LEAVES` EYES hailing from Ludwigsburg, Germany were formed in 2003 by ATROCITY mastermind Alex Krull and former vocalist Liv Kristine. The band members of German Death Metal icons ATROCITY and LEAVES’ EYES are essentially the same with the addition of Finish vocalist Elina Siirala. LEAVES’ EYES mix symphonic Metal with melodic and Folk Metal elements and after seven EPs, nine full-length albums, and a live album, they reach double figures in terms of albums with “Myths Of Fate”. The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Alex Krull at his Mastersound Studios, Germany. It has a length of about 49 minutes, and it was released via German Thrash, Power, and Gothic Metal specialists AFM Records.

The album starts epic with a short cinematic orchestral intro leading into powerful guitar riffing accompanied by the brass and a lot of double-bass drumming. The vocal duties are shared as always, meaning Alex Krull growls complementing Elina Siiralas highly pitched vocals, which are operatic at times. “Forged By Fire” is a song at a measured tempo and it remains the epic features from the intro throughout the track. The orchestral arrangements are quite prominent at times, and they fit perfectly to the heavy sound of the guitars, bass, and drums. It is a strong opening track of the album, making appetite for more. “Realm Of Dark Waves” has a Folk inspired beginning transitioning into classical mid-tempo LEAVES’ EYES track with more quiet verse parts driven by the basslines, where the guitar riffs join in halfway through. The chorus parts have catchy melodies, and they are anthemic. The orchestral arrangements are notable but more in the background. The vocals are entirely performed by Elina Siirala with some background vocal support. There are a couple of guest musicians on the album with Lee-Sophie Fisher (fiddle) and Thomas Roth (Nyckelharpa). “Realm Of Dark Waves” is an early highlight of the album, also because of the excellent lead guitar solo.

“Who Wants To Live Forever” is another track with catchy melodies, and it follows the same pattern as “Realm Of Dark Waves”: quiet verse parts, and anthemic chorus parts. The orchestral arrangements are mostly in the background with the strings and the piano being the main contributors. It is one of those tracks where Elina Siirala is the only vocalist. “Hammer Of The Gods” is played at a measured tempo with thunderous guitar riffing and both vocalists contributing. It is a very heavy track and best suited for the growling vocals. The melodies are partially Folk and orientally inspired. Highlight is another excellent and very contributing lead guitar solo, and surely “Hammer Of The Gods” is one of my album favorites. “In Eternity” is a quiet song compared to “Hammer Of The Gods”. It is also a slow song with powerful riffing and the female vocals being the solely contributor. “In Eternity” has been released as video, and the YouTube link is provided below.

“Fear The Serpent” starts with a short orchestral intro leading into powerful riffing and into bass driven verse parts. The vocals of Elina Siirala contain a lot of deeper notes, something she does not use very often. The chorus parts are epic including orchestral arrangements and choir support. The break introducing the lead guitar solo is crushing with a lot of double-bass drumming, tight riffing and the growling vocals. Both vocalists eventually perform together for the final chorus lines closing the track with a bang. “Goddess Of The Night” is a quiet Folk inspired track with acoustic guitars, traditional instruments, and orchestral arrangements. The verse parts are tension-building as more and more instruments join in, and eventually heavy riffing and the lead guitars take over. “Goddess Of The Night” is the album ballad, and once again, Elina Siirala is the only singer on this track. “Sons Of Triglav” is a heavy track at a measured tempo with thunderous guitar riffing and made for the growls of Alex Krull, who leads the vocal contribution, even though the female vocals add an extra dimension to the track. It is a track where the concept of having two very different vocalists is at its very best, and both vocalists are at their very best during the song. “Sons Of Triglav” is another of my album highlights.

“Elder Spirit” is another one of those tracks with quiet verse parts and powerful chorus parts at a measured tempo. Both vocalists contribute equally to the track. The guitars are driving the song with notable orchestral arrangements in the background. “Einherjar” is a track based on the Norse mythology. The guitar riffing is thunderous, and the growls are roaring. The melodic framework is epic at least during the chorus parts and anthemic. It is another one of those songs that fit perfectly to the LEAVES’ EYES concept as the female vocals act as a counterpart to the brutal male growls. Another excellent lead guitar solo, the riffing, and the vocals make “Einherjar” to one of my album favorites. “Sail With The Dead” closes the album. It is a track at measured tempo with prominent orchestral arrangements led by the brass. It is a dark song with grim melodies which have a slight melancholic touch at times. It is one of the heavier tracks and a good way to end the album.

LEAVES’ EYES do what LEAVES’ EYES do ever so well: delivering Folk inspired symphonic Metal excellence. “Myths Of Fate” contains everything one would expect from a LEAVES’ EYES album: a well-developed concept, versatile songs ranging from crushing Death inspired, via dynamic Folk oriented, towards quiet symphonic Metal tracks, and the unique vocal concept of punishing male growls combined with the beautiful female vocals of Elina Siirala, who is among the very best vocalists in symphonic Metal. The songwriting and orchestral arrangements are excellent throughout and the album is very well produced. If there is something missing, then perhaps a very distinct song that could become a LEAVES’ EYES classic in the future, such as “Across The Sea” from the “Sign Of The Dragonhead” album. “Myths Of Fate” is a must-have for symphonic Metal fans and it would not be surprising to see the album listed in various “Best of Year” compilations.