Though I'd like to think my teenybopper years ended in approximately 2002, it often surprises me how much some pop music still clicks with me. For instance, I never would have guessed that hearing the recent news of Kevin Richardson leaving the Backstreet Boys would shock me and make me a little bit...sad. I guess that can be directly traced to all my junior-high days of being obsessed with BSB, but I find it strange that part of me is still trapped back in that time period.

Part of me feels that it's perfectly acceptable though, because Liv Kristine has a soft spot for pop music too. And if Liv -- who first impacted in doom-metal band Theatre Of Tragedy well over a decade ago -- can embrace straight-up pop and make it all work, I'm pretty sure I shouldn't feel too weird about MY everlasting fondness for the stuff.

Liv, who currently fronts the wonderful, atmospheric metal band Leaves' Eyes, has always cited Madonna as a major musical influence. This influence never really showed up until Theatre Of Tragedy's post-Aegis albums, which showcased the band taking its sound in a poppier, more electronic direction. It's difficult not to applaud Liv's versatility. I mean, who else can say they've been the focal point of both metal albums full of bleak Shakespearean lyrics AND solo pop records with cheerful lyrics, cutesy beats and catchy choruses?

So I'm not yet familiar with Liv's first solo pop album Deus ex Machina, but as I've grown more and more acquainted with her 2006 release Enter My Religion, I've realized exactly why I'm not quite as fond of it as I thought I might be. See, one of the main reasons I have always been drawn to Leaves' Eyes is the intense contrast in the band's songs between Liv's gentle, angelic voice and the gritty guitars, blaring bass and heavy drumming. On Enter My Religion, the format is basically Liv's sweet voice at its most accessible paired with light, bouncy music. It isn't too different from pairing a delectably gooey brownie with a Coca-Cola when it would actually taste much better when washed down with some incredibly sour lemonade.

That isn't to say the brownie'n'soda combo is never appealing, though. "Over The Moon" is an energetic blast of violin-laced poppy goodness. Liv's voice soars in the chorus, but she mainly keeps things toned down to a breathy murmur. This sound is certainly far more accessible than what is typical of Leaves' Eyes, but to a longtime fan of Liv's work in metal bands, it can take a few listens to really get used to. The music to this song was actually written by Peter Tägtgren, who is best known as the vocalist for death-metal band Hypocrisy, so he gets tons of points for versatility here as well.

Enter My Religion's first single "Fake A Smile" is one of its best moments. Strange as it may sound, this catchy ballad reminds me of a lot of the stuff on Mandy Moore's third album. It's complete with a great pre-chorus of "Breaking into pie-e-e-eces," and Liv's voice is really soothing as usual. The exotic uptempo number "My Revelation" is one of the most Madonna-influenced tracks on the album, and it's highlighted by Liv's amazing background vocals during the chorus.

"Trapped In Your Labyrinth" may be the most "rocking" song on Enter My Religion, and it's no surprise to find out this is the second song helmed by Mr. Tägtgren. This song is still very accessible, driven by spacey sound effects and undeniably fun pop hooks. "Blue Emptiness" is my favorite song from Enter My Religion, without a doubt. This gorgeous piano ballad is so simple, yet so touching. Liv's voice sounds like the sibling of velvet and silk, and she penetrates the simple piano melody with a deep sadness in a way that only she can.

There are still a couple songs that simply don't work. "All The Time In The World" comes to mind first. It just sounds so childish, mainly because of the irritating, repetitive chorus. It doesn't help that Liv sounds bored as hell here, and seems to have drained every last drop of her usual emotion from her voice. "Coming Home" is basically a slower rehash of the aforementioned mess, but it's dragged down even more with ridiculously cheesy lyrics ("I feel like I'm coming home to you / Imagine all the things we can do") and a monotonous pace.

Fans of Leaves' Eyes should approach Enter My Religion with caution. Yes, it may seem cool to own all things that Liv has participated in -- but people who are even the slightest bit opposed to pure, 100% pop music will not like this album. Period. On the flipside, those who are unfamiliar with Leaves' Eyes and who may be much more partial to accessible pop music than heavy goth-metal will definitely LOVE this. Given that I'm open to poppier sounds, and that Liv is an excellent voice regardless of what style she's trying out, *I* thought this was a decent album. A more accurate rating would be 3 1/2 stars, but I'm rounding it up to a 4 because, well...she's Liv Kristine and I'm a Liv fangirl. There.





Recommended: Yes