FLYLEAF - Show Review

Lacey - vocals

Sameer Bhattacharya - guitar

Jared Hartmann - guitar

Pat Seals - bass

James Culpepper - drums

"Memento Mori"

Flyleaf bleed, grow, love and live on MEMENTO MORI.

A focused fire burns bright at the heart of Flyleaf's second full-length album. The platinum-selling Texas quintet's latest offering is a
collection of poignant, passionate and pensive hard rock songs. From the kinetic first single, "Again," to the touching album closer, "Arise,"
guitarists Sameer Bhattacharya and Jared Hartman trade orchestral riffs that seesaw from soaring to searing. Drummer James Culpepper
smoothly propels every groove forward, while Pat Seals' bass anchors unforgettable hooks. Gliding across this majestic melodic backdrop,
Lacey’s vocals build into beauty from pain. Her voice reaches transcendent heights on songs like "Set Apart This Dream" and "Missing.”
Flyleaf's flame keeps rising…

Lacey describes MEMENTO MORI best. "This album feels like an emotional rollercoaster. While listening to it, I was holding my breath at
points. The issues definitely got heavier and a little more intense."

For Flyleaf, it's all part of growing up. In October 2008, the band entered a Los Angeles studio with producer Howard Benson (My Chemical
Romance, Papa Roach, All-American Rejects) to record the follow-up to their self-titled debut. Immediately, these five individuals tapped
into the same chemistry that made FLYLEAF a massive worldwide hit and yielded songs like the breakout single "I'm So Sick" in 2005.

"As songwriters, we all have such a great rapport. None of us are really possessive or territorial about what we write," explains Pat. "There
are a lot of different flavors that work perfectly together. We grew up a lot since the first record, and I think that particularly shows in the
selflessness that each of us now brings to Flyleaf. We're vastly different people, but we’re united in what we want to say and how we want to
say it."

That unity shines on songs like "Beautiful Bride," which just poured out of the band one day in rehearsal. The track came together instantly,
and Lacey was able to write lyrics on the spot. She says, "Pat started playing this new song, and the words came out all at once. I'd been
dealing with a conflict in my family and this song was born out of that moment. I got a phone call the next day that an amazing reconciliation
had come within my family. Both the song and the situation started out painful and ended up glorious. This just proves to me how
everything can work together for a greater good. Like a family fight turning into 'Beautiful Bride', a song about unity."

The record is made of messages like that. Flyleaf titled the album MEMENTO MORI—a Latin phrase meaning "Be mindful of death"—in
order to remind the world how precious life is. The band tries to take advantage of each and every opportunity presented to them, and
they're an example of dreams coming to fruition through never giving up. For Sameer, that sentiment of living every day to its fullest is
essential for creating music. "Each day is a new beginning. It's never too late to become the kind of superhero you imagined you'd be when
you were a kid."

These sonic superheroes have created an experience for listeners, stretching far beyond the recorded sounds. Flyleaf looked over the 13
songs that would become MEMENTO MORI, and saw how they all come together to form a sort of parable if you listen from start to finish.
Lacey evinces, "Every track is like another chapter of the story. In my head it feels like a movie. The story becomes a parable for important
life lessons we’ve learned over the years. After coming through these life and death experiences, we have learned to be more grateful and
purposeful with the time we are given. We want to pass the torch at the end during ‘Arise.’ Perhaps someone will come away from the story
and be more grateful and purposeful with their own life and the world will change for the better."

Flyleaf began composing these stories as they toured the world on the 2006 and 2007 installments of the Family Values Tour and on a
European trek with Korn. Sharing the stage with the likes of Stone Sour, Deftones and Evanescence, Flyleaf captivated fans everywhere as
their self-titled debut continued to ascend the charts. Singles such as "I'm So Sick," "Fully Alive," and the RIAA gold smash "All Around Me"
pulled audiences in, and FLYLEAF reached RIAA platinum heights while the band toured endlessly. The album spent 133 weeks on the
Billboard 200 while staking claims in the top 5 of the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart and the top 15 of the Billboard Rock Albums and
Alternative Albums charts.

In 2006, Flyleaf released MUSIC AS A WEAPON, a four-track EP; its sale supported the work of World Vision. Last year, the band contributed
their rendition of "What's This?" to the star-filled compilation NIGHTMARE REVISITED, a rock homage to the music of director Tim Burton's
now classic 1993 film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. The following year the band treated fans to a special, limited edition, two-disc
version of FLYLEAF.

