Flyleaf
Between the Stars
Loud & Proud Records

Flyleaf fans were stunned when the bands lead vocalist Lacey Sturm announced her leaving the band just days before the release of their upcoming album, New Horizons. After touring that album with new vocalist Kristen May at the helm the band is on fire with May’s full-length debut with the band, Between the Stars. Fans worrying about the bands direction need not worry as the disc basically picks up where New Horizons left off. Missing from Between the Stars are Sturms growl’s in place of May’s more polished clear vocals.

The album’s first single, “Set Me on Fire” is a searing rocker and a nice tease as to what to expect from the rest of the disc while “Magnetic” follows suit perfectly into “Traitor” which almost bears a bit of a Foo Fighters vibe within it’s off beat chug. The band throw a bit of synth pop in with the swirling “Platonic” and dabble a bit with pop where May actually brings to mind Memento Mori era Sturm in her delivery and layered vocals.

I honestly can’t say enough how great the band sounds on Between the Stars. Tunes like the grand “Head Under Water” and the punchy “Thread” only enforce the fact that this is a band that have only just begun to impress and grow into something truly special. –Matthew Pashalian