I’ve been listening to Leprous a long time now. I was impressed as they evolved and changed considerably, metamorphizing into something grander than their original sound. But their original sound is still so good, and the band knows that. I think their new release Melodies of Atonement attempts to fuse the old with the new, and it does so successfully. The album releases through Inside Out Music on August 30th.
Leprous is one of the mainstays of modern progressive metal, though their last few albums lack much in the way of metal. That is fine by me, but I know some fans were disappointed. The band has not forgotten their roots, though, and the lineup of Einar Solberg on vocals and synth, Tor Oddmund Suhrke and Robin Ognedal on guitars, Simen Daniel Børven on bass, and Baard Kolstad on drums really brings it on this record.
What do I mean by the old and the new? Leprous was originally a band more in the vein of progressive death metal, though they’ve always been more melodic and more stylish than most of that subgenre. As the band changed, they embraced Einar’s clean vocals more thoroughly, giving him the room to provide explosive and emotional performances that have been extremely memorable. In the process, though, the band lost their heavier edge, their technical fireworks, and the grit they once had.
With Melodies of Atonement, the band brings back some of the heaviness and the grit, but not at the expense of the huge melodies that have become their signature of late. This album has some of the heaviest moments I’ve heard from the band, but just as many moments that are ambient and hyper-melodic. Don’t get your hopes up too much about the harsh vox, as they only appear on one track “Like a Sunken Ship”, but the dark, sexy, rhythmic vibe of that song is certainly found throughout the album. This album has more guitar and more intensity of instrumentation, but also Einar is still loud and proud above it all.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure how I’d like this album after the three singles. “Atonement” is a terrific song with some very high-strung guitar work and an excellent climactic final half, but I still don’t completely like “Silently Walking Alone”, a song that feels exceptionally hammy for Leprous. However, “Like a Sunken Ship” has the heavy darkness, the loud/quiet dynamic, and the explosive rhythms that I so desired. The album overall is more like that song than the first two.
You’d think that I would identify the first half of the album as the weaker half, then, since “Silently Walking Alone” and “Atonement” are the first two tracks. That isn’t the case. The following tracks are simply outstanding and almost make me forget the opener completely. “My Specter” sounds like something from The Congregation with how sinister, eerie, and subtly heavy it is. The album as a whole has almost this hint of macabre that I really like. “I Hear the Sirens” sounds like something from Aphelion with its melodic atmosphere, slowburning structure, and darker sound; I particularly like Einar’s dynamic performance on that one. “Like a Sunken Ship” closes the first half.
The album does not let up, though. “Limbo” comes next and is one of my favorites. This piece is extremely stylish and groovy, and the surging heaviness near the end is so good, yet the chorus is not lost in the shuffle. Another favorite comes next called “Faceless”; this song feels simultaneously introspective and catchy and rhythmic. I love how atmospheric it feels at first, but then the heavy groove hits, and, my God, it is so damn good. I can’t see how anyone’s head would remain still while this is played live. The band plays with the chorus for quite a while until it feels suitably epic. It’s possible that it lasts a little too long.
The last three songs are great, too. “Starlight” has fantastic drums and a leering sort of vibe to it that makes it hover. I like it a lot. “Self-Satisfied Lullaby” is a very cool song that feels like an electronic, ambient ballad for the most part. I like how shadowy it seems, and how it ends with a punchy instrumental with great guitars and drums. The closer “Unfree My Soul” is possibly the most lyrically poignant piece; Einar really nails the emotions. While it does feature the band’s favorite slow-burning style, it’s more interesting than that, and that is because of the sound design, I think. It’s a great closer.
Leprous can’t seem to make a bad album, and even though I’m not a fan of one of the singles, they still manage to impress me overall. I love the darkened atmosphere here, especially as they bring back some of the old grit from their first few albums. I like the balance they’ve struck here, not willing to overdo any certain aspects. The band is simply becoming more mature by the album, and it’s about time for them to have a breakout hit, I think.
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