Where as Fall Of The Leafe's debut album ('Evanescent, Everfading' from 1998) was full of dark shades, the band have collected more colourful and brighter shades during their journey and come to this, their third full length album. Fall Of The Leafe (FotL from now on) have never stagnated, but done their own thing without clinging to whatever current metal music trends might have been.

FotL's metal is definitely melodic, definitely unique and definitely interesting. The connection with this and the debut can be made, but never easily. The band's dark death metal roots are still here. I hear some familiar elements from all around metal music and gothic music spectrum, and I can only make one connection: The Cure, which came up in that interview. Listen to the song 'Chameleon Loop', now did you get it? There is calm parts, mosh (!) parts, happy parts, sad parts. Very wide is the band's musical spectrum.

The music has more space than ever before. Growled vocals are gone and now there are clean singing with very individual touch to them. I have to admit I really can't comprehend all the lyrics on this one, because the sung ones are mostly different to those, that are printed on booklet (read my interview with the band to get some more information!). Playing is very good and I like those all little guitar squeals and drum rolls. The sound is heavy, because bass and bass drum are well audible in the mix. I like it, even though it might be not very well balanced in general. This needs loud volume.

This package is something different in today's metal world. Some excellent songs, some good ones. Altogether, this is a very good record. I've been spinning it for a few weeks already. Check it out, because these guys are much more capable than many of those "better-selling-metal-outfits", okay?!

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
03/26/2002 13:04