Reviews roundup – Leaves’ Eyes vs. The Bad Flowers vs. Eight n’ Up

Reviews roundup – Leaves’ Eyes vs. The Bad Flowers vs. Eight n’ Up

 

LEAVES’ EYES
Sign Of The Dragonhead
AFM

It was all change last year when Leaves’ Eyes ejected Liv Kristine from the band and replaced her with Elina Siirala. Quite cleverly they quickly put out the “Fires In The North” EP featuring their new singer and now we’re getting the first album post Liv.

Hands up, I’m a big Leaves’ Eyes fan, so this is a sea change for me but Elina is a very good singer who is probably technically better than her predecessor so album number seven will rise or fall on the music. They’ve continued the tale of Harald Hårfagre, the first King of Norway who unified the nation and “Sign of the Dragonhead” relates the spread of the Norsemen across their territories of the Faroes, Iceland, Shetland and beyond. So stirring stuff. And a lot of the music is more muscular than on previous records which suits the storyline.

There are plenty of good riffs, some excellent arrangements and even if the operatic vocals of Elina lose some of the individuality of Liv Kristine, songs like ‘Jomsborg’, ‘Völva’ and the ballad ‘Fairer Than The Sun’ are straight from the top drawer of symphonic metal. However, the one thing that stops this graduating from good to great is the production. Something is missing there as the music demands a much more powerful and dramatic setting. For that they’ve only got themselves to blame as it’s Alexander Krull who’s responsible. That aside, though, this should keep the naysayers happy as Leaves’ Eyes continue their metal odyssey.

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THE BAD FLOWERS
Starting Gun
independent

The Bad Flowers have been touring venues across the UK for most of 2017, building a name, a growing following and releasing an excellent single in the guise of ‘Thunder Child’.

And now the band – Tom Leighton (guitar/vocals), Dale Tonks (bass/vocals) and Karl Selickis (drums) – are putting out their debut album for your listening pleasure. They’ve carried on in the vein of the single (which opens the album) and set about firing out seventies classic rock riffs with abandon. The riffs are uniformly excellent and when the songs match the guitars, as they do on the likes of ‘Lion’s Blood’, ‘Rich Man’ and ‘Hurricane’ then they certainly make a righteous noise.

Not all the songs are winners, though, but it is their debut album so they’re allowed a couple of missteps along the way. They’re off out on tour in February with Jared James Nichols and Stone Broken to promote the album and there is no doubt that some of these songs will catch fire in a live environment. So make sure you get down the front early doors as you won’t want to miss out on what could be a great British band.

https://thebadflowers.tmstor.es/

 

 

 

EIGHT N’ UP
Tattoo
independent

After two albums of their own Connecticut based rock band Eight n’ Up have decided to record and release a covers album. And by a covers album I mean they’ve covered a whole album, namely the Rolling Stones 1981 album “Tattoo You”. Yes, really.

It’s an odd thing, really, as no-one sounds like the Rolling Stones. A rock solid rhythm section, some sloppy guitars and the wailings of Mick Jagger make for a unique sound. And as good a band as Eight n’ Up are, they’re not the Stones. Musically, they’re very competent and with the lead guitar being played by 15 year old Michael O’Hazo, there is certainly one name to watch out for in the future. The rest of the band know their way round their instruments but without Mick it all sounds a bit strange.

As a souvenir of your favourite bar band you’d play this a couple of times and then wait for the next time they hit your local roadhouse. A strange cove.

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St Columba’s Hospice Tribute Fund for Linda Hamilton
http://linda.hamilton.muchloved.com/
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