- Keysandchords.com -
LEAH's new Celtic & Fantasy-infused album is the result of a truly international effort!
Troy Donnockley (Nightwish) Location: UK Celtic Pipes & Flutes
Barend Courbois (Blind Guardian) Location: Germany Bass Guitar
Timo Somers (Delain) Location: The Netherlands Rhythm & Lead Guitars.
Chen Balbus (Orphaned Land) Location: Israel Middle Eastern Oud & Saz
Jan Yrlund (Apocalyptica, Tina Guo) Location: Finland Album artwork & wallpapers
Sander Zoer (Ex-Delain) Location: The Netherlands Drums & Percussion
Jacob Hansen (Amaranthe, Epica) Location: Denmark Mixing & Mastering
Oliver Philipps (Phantasma, Everon) Location: Germany Production, Orchestration, Arrangments, Extra instruments
Leah McHenry (LEAH) Location: Canada Songwriter, Vocals, Lyrics, Keys
This album has been in the works for almost two years!
Between my role as wife, mother to 5 hobbits, homeschooling, and my music marketing coaching business, it's taken me every spare minute to produce this album. It was truly a labor of love.
It's a little different from the last release, Kings & Queens, with a stronger Celtic & Fantasy connection, some prog rock elements, ethereal ambiance, combined with traditional Symphonic Metal elements.
This is an album I'm very proud to present to you.
The artwork for The Quest was inspired by immersing myself in fantasy and fiction during the writing of this album.
I also wanted to make the visual imagery more about the music, the culture, and the visual representation of the songs, rather than me - the songwriter and vocalist.
I consider my voice just one of many instruments which creates the overall sound. I wanted this artwork to compliment my vision of taking you on a real journey.
Thanks to the talent of Jan Yrlund of Darkgrove Studios, we were able to make this idea, this vision, possible. I hope you like it. :)
The concept for this album is very simple: we're all on a journey, and sometimes we lose our way.
There are adventures, wildernesses, treasures, monsters, looters, people out to send us down the wrong path.
Through it all, we must grow in wisdom and experience, find our compass once again and find our way back to the true path in order to reach our full potential: our destiny.
This album began almost two years ago with the song Labyrinth. At first, I thought this might become my "non-metal" album.
But after writing a few songs and developing them with Oliver Philipps (producer), it became clear this was not that album. The songs ended up getting heavier, and I resolved to let these songs be what they need to be without forcing them into any specific box.
I didn't try to make them more Celtic or more Fantasy -- that is just exactly what they called for. And so, you'll find a bit of an eclectic mix on this album - not trying to be more metal - it's just exactly what it needs to be.
Within that, you'll find quirky prog moments, more elaborate orchestrations, more vocal tone, depth and range from me (after working with Brett Manning & coaches on this), fun medieval moments, the occasional dragon growl, and a few other interesting surprises.
The last song written was the title track, The Quest, which was by far, the biggest, most epic song I have ever written! You'll hear it soon enough, and you can tell me. :)
1. The Quest
2. Edge of Your Sword
3. Lion Arises
4. Heir
5. Ruins of Illusion
6. Labyrinth
7. Abyss
8. Oblivion (Between Two Worlds)
9. Ghost Upon a Throne
10. The Water Is Wide
- Folk-metal.nl -
From the rugged coast of British Columbia, Canada, metal songwriter LEAH is turning heads across the globe. Fans describe her as “the metal Enya” and describe her songs as “Loreena McKennitt meets Delain”. In a sea of mediocre symphonic metal, LEAH stands out not only with her magnetic twist of Celtic and World influences but also her well-known ethereal vocals.
Most recently, LEAH raised $87,000 through Indiegogo and her shop to launch her new album, "The Quest" on October 5th, 2018. This new album has a much deeper Celtic and Fantasy connection, prog moments, yet still embraces classic Symphonic Metal.
LEAH sets the bar for both independent artists and the symphonic metal genre alike, which is often dependent on touring as the primary means of gaining new fans and marketing. LEAH achieves her success having never done a tour in her entire musical career.
She hopes to tour one day, but in the meantime plans to continue her path as a recording artist and songwriter.
Copyright 2018 Ex Cathedra Records