LAST DAYS OF EDEN hailing from the Celtic region Asturias, Spain were formed in 2011. They are a symphonic Metal band with Folk Metal influences. So far, they released one EP and three full-length albums. "Butterflies" has a length of almost 59 minutes. The album includes a few guest vocalists with Henning Basse (ex-METALIUM, ex-MAYAN, ex-FIREWIND) Vassilios Maniatopoulos (TRI STATE CORNER, RAGE), and Georg Neuhauser (SERENITY, WARKINGS, FALLEN SANCTUARY) It was released by German label El Puerto Records which has a number of Gothic Metal, symphonic Metal, and Heavy Metal bands among their roster.

LAST DAYS OF EDEN had a busy time in 2021. First, they released a symphonic version of their 2018 album "Chrysalis", and at the end of the year "Butterflies" came out. On the new album, LAST DAYS OF EDEN do what LAST DAYS OF EDEN do best: delivering powerful symphonic Metal songs which are more or less inspired by Folk elements. After a short intro, the album starts with "Abracadabra", a mid-tempo track with heavy guitar riffing which includes plenty of NIGHTWISH vibes, catchy melodies, and symphonic arrangements mostly in the background. While "Abracadabra" is one of the heavier tracks on the album, "The Garden" serves almost as a counterpoint: measured tempo with Gothic inspired epic melodies, an excellent lead guitar solo halfway through the track, anthem-like choruses, and Ani Fojaco being at her very vocal best with a very dominating performance leading the track. "The Garden" is a first highlight of the album. "Silence" is again a change in sound, since the track is driven by all the added Folk elements. It also shows the diversity in the LAST DAYS OF EDEN sound and they do mix it up nicely to keep things fresh and interesting to listen to.

"Mirror Mirror" goes more towards traditional symphonic Metal at mid-tempo where the sound is a bit more bombastic compared to "Abracadabra". The short piano-driven interlude "Moments" provides an atmospheric basis for "The Secret", another Folk inspired track with powerful guitar riffing, epic melodies, and a very contributing lead guitar solo. Ani Fojaco is having another vocal masterclass and I think that in particular the Folk Metal tracks on the album perfectly fit to her vocal strengths. Another example is the acoustic "Crown Of Thorns" where she performs an outstanding duet with Dani G. "The Secret" is the official video release and the YouTube link is given below.

"To Hell And Back" is one of the faster and heavier symphonic Metal tracks with powerful and catchy guitar riffing, another cool lead guitar solo, and a lot of double-bass drumming during the chorus section even though it sounds a bit subdued. Ani Fojaco has vocal support by guest vocalist Georg Neuhauser and his contribution gives the track the cutting edge. Overall, "To Hell And Back" is perhaps a DELAIN-type of symphonic Metal song as well as "Abandon". "Abandon" has a more dominant symphonic arrangement and a pretty bombastic sound during the chorus section. The instrumental "Traxel Mör" and "Save The World" belong to the quieter songs on the album, although "Save The World" has an epic chorus section and another fine lead guitar solo. "Traxel Mör" has been the title song of the 2017 album.

 The last two songs "The Journey" and "Fallen Angels" show again the sound diversity of "Butterflies". "The Journey" is a NIGHTWISH inspired fine mixture of symphonic Metal and Folk Metal with Sara Ember on the violin leading the track. The choruses are sing-along parts perfectly suited for live shows. "Fallen Angels" has a ballad-esque acoustic start and after two minutes the Folk melodies led by the violin and the whistles unfold into an epic finale. Once again, Ani Fojaco shows her amazing talent where she goes head-to-head with guest vocalists Henning Basse and Vassilios Maniatopoulos. "Fallen Angels" is another highlight of the album.

"Butterflies" is an excellent symbiosis of symphonic Metal and Folk Metal. The album is diverse, fresh, dynamic, and arguably the best release of LAST DAYS OF EDEN so far. LAST DAYS OF EDEN understand it perfectly to connect modern symphonic Metal and Folk elements to a unit which is kept together by an outstanding vocalist who gives the album an extra dimension. Another strength of "Butterflies" is the interplay of all the instruments as well as the fine mixture of powerful riffing, epic melodies, and bombastic sound, which indicates the excellent and mature songwriting. The album is very well produced. Despite the large number of symphonic Metal albums, LAST DAYS OF EDEN set the bar high and they leave an impressive mark with "Butterflies". It is an album that belongs into the collection of every symphonic Metal fan.