Review Summary: While being a little rough around the edges, Leah's first EP is nonetheless a solid piece of work that will certainly help her reach the ears of more people.
Leah McHenry made a both very smart and very risky move by collaborating with
Testament guitarist Eric Peterson on the song "Dreamland" from
Otherworld, her second music release. An underground artist collaborating with a known artist will (more likely than not) help said underground artist reach more people's ears. As a matter of fact, it's probably one of the best ways to get noticed among music fans these days. However, it can also be a double-edged sword. The collaborative song might be what they become exclusively known for, and can result in the artist being on the receiving end of hype backlash, if their other material does not stand up to their collaborative work.
Fortunately, Leah's material does indeed stand up to "Dreamland." Her angelic voice guides every song, but her shining moments come in the form of "Shores of Your Lies" and "Surrounded", both individually showing her skill with different vocal styles. "Shores of Your Lies" relies on her tranquil tone to drive the song, while "Surrounded" shows that she can give a dramatic flair as well as a subdued one.
While Leah is advertised as being within the Celtic metal genre, her music frequently is more on the "Celtic" side, with metal elements taking less prominence. "Surrounded" and "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep" are the most Celtic-driven tracks, the former using pipes as the main instrument, and the later featuring a combination of acoustic guitar, piano, and flute to create a soothing ballad.
In light of all this, "Dreamland" is still the easy highlight of the EP, and not just due to Peterson's guest appearance. The song represents the most even mix of Celtic music and metal on
Otherworld, using elements of both to create an alternating atmosphere of tranquility and foreboding. Peterson actually contributes to the dynamic of the song, rather than being just a simple guest vocalist. His black metal shrieks and less harsh but still foreboding clean performance create an excellent contrast with Leah's smooth, soothing voice.
However,
Otherworld is not without it's flaws. Some songs are just a little bit too long, with all but one clocking in at over five minutes. "Shores of Your Lies" takes about a minute to set the tone of the song, when it really did not need to be as long as that. A similar problem is present with "Surrounded": the song repeats it self too much. The main verse section is repeated several times more than is necessary, and it can begin to get boring at times. Leah herself is guilty of some repletion. While her vocal ability cannot be questioned, her performances don't really have very much variety to them, especially between "Shores..." and "Do Not Stand...", the EP's twin ballads.
In short,
Otherworld is a decent EP with it's main attractions being a guest vocal appearance. However, what will ultimately be found on this EP is a talented artist who, with a little refinement, could turn out to truly be something interesting. If you like symphonic metal, this shall make a nice addition to your music library.
