'Peace in Death' - Nine Leaves (album review)

The new album by US group Nine Leaves kicks off with the Atmosphere-esque ‘Yesterday’, instrumental ‘Last Words’ follows sounding like something from the ‘Gladiator’ soundtrack and the first hat-trick of tracks is rounded off with ‘Apt A9’, a haunting Pharcyde-quoting lament.

The mood shifts as ‘Pain is not Enough’ makes itself known bringing with it angry and anxious emotions although musically things calm on ‘Drift’ whilst tension remains alongside the furtive lyrics. And so the rollercoaster goes.

Topic-wise, the album begins at the end and ends at the very end. The three instrumentals ‘Last Words’, ‘Losing Touch’ and ‘Peace in Death’ could signify the end of a relationship, the end of life or anything in between. Lyrically, feelings have been captured well – the choice of words and tone of voice ensure that you are right there with the vocalist – inside their psyche.

Whilst the production is musical and creatively epic (the album’s highlight) this album does not contain too many good vibes which limits its listenability – if you’re looking for a break-up album, this is it. To check further the work of producer Zack Hemsey look no further than his version of Reebok’s Allen Iverson advert – a youtube cult video.