Flyleaf’s “Memento Mori”

Lacey Mosley, lead singer of Texas quintet Flyleaf, shies away from the "Christian band" label that’s often imposed upon the group. Mosley, a born-again Christian, has said that her faith doesn’t define her music. But that’s a hard concept to swallow after listening to Flyleaf’s sophomore effort, "Memento Mori." Take the song "In the Dark," for instance, on which she begs Jesus to kill and then resurrect her.  (The album title itself translates to "Remember You Will Die.")

On "Memento," the follow-up to Flyleaf’s platinum 2005 debut, nothing is understated, and each song tends to bleeds into the next. Some don’t seem to have any breathing room, with Mosley’s howling, deafening guitars, pounding drums, or some combination of the three filling any and all available space. Religious or not, Mosley’s warbly vocals (am I the only one who thinks she sounds a bit like Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez?) tend to be a bit melodramatic.

That’s not to say that "Memento Mori" is devoid of catchiness. First single "Again," in particular, has deservedly made a dent in the Modern Rock chart. Even the strongest songs, however, are that kind of Paramore-esque alternative rock that angsty teenagers flock to, but that anyone past their early 20s might feel a bit embarrassed for even listening to, let alone enjoying.