Leaves’ Eyes – The Last Viking (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 02:07:36 minutes | 1,54 GB | Genre: Metal
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © AFM Records
Germany’s Symphonic Metal veterans Leaves’ Eyes are back with another epic Viking history lesson set to music with their 8th full length album The Last Viking. Returning to the lineup are Finnish vocalist Elina Siirala with her siren like haunting voice, shouter Alex Krull, founding guitarist Thorsten Bauer and drummer Joris Nijenhuis. New on the roster is guitarist Micki Richter, aptly taking over for Pete Streit. The band is back to tell us of the epic sagas of Norway’s king Harald III, called Hardrada (the hard ruler) in what feels like a full-length Heavy Metal Opera from start to finish.
Read moreLeaves’ Eyes – Sign of the Dragonhead (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:42:12 minutes | 1,23 GB | Genre: Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © AFM Records
Leaves’ Eyes was formed in 2003 by Norwegian vocalist Liv Kristine and German singer Alexander Krull. I would describe the band as symphonic metal with a taste of Viking/Pagan/Celtic and folk. In 2018 they will release their seventh studio album, Sign Of The Dragonhead, their first with new singer Elina Siirala who joined in early 2016 after the departure of founding member Kristine. I have been lucky enough to get my hands on an early copy for the purposes of this review.
Read moreTitle: Leaves’ Eyes – The Last Viking
Release Date: 2020
Genre: Documentary, Viking Metal
Production/Label: AFM Records
Duration: 01:35:41+00:20:59+00:06:58+00:04:55+00:04:38+00:04:27+00:13:47
Quality: Blu-ray
Container: BDMV
Video codec: MPEG4 AVC
Audio codec: LPCM
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 20747 kbps / 1080i / 29.970 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles: English / German / French / Spanish
Size: 22.03 GB
Per annum 1066, the last Viking King, called Hardrada, is dead – the Vikings’ age is over. Long live the Vikings.
“The Last Viking” is the 2020-monumental-piece of LEAVES’ EYES. The setting of the symphonic metal masterpiece couldn’t be more tremendous. With their cult-albums “Vinland Saga” (2005) and “King of Kings” (2015) they already turned Leif Erikssons discovery of America and the life of Norway’s first king into music. Now, LEAVES’ EYES bring the Viking Sagas to their bombastic finale.
LEAVES’ EYES have always played in a league of their own. They have toured all populated continents, frequently reach top positions in the album charts and with every output they deliver a multimedia masterpiece when it comes to video clips and artwork. With “The Last Viking” they surpass their own standards with the original film documentary “Viking Spirit”.
This album won’t be the closure of LEAVES’ EYES – it only fuels expectations what these geniuses will come up next with. With “The Last Viking” LEAVES’ EYES set up their own musical monument that is just as captivating and strong as the saga of the last Viking King itself.