wife.
Speaking of Krull, his growls, which bordered on cookie monster like presentation on Lovelorn, actually come off pretty damn good (as does his production). Thankfully, he never tries to steal the vocal spotlight. That’s Liv’s job.
So, I might be gushing but from the moment I slipped the disc in and the uber-epic, soundtrack like opening track booted up then segued into Liv’s haunting background voice, coupled with the guitars, the drums, the ya-ya-ya-ya! I was on the ship, in the cold water, the ice, the snow, the long journey. And I was still listening to some extraordinary rock. I guess “history gone rock” really was the best way to describe it.
