Review : LEPROUS – “Tall Poppy Syndrome”

Leprous – “Tall Poppy Syndrome”
released April 28, 2009 on Sensory Records

Norwegian quintet’s brilliant debut album of experimental progressive metal. They’ve got a lot of momentum behind them. Vocalist/synthist Einar Solberg was hired for Emperor’s 2006-07 reunion shows, and the whole group recently performed as Ihsahn’s live band––a daunting task indeed. Stylistically similar to Opeth, their explorations are mostly successful, delving into lounge swing (2), funk (3), spoken word (7), and even a Beethoven-cum-black metal recurring riff on “Not Even A Name” which relents to jazzy jaunts and mellow moments. They never let their inventiveness get ahead of themselves, though, and carefully place strong hooks––even the ballad (5) is palatable!  Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren (Scar Symmetry), a man used to playing heavy prog with a dynamic singer.  Undoubtably a band to watch, whose youthful vibrancy is igniting a genre many believe tired.

FCC OK
Try 1, 2, 3, 6, 7

01. Passing
02. Phantom Pain
03. Dare You
04. Fate
05. The Will Kill Again
06. Not Even a Name
07. Tall Poppy Syndrome
08. White

Rating: