I am currently coming out of the tail end of burnout and starting to feel like myself again. It lasted for a couple of months meaning there are some albums I have missed, one of them being LEAH’s latest release, The Glory and the Brave.
I first came across LEAH in 2019 through her release Ancient Winter, a completely ambient album of Celtic fantasy dreams. Her description of being a metal version of ENYA caught my attention instantly. Listening to Ancient Winter, I quickly
realised this description was correct.
Within the first few songs on The Glory and the Brave, I was soon reminded of that love for LEAH and her beautiful music. This album is full of stunning melodies that whisk you away to a fantasy land that you can fully immerse yourself into. The ambient versions of the heavier tracks that are definitely worth sticking around for.
One thing that remains consistent is LEAH‘s voice; it’s beautiful and she knows exactly what to do vocally on each track. This is heard in each elegant melody this album offers; below are just some examples:
Unshakable brought the song Redemption to mind due to a similar melody – by
no means a bad thing as both of these are brilliant songs. Unshakable provides a beautiful balance of folk and symphonic metal that deeply immerses you into the melody. It’s impossible to sit still during this track.
Speak To Me is one of the ambient tracks on the album. I was already aware of LEAH’s
talent for writing these, and this is a great example of what her songwriting offers. If you want a song to show that you don’t need heavy distortion to make a huge impact, this is it.
Sleeping Giant was one of the first singles I heard in the lead up to this album, and I was immediately taken by the cinematic melody it encompassed. The track was already living up to the title. The balance of folk and symphony gave the track an
ELUVEITIE-like ambience, and guest vocalist Mark Jensen provided that extra edge.
Due to its triumphant melodies, The Glory and the Brave was an album that saved my motivation and helped me out of burnout. It shows us why LEAH should be hailed as an artist for whom we should all keep our eyes and ears out.
Words: Lotty Whittingham
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