Title: New Horizons
Band: Flyleaf
Producer: Howard Benson
Release: A&M/Octone Records on October 30, 2012
Available: In-Stores, Online
New Horizons is a breathtaking album released by the rock band Flyleaf in 2012, sporting a hard rock style with some evocative and harmonious aspects stirred within it. As the very last Flyleaf album with Lacey Sturm as the lead singer of the band, this album sure left a good last impression. New Horizons is a particular Flyleaf album that I, along with many other fans, love especially for the nostalgic, beautiful tunes that intertwine with the aggression of hard rock. This album was produced by Howard Benson, who has also produced many other Flyleaf songs, and was released/labeled by A & M Octone on October 30, 2012. This musical post-grunge/hard rock collection fits 12 songs in a 36:24 time frame. The New Horizons album has great musicianship, a variety of alternative song styles, and the beautifully matured voice of Lacey Sturm that melds it all together. First off, let’s dive into the musicians’ brilliance when creating these songs. James Culpepper, the drummer for the band, performs excellently throughout the whole album. In most alternative/hard rock albums that I’ve heard, almost every song has the same drumming melody as the next. However, Culpepper does a great job of keeping the sounds new with every song. Guitarists Kirkpatrick Seals, Sameer Bhattacharya, and Jared Hartmann create the most alluring sounds to compliment the other elements of the songs. The guitars in the background during the songs, along with the riffs starting some of them off, are truly unusual and gothic, giving off a powerful and poetic air to the music. With these things mentioned, it’s important to know just how different these songs are to one another. For example, the song “Green Heart” showcases Lacey’s powerful vocals accompanied by the mighty sound of the instruments while the song “Bury Your Heart” has a more soft-sounding, melodic tone to it. New Horizons is filled with songs that compliment each other just like the previously mentioned two, such as “Call You Out” and “Broken Wings.” It seems to mix beauty and grace with screaming and blasting resonance. Out of all the wonderful aspects of Flyleaf’s New Horizons album, it’s important to know that it just wouldn’t be the same without the one and only Lacey Sturm. Over the years of singing for Flyleaf, Lacey’s voice has become so exercised and beautifully matured that she sounds like an angel from heaven when singing in this album. Her voice is so unique that very few can copy it, and she knows just how to transition from hardcore screaming to a soft, almost fairy-like voice within a matter of seconds. The natural vibrato and strong emotion in her voice adds much taste to the songs and seems to compliment the music perfectly. Honestly, this album is a wonderful piece of art to behold, and words alone could never do it enough justice. The New Horizons album by Flyleaf has the most intricate musicianship, a variety of mismatched though fulsome songs, and Lacey Sturm’s sensationally enchanting voice that pairs perfectly with the music. The only downside is that the length of this album could have been longer, considering it was Lacey’s last album with Flyleaf before leaving the band.
Carter Corps News 