Review Summary: Not up for debate.
When Leaves’ Eyes lost their original singer, the symphonic metal community was shaken. There was doubt that a new singer could bring the same depth of emotion or vocal range as Liv Kristine. She had the very essence of a classic, symphonic metal singer with richly deep, operatic tones. Her piercingly warm and gentle vocals stood out while wielding magnetic power. This type of vocalist was ideal in the genre, and she held her own against the competition handily. King of Kings was the final album with Liv Kristine, and in my mind, Leaves’ Eyes died with the departure of their original singer. They would continue with a new singer, but the magic diminished when Liv left.
In this finale for Liv, much of the original Leaves’ Eyes magic is retained. Immediately starting by highlighting Liv’s angelic voice, and their symphonic section, a rather beautiful melody stirs. Strings, operatic chants, and xylophone delicately bring in the pretty tones the band desires, like some mystical waterfall. Ahh, but the album is only starting. The track Halvdan the Black brings much more energy with a driving chorus propelled aggressively by a ripping guitar pattern, and a staccato vocal attack from their chorus ensemble. While the drumming is simple in that song, double bass pedals are employed in the next track to highlight skills on display. It all hinges on a song’s individual needs and stitches, which is a lesson the band know well. The thread needs to match the fabric, so if simpler drum patterns must be used, so be it.
Folksy flute patterns emerge in Vengeance Venom, sounding rather close to Nightwish. The naturalistic (not auto-tuned) sounding vocals from Liz are the perfect catalyst for the Earthy, Viking inspired sound of the band. Combined with chants and the throaty growls from their secondary vocalist there’s almost cult-like sounds emerging. Rather than sounding modern, they sound as though they are attempting to channel music from generations long, long past. This is who they are, and they make their music quite distinctive with these traits. Not every symphonic metal band has the Viking gene in them. Not all of them can grow beards either, but I digress.
While never the heaviest band in symphonic metal, their catchy choruses and general command over gorgeous melodic tapestries kept Leaves’ Eyes on top. It does get rather energetic in this album though, with some very solid, heavy drum kicks. While the riffs are not always entirely memorable, they often come around the corner to whip ass with an edgy hook here and there, complete with tantalizing distortion which could dunk on Shaq. This is a band that clearly knows what they’re doing, and they sound invigorated in this album and ready to show haters why they have the “fire in their eyes”. I am of course referencing their catchy song Edge of Steel.
If there’s any critique to say, it’s that the verse-chorus formula (repeated over and over) is monotonous as Hell. Head bopping, catchy choruses are involved, but they sound extremely similar. That’s not a problem, considering how nice the album sounds. Verses and choruses are repeated over and over (see what I did there?) though, and not enough surprises are inserted in between these sections. It’s something like an infinite Subway sub, with no changes to the ingredients anywhere in the massive sub. More sections and transitions would’ve added a whole lot to keep listeners invested. Compare this to the many different sections of an Epica song, for example, and Leaves’ Eyes songs sound basic in comparison. The songwriting is much too predictable here.
They know exactly what worked throughout their lifespan as a band, and they show off that knowledge with the grace of skilled musicians. Pretty moments bring the glittery shine of magic fountains that fans crave for, yet they’re not afraid to turn up the heavy, as found in their track Blazing Waters which ironically blazes a trail hard. Essentially, everything that makes this band great is duplicated, and absolutely nailed in King of Kings. After all, these veteran musicians have been playing the same music for some time now and certainly understand their craft.
Compare this album to others from the band, and it stands out. While the songwriting could’ve used more creativity, what we have here works. It’s catchy stuff, it tickles the ear, and occasionally brings crazy levels of sizzle. Hell to the Heavens is one of my favourite songs from the band, and this album clones the same level of energy and brings in a captivating cinematic soundtrack for Viking nerds, and people who just like great music. Once again, this band has surprised me with their longevity, but perhaps I should’ve never been. A fan of this band cannot skip this album, nor should they. It is the perfect send off for one of the most memorable symphonic metal singers in history.
