Liv Kristine

Liv Kristine
Kristine in 2014
Kristine in 2014
Background information
Birth nameLiv Kristine Espenæs
Born (1976-02-14) 14 February 1976
Stavanger, Norway
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1993–present
LabelsMetalville Records
Websitelivkristine.com

Liv Kristine Espenæs (born 14 February 1976) is a Norwegian singer who has performed and composed songs mostly for various subgenres of heavy metal music. She started her career in the music industry as a vocalist for the gothic metal band Theatre of Tragedy, and is the former lead vocalist for the symphonic metal band Leaves' Eyes. She is known for her work in close association with her then-husband and leader of the German band Atrocity, Alexander Krull.[1] Currently she is a singer of a German band Midnattsol alongside her younger sister Carmen Elise Espenæs. She also released a number of solo albums in various genres.

Career

Kristine was born in Stavanger, and joined the Norwegian gothic metal band Theatre of Tragedy in 1994 as a backup singer, but was soon sharing lead vocals duties with Raymond István Rohonyi.[2] She was fired from Theatre of Tragedy in 2003, a fact she learned about via an e-mail.[3] She had been living in Germany since 1996 and collaborating with the death metal band Atrocity, whose singer Alexander Krull she married on 3 July 2003.[4] With the five musicians from Atrocity she formed a new band, Leaves' Eyes, in August 2003.[5]

She has also released six solo albums, the most recent of which was released in October 2025 through Napalm Records.[6] The first, Deus Ex Machina appeared in 1998,[7] and was re-released in 2024.[8] She continued her pop-influenced solo career besides fronting Leaves' Eyes.[9] In early 2006 she released her second solo album, Enter My Religion on Roadrunner Records.[10][11]

Her fifth solo album Vervain was released in October 2014 and featured contributions by Doro Pesch and Michelle Darkness.[12]

In 2005, Kristine was nominated for a Grammy award with Cradle of Filth for the song "Nymphetamine".[13]

She also perfomed live with Firewind on the their 2014 tour.[14] In 2016, she joined Eluveitie as a session vocalist for a couple of their live shows after the departure of their singer Anna Murphy.

On 16 April 2016, Leaves' Eyes stated that Kristine, who formed and had the idea of the band project, was no longer the singer of the band.[15]

In December 2017 it was announced that Kristine joined her sister Carmen's band Midnattsol. She was originally announced to be a guest on their new album but after some discussions, the band picked her up as a permanent member.

Personal life

On 3 July 2003, Kristine married Atrocity vocalist Alexander Krull.[4] They have a son, Leon Alexander.[4] Kristine and her husband split up in early January 2016.[16] She married Michael Hansen (Espenæs) in June 2021. Kristine is a keen runner.[17]

Her younger sister, Carmen Elise Espenæs, is the vocalist of the German symphonic/folk metal band Midnattsol[18] and of the Norwegian gothic/folk metal band Savn.[19]

Style

Kristine at a live show in Israel, 2016

Kristine helped pioneer the contrasting operatic female vocals with male growls in symphonic metal.[20] Paradise Lost and The Gathering had already made use of this technique on some songs from their earlier albums, but it was the Norwegian Theatre of Tragedy, Kristine's first band, that released an entire album devoted to this approach with their self-titled debut in 1995.[21] Kristine has a soprano vocal range.[22]

Discography

Solo

Studio albums


Singles

  • 3AM (1998)
  • Take Good Care (1998)
  • One Love (1999)
  • Fake a Smile (2006)
  • Over the Moon (2006)
  • Trapped in Your Labyrinth (2006)
  • Skintight (2010)
  • Paris Paris (2012)
  • Love Decay (feat. Michelle Darkness) (2014)
  • Skylight (2019)
  • Gravity (2020)
  • River of Diamonds (2023)
  • In Your Blue Eyes (2023)
  • Love Me High (2023)
  • Portrait: Ei tulle med øyne (2024)
  • Amor Vincit Omnia (2025)
  • Ode to Life Pristine (2025)

EPs

  • Fake a Smile (2006)
  • Have Courage Dear Heart (2021)

Live albums

  • Liv(e) in Nagold 2019 (2021)

With Midnattsol

Studio albums

With Leaves' Eyes

Studio albums

EPs

With Theatre of Tragedy

Studio albums

EPs

  • A Rose for the Dead (1997)
  • Inperspective (2001)

Live albums

Guest appearances

  • Atrocity – Werk 80 (1997) – (additional vocals)
  • Heavenwood – Swallow (1998) – (vocals on "Downcast")
  • Atrocity & Silke Bischoff – "Blue Moon" (non-album single) (1998) – (additional vocals)
  • Atrocity – Non Plus Ultra (1999) – (additional vocals)
  • WeltenBrand – Der Untergang von Trisona (1999) – vocals on "The Devil Gets the Profiteer"
  • Das Ich – Re-Laborat (2000) – vocals on "Des Satans neue Kleider" (Atrocity Remix)
  • Atrocity – Gemini (2000) – additional vocals
  • Atrocity – Thank You – A Tribute to The Sisters of Mercy (2000) – vocals on "More"
  • Genius – A Rock Opera Part II (2004) – vocals on "To Be Free"
  • Immortal Rites – Art of Devolution (2004) – vocals on "Mirror Reflections"
  • Hortus Animae – The Lotus Eaters – Dead Can Dance Tribute (2004) – vocals on "Summoning of the Muse"
  • Cradle of Filth – Nymphetamine (2004) – vocals on "Nymphetamine"
  • Atrocity – Atlantis (2004) – additional vocals
  • Umbra et Imago – Motus Animi (2005) – "Ein letztes Mal" (Leaves' Eyes Remix)
  • Delain – Lucidity (2006) – vocals on "See Me in Shadow" and "Day for Ghosts"
  • Atrocity – Werk 80 II (2008) – additional vocals
  • Doro Pesch – Fear No Evil (2009) – backing vocals on "Celebrate"
  • Legio Mortis – The Human Creation and The Devil's Contribution (2011) – vocals on "Life Denied"
  • Bob Katsionis – Rest in Keys (2012) – vocals on "Rendez-Vous in the Sky"
  • Týr – Valkyrja (2013) – vocals on "The Lay of Our Love
  • Romanthica – Eterno (2013) – vocals on "Despierta"
  • Primal Fear – Delivering the Black (2014) – backing vocals on "Born with a Broken Heart"
  • Savn – Savn (2014) – vocals on "I Am Free"
  • Emerald Sun – Metal Dome (2015) – vocals on "Call of Nature"
  • Tanzwut - Schreib es mit Blut (2016) – backing vocals on "Stille Wasser"
  • Cradle of Filth – Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay (2017) – vocals on "Vengeful Spirit"
  • Orden Ogan – Gunmen (2017) – vocals on "Come with Me to the Other Side"
  • Lux in Tenebris – To a New Eternity (2018) – additional vocals on "The Grand Design"
  • Ben Blutzukker – Queen of the Nite (2019) – additional vocals on "Queen of the Nite"
  • Myrkgand – Old Mystical Tales (2019) – vocals on "Chthonian Cyclops"
  • Coldbound – Slumber of Decay (2021) – vocals on "Slumber of Decay"
  • Sollys - Soul Pristine (2021) - vocals on "Soul Pristine"
  • Mortemia – The Pandemic Pandemonium Sessions (2021) – vocals on "Decadence Deepens Within"
  • Tales of a Sleeping Giant (2022) – vocals on "Summer's End", "Lost in Emptiness", "Morgana"
  • Sollys – Rhodonitt (2023) – vocals on "Rhodonitt"
  • Don't Drop The Sword - Age of Heroes (2023) - vocals on 'A Murder of Ravens'
  • Alexandrite - Cold Stars (2025) - vocals on "Cold Stars"

References

  1. ^ Deurwaarder, Silvia (24 February 2005). "Leaves' Eyes - November 2004". Reflections of Darkness. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Liv Kristine – Official Website". Livkristine.de. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY Singer Says She Was Betrayed And Deceived By Her Bandmates". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 27 August 2003. Archived from the original on 3 October 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  4. ^ a b c Dunphy, John (15 July 2005). "Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (Leaves Eyes) : Interview". Music Tap.net. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  5. ^ Reesman, Bryan. "Atrocity: Twenty Years of Passion, Progression and Perseverance," Metal Maniacs, December 2006, p. 113
  6. ^ "Former THEATRE OF TRAGEDY And LEAVES' EYES Singer LIV KRISTINE To Release Sixth Solo Album". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  7. ^ RockmusicRaider (27 February 2024). "Liv Kristine - Deus Ex Machina (1998 / 2024) - Review". RockmusicRaider. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  8. ^ Sandvall, Anders (4 March 2024). "Liv Kristine talks about the re-released of her debut solo album DEUS EX MACHINA". Metal-Rules.com. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  9. ^ "THEATRE OF TRAGEDY Singer Teams Up With ATROCITY Members In LEAVES' EYES". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 16 August 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  10. ^ "LEAVES' EYES Frontwoman Completes Work On Solo Album". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  11. ^ "LEAVES' EYES Frontwoman Looks Back At 2006". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  12. ^ "LEAVES' EYES Singer LIV KRISTINE: 'Love Decay' Video Released". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Artists – Liv Kristine". Napalm Records. 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  14. ^ "FIREWIND Joined By LEAVES' EYES Singer For 'Breaking The Silence' Performance (Video)". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Liv Kristine – Official Website » LEAVES' EYES announce new singer".
  16. ^ "Leaves' Eyes – Official Website » Brand new interview for ROCK COR / Russia!".
  17. ^ "LEAVES' EYES' LIV KRISTINE: The Voice Of The North On Sporty Paths". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 15 September 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  18. ^ Nordlys – CD von Midnattsol Archived 1 August 2012 at archive.today. Emp.de (27 December 2007). Retrieved on 5 August 2012.
  19. ^ "Midnattsol, The Sins Of Thy Beloved Members Join Forces In Savn - Blabbermouth.net". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  20. ^ Reesman, Bryan (1 November 2007). "They Will Rise: Metal's female ranks on the move". GRAMMY.com. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  21. ^ Sharpe-Young, Garry. "Theatre of Tragedy". MusicMight. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  22. ^ Interview with Liv Kristine about 'Njord'- Metalexperience webzine, December 2009. Metal-experience.com (16 December 2009). Retrieved on 5 August 2012.
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