Now the world will receive MEMENTO MORI, and it's Flyleaf's greatest gift. Right before they put the finishing touches on the album, they
embarked on an acoustic tour for U.S. troops overseas in Afghanistan, debuting two songs, "Circle" and "Chasm." The band's itinerary took
them from Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan—where they performed before nearly 1,000 soldiers—to the distant Forward Operating Base
Baylough in southern Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border.

Lacey explains. "It was the last thing we did before we finished this record. It was really life changing for us. Everywhere you turn in
Afghanistan, you're reminded of your mortality—in a good way. These troops were so thankful that we were there and that they could just
enjoy life for a minute. That's exactly what MEMENTO MORI means. Life's important, and it's brief. You never know when it's going to be over
for you or the people around you. You have to make the most of every opportunity you're given. We got to talk to the soldiers about so many
things, but there was a bomb the next day and many of them were killed. We came to know these men personally in a short time though.
That was MEMENTO MORI at its highest."

"Missing" is another song that shows how important love and life are. The hook is massive, but there's more to it. Lacey continues, "The
bridge says "Down here love wasn't meant to be for me, all is vanity underneath the sun." The phrase makes you ask 'What would the world
be like if we took love out of it?' Love is painful. It requires work. It's selfless. Even though it's difficult, if you take that out of the earth you're
going to end up with nothing. C.S. Lewis said, 'The only place in all of the world where you can escape the dangers of love is hell.'" Nothing
could be truer.

On the other end of the emotional spectrum, Lacey drew inspiration for her vocal performance for "Set Apart this Dream" and "Tiny Heart"
from her relationship with her younger sister. She says, "My sister is 17, and she's about to become a woman. She's always looked up to
me. As much as I can, I want to make sure she doesn't make the same mistakes I have. She listens to me. This record has stories about
failing and consequences of wrong decisions. My songs are usually hopeful in a really dark way. Many times artists can communicate deep
feelings for other people and it heals them. That's what art does."

That's also what Flyleaf does. In the end, this band is about giving. "This band's formation was one of the most natural things I’d ever
experienced and I knew it would change our lives” says Sameer.

However, it's evolved into something even larger. Lacey concludes, "I want to let kids know that they have a purpose and can do something
great. I believe that one hundred percent. Growing up, my mom was a single mom with six kids. We struggled for absolutely everything.
Here we are now with so many blessings. It doesn't even feel real sometimes. I just feel so thankful."

FLYLEAF IS:

It was a cold and stormy night in the middle of February as I took to the road to check out a group from Texas known as
Flyleaf who are currently on tour in support of their latest album "Momento Mori". I have seen this group many times
before over the past few years while covering other artist and they always caught my attention, even if you have never
heard of this group or just happened to stumble upon their music you will be instantly gratified. The crowd starts to pour
into the The Mohegan Sun Arena and the lights are dimmed it was at this moment it all came back to me, I knew I was in
for a hell of a rock show. Your mind starts to ponder as Flyleaf takes the stage, this group features five members each
with their own unique presence and stage personalities. One of the most intriguing has got to be Lead Singer Lacy
Mosley, a soft spoken petite woman who in the right lighting could be confused for an Angel cast down from the sky then
it happens she grabs the microphone and starts singing. Starting out with a nice soft mellowing voice she makes you feel
calm and nurtured and then lets out a scream like you never heard before pointing you on the edge of your seat like that
really scary part of a horror flick she just hooked you. It always amazes me when I hear this group perform for that
reason as it seems like the audience is brought through a journey of emotions from love to anger and everything in
between with each passing song all from which I understand are influenced by events in the life's of these rockers or the
ones around them. Lacy however is not the only spectacle on this stage as Jared and Sameer seem at war with the
trading of riffs from their electrifying guitars while Pat seems to conducting his own war with the bass. Anchoring this ship
is drummer James Culpepper who is able to add a dynamic influence on the groups songs with his powerful ability behind
the set. This group loves to take over the stage and use every inch of it, which is very entertaining to watch keeping you
in the stage theatrical as much as the music. My only regret to their set was there were a few more bands that had to go
on after them so they had to eventually stop playing. I would highly recommend heading out to see these rockers while
they are on tour.

FLYLEAF LINK'S TO CHECK OUT

LIVE REVIEW

FLYLEAF BIOGRAPHY

BY: JOSHUA KOLOSKI