Leprous – Coal

Releasedate: 20-05-2013; Label: InsideOut
By: Sabine van Gameren

The Norwegian band Leprous makes Progressive Metal. The band formed in 2001 and came with a debut full length in 2009. With the follow up “Bilateral” the band scored quite well in Europe and while they are also are known as Ihsahn’s live band the guys perform their own shows anywhere they go as well. 2013 is the year of the band’s third album called “Coal”.

“Coal” is by all means a different album that its predecessor. The band have been going deeper and has a focus on the intensity. It is maybe not as hard and aggressive while the intensity of it goes much further. Does not sound like the most logical thing, but it all comes with tensions that the band is using. A drums giving you that typical tension in the back while Einar uses his voice and words to slowly climb. On your way there you have those breaks in which you just wait for the outburst, but they go on teasing you a little more. Perhaps you hear a little bit of Ihsahn in the way the vocals are used, but he does not implement that too much which makes that it is not just copying. Expect something unexpected here and there. A little oddity included makes this album what it is. The dark and moody atmosphere it sometimes seem to have is making in melancholic in such a way that the most explosive moments are true treasures on this release.

Compared to “Bilateral” the album “Coal” is not your instant sweetheart. You will listen it more than once though, simply because there is so much to be heard in there that you know it has to grow on you. It does, it is a stunning album that sticks in mind.

Lineup:
Einar Solberg – Lead Vocal, Synth
Tor Oddmund Suhrke – Guitar, Vocal
Øystein Landsverk – Guitar, Vocal
Rein Blomquist – Bass
Tobias Ørnes Andersen – Drums

Tracklist: 01. Foe 02. Chronic 03. Coal 04. The Cloak 05. The Valley 06. Salt 07. Echo 08. Contaminate Me

Links:
Leprous Facebook