Album review: LEAVES’ EYES – Sign Of The Dragonhead

AFM Records [Release date 12.01.18]

Back in April 2016 Leaves’ Eyes parted ways with singer Liv Kristine, which led to various accounts of how the departure came about surfacing on social media and ill feeling between both parties. So this album is pretty key for Leave’s Eyes to win fans over.

Enter Elina Siirala of EnkElination as Liv’s replacement and the album’s storyline continues the one started on ‘King Of Kings’, namely the stories of Norway’s first king Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre) – to be fair the album cover gives you a pretty good idea that Vikings will be featured!

Musically Leaves’ Eye have gone for shorter blasts of symphonic metal, some work really well like ‘Jomsborg’, a real rousing chorus and Elina Siirala makes her presence felt with her high range, almost operatic vocals. They do fall down a little on the title track though as Alexander Krull’s growling vocals sound muddied, not unlike a cassette player chewing up a tape.

‘Fairer Than The Sun’ is a gentler number where the band add in a folk backing – uilleann pipes and mandolin I think – to create one of the two stand out songs on here. The other being ‘Riders On The Wind’, blimey Leaves’ Eye do Big Country! It certainly sounds like it on the guitar riff and with its lively chorus (Krull’s vocals on this one fit the song perfectly), makes for a song that would be enjoyed outside the symphonic metal scene.

‘Sign Of The Dragonhead’ is not a bad album, it just needed to be a real ‘wow’ in order to satisfy fans and move the band past their recent troubles. Elina Siirala certainly makes her mark and that is one real positive. ***

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)