by Michael Giordano
Norwegian Prog Metal flagbearers Leprous return with their highly anticipated new album ‘Melodies of Atonement.’ Coming 3 years after their last album, “Aphelion”, Leprous returns with a slow and very dark collection of 10 songs.
‘Melodies of Atonement’ is certainly both a contraction and expansion of the sounds of the previous Aphelion album. Leprous has certainly stripped and slowed down its sound away from the orchestral bombast of the previous work, but there is still very much the energy and feel of that album. Some fans may be disappointed by the slower pace and lack of symphonic passages on this album, but what this album doesn’t carry over from Aphelion, it more than makes up for them in a tight groovy atmospheric album with some truly terrific performances. While not part of the review package, I believe this is the first album by the band that will have a Dolby Atmos presentation available, and this album should really shine in that format.
Leprous has always had a heavy synth presence on their albums, what really struck me was how much they were front and center were in dominating the tone and presence of the album. Now, that’s not to say that guitars are absent, or poorly done. But they do seem to serve as more texture to songs, and are used in a much more saved up fashion.
The album starts off with “Silently Walking Alone”, which gives a great summary of the album. Synth heavy and atmospherically slow during the verses, but soaringly powerful choruses. “Atonement” follows. At the potential risk of alienating some readers, there’s quite a bit of a Billy Eilish style groove to the vocal delivery. Songs such as “Like A Sunken Ship” uses them to full force during a killer middle section. But the band has certainly grown and transformed a lot since Bilateral.
While I did focus a bit on the heavy synth presence on this album, the real star of the show on this album is Einar’s vocals. I’ve always loved his voice, but he certainly feels to have taken his performance to the next level on this album. His typical falsetto seems more energized and powerful than ever before, and the moody atmosphere of the album as a whole, but more specifically the verses really give him a space to explore around with his singing. From the groove and swagger of the aforementioned “Like a Sunken Ship”, to the emotional highs of “I Hear the Sirens” and “Unfree my Soul”, it’s truly a standout performance, and possibly my favorite vocal performance on an album this year.
I’d also be remiss in not heaping praise on drummer Baard Kolstad. I’m very much not someone who dissects and picks apart a drummer’s parts, but almost every song and every listen of them had me noticing something new in them. They’re not straightforward, and every bit as innovative and atmospheric to the songs as the keyboards. His approach to drums on this album greatly reminded me of the drumming for the soundtrack of Iñárritu’s Birdman movie by Antonio Sánchez: Chaotic, inspired, and very much in left field. Without a doubt, Bard is one of the most exciting drummers in the prog world today.
There are some albums that deserve to be listened to from start to finish, and this is certainly a cinematic experience of an album. Indeed, I often found myself not realizing the passage of time on this album, as the songs flow so effortlessly into each other. Much like a film score, this album is a rich tapestry that stirs up a story and attempts to tell that story over its 50-ish minute run time. The powerful “Unfree My Soul” feels exactly like the type of song to play over the end credits of a movie that’s enveloped you. This is another great album by Leprous, and one that I enjoyed every listen through for this review.
Released on August 30th, 2024 on InsideOutMusic
Tracklisting:
1. Silently Walking Alone (04:05)
2. Atonement (04:49)
3. My Specter (03:55)
4. I Hear The Sirens (04:31)
5. Like A Sunken Ship (04:04)
6. Limbo (05:56)
7. Faceless (06:25)
8. Starlight (06:09)
9. Self-Satisfied Lullaby (06:21)
10. Unfree My Soul (05:21)
Line-Up:
Einar Solberg – vocals and keys
Tor Oddmund Suhrke – guitars
Robin Ognedal – guitars
Simen Børven – bass
Baard Kolstad – drums
The album’s pre-order here: https://leprousband.lnk.to/MelodiesOfAtonement
