Leaves’ Eyes third album, Njord, follows closely in the wake of predecessors Lovelorn (2004) and Vinland Saga (2005) with the amplification of its symphonic goth rock/metal sound. The band, comprising: Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (vocals), Alexander Krull (vocals), Thorsten Bauer (guitar), Mathias Röderer (guitar), Alla Fedynitch (bass) and Seven Antonopolous (drums) hails from Norway and Germany. The sextet has successfully interlaced the musical and fictional folk elements derived from their native lands with the fantastical world of myths, sagas and legends to create an atmospheric sound that transports the listener into a world of old. Lyricist and main vocalist Liv Kristine is inspired primarily by nature, and the beauty of her lyrics is reflected in her harmoniously ethereal voice.
The album’s most successful songs are those that ardently encapsulate the epic tone essential to the lucrative rendition the band’s lyrical content, as exemplified by opening track Njord. Ragnardk is another dramatic song, made so by the strength of its composition, which boasts tenacious choral interludes effectively enhanced by a far richer vocal sound by Liv that is complimented by Alexander’s metal growls and a significantly varied music tempo achieved by the juxtaposition of metal guitaring with a more classically inspired style. Songs of similar oeuvre are The Holy Bond and Frøya’s Theme. Leaves’ Eyes’ cover of Scarborough Fair, a ballad traced to the Anglo-Saxons of the Middle Ages and popularised in the twentieth century by Simon & Garfunkel, makes for interesting listening as the band captures the essence of romance associated with the song’s historical origins.
Njord is a pleasant addition to one’s CD collection but, overall, the album lacks the grandiosity and flamboyance of other bands of the same genre. Njord fails to overwhelm.
