“Memento mori,” according to Answers.com, means a reminder of death or mortality, or a reminder of human failures or errors. The original Latin phrase was used two ways; the first was “be mindful of dying,” and the second, “remember to die.” The second version of the Latin phrase was whispered in a general’s ear before a march.
Flyleaf’s newest album, “Memento Mori” was released Nov. 10. The name alone is interesting enough for the christian alternative rock band, namely because of the amount of christian influence they use in their music. However, the name is almost perfect for the music – if you don’t think about the fact that it’s supposed to be christian-influenced.
The biggest symbol used to represent memento mori is a death’s head, or a human skull, and rightly so when you think about the album’s best song, “Missing,” which says “something’s missing in me/I felt it deep within me/as lovers left me to bleed alone.”
Although this sounds incredibly emo, it’s true. Many people feel when someone they love leaves them it’s breaking them apart. Many also feel as though something’s missing in their life, and they don’t know what it is, they just know it’s not there.
Another song that’s relatable is “This Close.” The chorus starts out
“I don’t know who I am anymore/not once in life have I been real/but I never felt this close before.”
Many people, especially teens and young adults, have no clue who they are. The lyrics speak of things that many people go through, just in a somewhat unconventional way.
One song that is good, but sadly will turn a lot of people away is “In The Dark”. In the song, lead vocalist, Lacey Mosely sings to Jesus, asking him to heal her. That aside, the beginning of the song is interesting. Each line starts out almost serenade-like, and then changes to alternative, for about the first five lines, creating a nice dynamic that’s rarely seen in the music business.
When listening to the album, it becomes clear why Mosely is the lead singer. Her voice, not only beautiful, is capable of many sounds – from soft or sweet, to angry, to a “screamo” sound. Second best after Mosely is drummer James Culpepper, who rocks from extreme hard hits to soft ones and all in-between.
Out of the 18 songs on the [extended] album, the worst is easily “Circle.” Not terrible throughout the entire song, its bad name falls mostly on one line: “.circle encircles the earth.” While this can create a nice picture, they could have come up with a better way of doing so.
Available as a regular album with 14 songs, or an extended with four bonus tracks, this is a good buy or gift for anyone who loves Christian music or rock. Those who don’t, however, may want to stick to getting the songs they like from somewhere such as Itunes or Amazon.com.
Many of the songs have more of a vague reference to religion, but a few of them do come right out and say it. Beyond that, however, the album is a great listen for just about anyone who likes any kind of rock.
