Flyleaf – Memento Mori

Flyleaf

Memento Mori

A&M/Octone Records

Rating:

Flyleaf has finally released another amazingly well composed and highly anticipated album.  Although this album may not sound as dark nor as heavy as their self-titled debut album,  Memento Mori has the deep and capturing lyrics to make up for their true Flyleaf style to  remain. When you first look at the album cover, you read helpless emotions, conflict and strong  artistic value. You are in for what you’re reading from this cover, and oh so much more.

There is a strong bond of the poetic beauty to the lyrics of Memento Mori and the strong flow of  instrumentals that reveal the true emotions of each song. Each song has its own short story you  can’t help but relate yourself to in such personal ways. Whether or not you are feeling positive,  down, overly hyper, or completely emotional, this album allows you to slow down and relax to take in the stories, allowing them to give you guidance , understanding, and a new and beautiful voice to listen and agree to. The lyrics of this album are very open, brutally honest, and revealing. Topics that are not normally covered and feelings and truths, even though they are usually not, are admitted.

Let’s start with “The Kind, a piece of perfectly flowing levels of hype and calmness, lies and truth, filth and cleanliness, and what may or may not separate reality from your faith. The lyrics remain general, yet deep. Lacey Mosley, the lead vocalist, speaks at certain points of the song, ensuring the reality and connections of her story. Although I will not reveal any lyrics for this song, this album has much the same darkness as their debut, yet the lyrics are a tad more religious.

My personal favorite some off Memento Mori is “Swept Away”. This song starts off with a strong, mesmerizing build up of drum sticks rolling, which in turn flows into screaming in the background. Yet the repeatedly belted screams are so loud, their importance is of a strong essence that cannot be ignored. Lacey then begins to speak in a morbid low, shaky tone, which in turn fades to her singing with loud, clear, and pure emotion. The pace of her talking will switch on and off to her powerful singing to make clear of the important to specific lines in the song. Towards the end, the belted screams return, short and quick. The guitar will then fade out to oddly, a beautiful child’s musical playing until the song comes to an end.

“Melting”, which is the interlude of this album is a dark and morbid, lyrically absent instrumental that makes you feel like you are falling in the depths of your most uncomfortable places. It will tie together many of the darkest parts of each story Lacey tells in this album. “Melting” out to give weigh to “Treasure”. The lyrics “Can I tell you a story as we dance while the sun starts to bleed?” will be repeated throughout this song, separated by the beautiful and enchanting lyrics in between. As the chorus is religious repeated, it’s meaning becomes stronger to the listener.

This album is an overall piece of work I have listed to repeatedly, day by day. It has come out just in time for the fall season, which is always full of change, and creativity. This album perfectly gives the welcoming feeling to having Fall transition into our lives. We all feel this change in the Autumn season, and Flyleaf has yet again created a piece we can repeatedly enjoy throughout the season.

—-Written By Kristen W.

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