At hardly over 36 minutes, New Horizons, the third studio album from Christian alt-rockers Flyleaf, is by far the band’s shortest to date. And if its diminutive length wasn’t enough to make listeners uneasy, the announcement of lead singer Lacey Sturm’s departure from the band just days before the LP’s release definitely did the trick. Fortunately, Sturm does not go out with a whimper; from explosive metal riffs to expertly crafted pop hooks, Horizons boasts an astounding level of power and emotion jammed into such a seemingly innocuous package.
“Fire Fire” kicks the album into gear with amplified acoustic guitar and a simple drum beat accompanying Sturm’s distinctive subdued vocals. A sudden two-second silence startles the listener to attention before breaking into dynamically panned electric guitar riffs as Sturm condemns “fire from the tongues of liars.”
The momentum carries into the title track, an intensely hopeful song that alternates the listener’s focus between crunchy guitar rhythms and the vocals before bringing the two together in the explosive chorus. Neither the vocal nor instrumental section, however, dominates “New Horizons;” Flyleaf achieves a perfect balance, allowing the chords to echo Sturm’s optimism.
Well-presented production aside, the centerpiece of New Horizons is Sturm’s voice, which is particularly effective on album closer “Broken Wings.” Sturm begins with airy, unadorned pop phrases backed by a strummed six-string, and as drums and amplified power chords build to the chorus, she climbs the octaves before adding her signature pitch changes at the end of each verse in pursuit and effortless attainment of alt-metal timbre quality.
Horizons possesses one weakness: the overwhelmingly Christian lyrical content that at times can prove tiresome. “Call You Out,” for instance, has Sturm screaming, “Liar!” at what can be assumed to be Satan, while the smoother and more optimistic “Cage on the Ground” is filled to the brim with images of a resurrection and ascending into the clouds.
In spite of the ideological saturation, though, the delivery remains well executed without attempting to impress religious zeal upon the listener. But even in the face of a solid release ringing with hope, uncertainty remains. Since Sturm, a defining member of Flyleaf, cannot accompany her former group on its journey, the band may be bound for new, but not greater, Horizons.
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