Leaves's Eyes – Myths of Fate

Three years after Leave's Eyes knocked on Valhalla's door with their last album "Viking Spirit", the symphonic metal band from Ludwigsburg is back with their new work "Myths of Fate". In addition to a brand new album, the band is also celebrating its 20th anniversary. Leave's Eyes have taken around four years to work on their new album. The band made good use of this time to finish "Myths of Fate" in a way that is worth listening to for their ever-growing fan base. The result is 11 strong songs that combine elements of Viking, folk, gothic metal and classical music. Vocally, the album is carried by Finnish singer Elina Siirala, whose classically trained soprano voice provides a great contrast to the powerful guitars, bass and drums as well as the vocals of Alexander Krull (the band's mastermind).

The opener "Forged By Fire" shows where the journey is heading. Incidentally, this was also the first release from the new album. The song impresses with a terrifying atmosphere and a powerful orchestral backing. The song tells the ancient story of the legendary "Tyrfing" sword, along with a great visual and mystical presentation. This all helps to make both the video and the song feel even more epic. Alexander Krull offers his gutteral and snotty vocals here - even if they are not always recognizable in places. This is followed by "Realm Of Dark Waves", one of the catchiest songs on the record. Elina's vocal performance is great, together with the choirs, which are used discreetly, a beautiful symbiosis is created. There is also a great video for this song, which was partly filmed in Germany and Iceland. The story revolves around the women who manage to cast a spell over men with their singing and drive them to their doom - commonly known as "Sirens". Who Wants To Live Forever" is not, as one might expect, a Queen cover, but an original work whose stirring and emotional chorus immediately catches the ear. It is symphonic metal in its purest form, but with the familiar energy of Leave's Eyes.

The menacing "Hammer Of The Gods" starts with quiet orchestration that slowly makes its way before the drums and guitars pick up the volume and tempo. Alexander introduces the song with his deep and dark growls, Elina counters with her warm and emotional vocals. A melodic bridge flows smoothly into an impressive solo and once again demonstrates the clever songwriting. An atmospheric and emotional ballad comes along with "Goddess Of The Night". Delicate violin sounds frame Elina's great voice, which is particularly effective in the first part of the song. It is somewhat reminiscent of a mix from the soundtrack of "Lord of the Rings" with a good portion of Celtic tradition. By combining traditional and modern instruments, they have created their very own style and a clearly recognizable sound. "Sons Of Triglav" is a song in which Alexander shows what his voice can do. Deep growls with a goosebump factor alternate with Elina's fine, epochal vocals in the chorus. Definitely an adrenaline-filled song with lots of atmosphere and a creative guitar lead. The curtain falls with "Sail With The Death". The album finale starts with a strong choir interlude before the whole band quickly joins in and serves up a final, very versatile climax. The chorus seems a little above the action, giving the song a mystical, almost epic melancholy.