It is very frustrating that in a period when female fronted metal bands are getting increasing attention from the wider metal scene, that many of them seem to be wasting this opportunity by releasing safe, unadventurous and lacklustre albums. Unfortunately Leaves’ Eyes new album ‘Vinland Saga’ falls into this category. Released barely a year after their debut, ‘Lovelorn’, this new offering from Liv Kristine, Alexander Krull and co. is a disappointing affair. Their debut was a thoroughly enjoyable gothic metal romp, chock full of memorable tunes, but the band have failed to build on this strong start and instead have lapsed into ‘goth metal by numbers’.
A concept album of sorts, it is based on the saga of the Viking’s discovery of America, or Vinland, as it was known to them. More individually it is also the story of a couple - Tyrkir the German, a member of Leif Eiriksson’s crew in the great voyage, and Tyrkir’s wife, left behind in Norway. Their love story is chronicled alongside the story of the journey, with the two protagonists represented by husband and wife team Liv and Alexander Krull, though Alexander’s harsh vocals are limited to just a few songs. Some thought has obviously gone into the concept and story of the album, as well as the artwork – it is elegant and understated, interspersed with beautiful landscape views of Norway. It is a shame then that more effort seems to have gone into the look of the whole album than seemingly went into the actual songs.
Starting with a whimper rather than a bang, the title song ‘Vinland Saga’ is a forgettable track, a very weak introduction to what is supposed to be a grand saga. Second track, ‘Farewell Proud Men’, would have been a much better opener for the album - however it is really let down by the fact that it sounds as if it has been lifted straight from ‘Within Temptation’s’, ‘The Silent Force’. I normally detest lazy comparisons between female fronted bands, however the similarity here is undeniable and seriously detracts from what could have been a stand out track. The single, ‘Elegy’, an enjoyable track on it’s own, doesn’t sound so distinctive here, sandwiched as it is in a general sea of blandness that makes up album up until track 10. The guitars are not really prominent enough and there is nothing else to compensate for this. In an era when a full orchestra is a must for any self-respecting gothic metal band, rather uninspiring samples and effects just don’t cut it. ‘Misseri’ is a good track and Amhran is quite pretty, but it is only right near the end that the album finally delivers, with two songs that are almost worth the purchase price alone. Beautiful ballad ‘Mourning Tree’ followed by the epic ‘Twilight Sun’, deliver the goods in a way that the rest of the album struggles to do. Unfortunately after the bombast of ‘Twilight Sun’, final track ‘Ankomst’ closes the album with another whimper, a very flat way to end such a supposed grand saga.
The two bonus tracks on offer in this digi-pack edition are ‘Heal’, a fast paced but ultimately rather dull number, and a new version of ‘For Amelie’ (from ‘Lovelorn’) that, to me at least, sounds almost indistinguishable from the original.
This album is a real disappointment – as a big fan of ‘Lovelorn’ this was one of my most anticipated albums of this year – however nothing at all stands out other than the two penultimate tracks, and as excellent as they are, two tracks from twelve track album is a very poor show.
Standout Tracks: Mourning Tree, Twilight Sun.
Overall Score: 6 /10
