Leaves’ Eyes comes back to please once again the gigantic worldwide fanbase that has been conquered through years of constant hard work. The latest full length entitled “Symphonies Of The Night” is meant to make everybody happy as it holds the undisputable musical strength that comes with experience and maturity.
“Hell To The Heavens” is the audacious opening track that you would expect. In terms of musical direction here you get the infamous beauty & beast duet and the trademark rhythm of symphonic metal. This album gets also a bunch of bonus points for the lyrics concerning lots of fascinating historical and mythological themes.
“Maid Of Lorraine” is particularly interesting for the lyrical subject referring to an ancient prophecy. The main musical core gets a little heavier with steady guitar riffs but the true strength comes from the folk attitude that influences the keyboards and the vocal style.
Yet, “Galswintha” is the one song that emphasizes the band’s folk nature to the maximum with graceful flutes and acoustic arpeggios. Also, the band manages to make space for some groovier power metal guitar patterns.
The title track is a successful effort to combine harmoniously the grandeur of operatic vocals and the catchy vibe of an unpretentious gothic rock theme. Besides being flawlessly executed, this song has a strong chorus that you can’t get out of your mind.
“Saint Cecelia” is more than just a song as it revolves around one of the most majestic vocal performances in Liv Kristine’s career. Without any guitars or drums, you can fully appreciate and embrace Liv’s powerful yet elegantly frail voice, and obviously the sumptuous keyboards provide a deeply dramatic atmosphere that further enhances her notorious vocal skills.
In such a heterogeneous album, it’s obvious to feel a great deal of attraction for a more romantic/tragic tune like “Angel And The Ghost” which shines for another outstanding intense vocal performance by Liv Kristine. And if you find yourself stuck in that dramatic mood, you will fall in love with the absolutely elegant violins that surround Liv’s angelic voice on “Nightshade”.
Like the previous releases, “Symphonies Of The Night” will bring nothing but joy and delight to Liv Kristine’s faithful fans and might even conquer more hearts wandering out there.