Flyleaf – Flyleaf

Release date: 07-03-2008, Label: Universal
By: Nina Mende

  Heavy music and pained lyrics go together like cake and ice cream, and Belton,
  Texas quintet, Flyleaf, aren’t about to break with tradition. But while many
  loud rockers reopen old wounds by singing about their broken homes and broken
  hearts, Flyleaf confront past traumas to heal old scars and prove in the process
  that hope shines brighter than despair. Flyleaf’s self-titled debut album echoes
  with songs about abuse, neglect, addiction and dysfunction, and messages about
  overcoming adversity. And the band’s wide array of brooding beats, atmospheric
  textures and lunging riffs compliment Mosley’s emotionally revealing lyrics,
  which range from breathy and beautiful to scathing and aggressive. That is what
  the band says about themselves. And I can agree totally.

  The album starts out with a distorted bass and a pretty high-pitched singing
  of the female vocalist before she starts shouting and screaming, the rocking
  begins. “I’m So Sick” is a nice mixture of several different
  styles of singing. The songs remind slightly of The Birthday Massacre or The
  Vincent Black Shadow with its style and the vocals. The thriving melodies and
  catchy choruses burn into your mind, the lyrics are mostly taken out of life
  and easy to associate with own experiences or happenings in life. Yet does the
  album spread a positive mood. The beginning of the song “Cassie” reminds
  slightly of Avril Lavigne. “There For You” is a quite thoughtful song,
  while “So I Thought” is nice and slow. The album contains two bonus
  acoustic recordings: “Fully Alive” and “All Around Me”,
  two really nice arrangements.

  All in all, the entire album is quite powerful and has a lot of strength and
  will! It is great to see that many girls as singer of rock bands lately and
  I hope this era will continue for some time.

  If you like the album or are curious now, check their page because they are
  on tour now.

01. I’m So Sick   02. Fully Alive   03. Perfect   04. Cassie   05. Sorrow   06. I’m Sorry   07. All Around Me   08. Red Sam   09. There For You   10. Breathe Today   11. So I Thought   12. Fully Alive (acoustic)   13. All Around Me (acoustic)

Links:

Flyleaf Official
Flyleaf MySpace