Leaves' Eyes- Lovelorn

Artist:  Leaves’ Eyes

Album:  Lovelorn

Year:  2004

Score:  89/100

“A Pretty Unique Album”

The whole female-fronted metal genre is a hit or miss for me.  On one hand, I love stuff like old-school Nightwish and Theatre of Tragedy.  There’s nothing wrong with a little Epica or After Forever, and I also like Tristania and Sirenia from time to time.  One of the most unique bands from this scene is Leaves’ Eyes, and this is a seriously unique album.

The overall sound of this album draws influences from the symphonic, folk and gothic metal genres.  It has a very relaxed aura to it, conjuring visions of a peaceful beach and calm seas.  The songs generally follow a basic pattern, and oftentimes stick with verse chorus verse.  The vast majority of the songs on the album open up with synthesizer melodies or brief piano parts.  These are followed by the guitars, and eventually the vocals.  Additionally, the album uses the infamous soft heavy soft dynamics to great effect.  “Lovelorn” actually has its fair share of intense metal riffs, usually countered by the soft female vocals.  The clean guitar tone on the album has a snappy, trebly tone which I’ve never really heard on metal album before.   These parts are generally happy sounding; in fact, the whole album is positive and uplifting.

Much of the album’s draw is in the vocal interplay.  Several songs on the album feature both growls and the light female vocals.  I think the two vocalists sound pretty good together.  I generally prefer a bigger sounding female voice, but I honestly can’t imagine this album any differently.  I believe the subdued vocal lines contribute to the lighter atmosphere that makes this album stand out in particular.

As far as songs go, the album is filled with distinctive songs that do stand out.  “Ocean’s Way” is always a delight to hear, and stands solidly as my favorite off the album (and from Leaves’ Eyes in general).  The chorus is addictive and the male vocals work well here, too.  The title track is not exactly a favorite for me, but the melodies in the background are certainly intriguing.  It’s the better of the two ballads, in my eyes.  “Temptation” is the darkest song on the album and is also a standout with a flurry of heavy riffs and darkly beautiful soft parts.  The male vocals are more prominent here than anywhere else, and they complement the song very well.   “Norwegian Lovesong” and “Tale of the Sea Maid” are also standouts, as they’re quite pretty.  “The Dream” is notable as well, as it is more in the vein of “Temptation”.  Many of the songs build up into instrumental parts that serve to continue the atmosphere of each respective song.

“Lovelorn” is an album that should definitely appeal to fans of female fronted/symphonic/gothic metal.  If you’re into folk metal, you might also find something to like here.  The melodies are very folk-like and some of the guitar riffs build upon each other like some songs of the folk metal genre.  Most songs utilize both soft parts and heavier parts, and Leaves’ Eyes are quite good at this.  I imagine this album would be nice to listen to in solitude on a tranquil beach, because that’s basically what it sounds like.    “Lovelorn” is a very good effort within the symphonic metal genre.

Best songs:  “Ocean’s Way”, “Norwegian Lovesong”, “Tale of the Sea Maid”, “Temptation”, “The Dream”.

Negatives/Worst songs:  “Into Your Light” drags a little bit, and “For Amelie” is probably my least favorite on the album.