Pontiac is a northern suburb of Detroit known for having colorful nightlife and last Tuesday evening proved why. Their downtown was a buzz with streets closed and stages set up. The Crofoot, an acclaimed entertainment complex, was hosting a community concert series with hundreds of locals gathered. The venue was also hosting Norway’s own Leprous who is on a headlining tour promoting their new album, Melodies of Atonement (InsideOut Music). Having provincial rap acts perform outside and having a hot, progressive band play inside showed off the versatility and innovation of the beloved music venue. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Einar Solberg
ALBUM REVIEW: Leprous – Melodies of Atonement
Leprous is a band that stands apart from other progressive acts. Their ability to effortlessly experiment while remaining exceptionally grounded in their superior signature and skillful sound is uncommon. This Norwegian five-piece has been labeled as unique and is known to be creatively inventive within the heavy music sphere. Each record they make manages to explore new ground and deliver world-class wonders. They are about to release their eighth full-length record, Melodies of Atonement (InsideOut Music) and its distinctively different approach compared to their previous works proves once again how aptly ingenuous the band is. Continue reading
NEW MUSIC FRIDAY: New Rock and Metal Releases 2-16-24
PREVIEW: New Music Friday New Rock and Metal Releases 2-16-24
Hellfest 2024 Books Metallica, Foo Fighters, Avenged Sevenfold, Machine Head, Body Count, Biohazard, Mr. Bungle and More
Hellfest, held every year just outside of Paris, in Clisson, France, continues to up the ante every year with forever growing and impressive lineups! Taking place from June 27 to June 30, 2024, Hellfest will once again be four days long and over 200 bands appearing on six stages. For 2024, the headliners for each night will be Avenged Sevenfold, Machine Head, Metallica, and Foo Fighters. The full daily lineups, including one more major band tba, and the ticket link are coming soon!
ALBUM REVIEW: Voyager – Fearless In Love
For many who tuned into the Eurovision Song Contest in May, Australian entrants Voyager were just another fun, novelty rock act. Crowd-pleasers with wild hair and even wilder grins, the Aussie five-piece were still a markedly different proposition to the previous hard rock and metal participants in the completely serious competition reserved strictly for European countries, featuring absolutely no politically motivated judging whatsoever.
ALBUM REVIEW: Leprous – Aphelion
After two years of releasing the amazing album Pitfalls (Inside Out Music), the Norwegian Progressive Metal band Leprous comes back with an equally strong effort on their new album Aphelion (Inside Out Music). This is the kind of album that is released in what seems to be perfect timing, particularly for those who are going through some type of mental health issue. The quintet brings a variable set of songs that can capture both the passion and dexterity of the band in what seems to be a great year for Progressive Metal/Rock music.
PODCAST: Episode 122: Ihsahn on “Pharos” EP, the Creative Process, and More
We chatted recently with music legend Ihsahn over Skype to discuss his upcoming new EP, Pharos, due out on September 11th, via Candlelight Records. Ihsahn contrasted the music from the current EP to his last one, Telemark, the many different sides of his moods and styles, how he chooses cover songs, the evolution of his singing voice, thoughts on performing live, some of his other projects over the years, and next years Emperor full album performance of “In the Nightside Eclipse” at Beyond The Gates Festival in Norway in 2021. Purchase Pharos here and check out our chat! Continue reading
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ALBUM REVIEW: Leprous – Pitfalls
Mental health is a topic that many artists have engaged in recent times, from different perspectives and outlines, but when put into music, as an audience, we can be able to identify ourselves with it even more; it’s like having a soundtrack to your pain. This is exactly what Leprous brings with their new album Pitfalls (Inside Out Music). Keep in mind though, if you are a fan of the band and you’re looking for Heavy Progressive music, you should open your mind a bit, because the majority of this album is not heavy. Now, the fact that this is not a heavy album should not mislead you since this is probably one of the best-written albums of the year. There are tracks like ‘I Lose Hope’ and ‘By My Throne’ that are even danceable tracks (think House music and stuff in that vein) but there are tracks like ‘Foreigner’ and ‘The Sky is Red’ that have some riffing that characterize the heavy side of the band. Continue reading
Leprous – The Congregation
Less, apparently, is more. Only when less is less, that is.
If you have been following the fortunes of Norwegian progressive metal band, Leprous, for any length of time then you will already know that this latest exposition of their art, The Congregation (InsideOut) has been about the band refining their essence, honing their craft and delivering a record that should be more purposeful and resonant as a result.
Here’s a bit of irony for you: for a record that is supposed to be cutting out the superfluous and honing things back to its core, it doesn’t half go on a bit. This record is over 66 mins long and, honestly, they could have done with an editor. Cutting out a bit of workman-like flab could have made The Congregation great; leaving it in, it’s still a very good record, sure to win them plenty of new admirers but it isn’t a stone cold masterpiece (of which, more, later).
‘The Price’ kicks off proceedings very agreeably; its djent like feel, allied to Einar Solberg’s dextrous vocals brings us into familiar territory but as an opener it sounds curiously uncertain of itself. It has a plaintive “here we are, with our refined sound, please don’t judge us too harshly” sense to it. It is something of a trepidatious opener. Proceedings warm up somewhat with ‘3rd Law’ and you get the sense that the band are starting to find their feet tonally and sonically. ‘Rewind’s steady build to a latter-stage guttural death howl is much more like it and there is plenty to admire in the Depeche Mode– esque gothic drama of ‘Flood’.
‘Within My Fence’ is perhaps the best example of the band’s much discussed focus – built around a terrific series of syncopated rhythms, you’re immediately struck by its brevity but thrilled by its energy and invention. ‘Triumphant’ well, doesn’t exactly do what it says on the tin and is a bit lukewarm and bland when it should have been brimming with effervescent joy. ‘Slave’, however, more than makes up for that with its repetitive and compelling riffing as well as its final part Cult of Luna style vocals that you aren’t expecting, and therefore welcome ever more warmly when they dive-bomb into your cerebellum.
Whilst there is a lot to like and admire on this latest album, The Congregation is also the tale of an opportunity missed. The opportunity: to cement yourself at the summit of progressive metal is certainly there for the taking; with The Congregation, they haven’t quite been able to deliver that unalloyed masterpiece that their adherents (of which I consider myself one) will have you believe is within their grasp. It IS in their grasp, however, The Congregation feels somewhat a band getting ready to deliver that masterpiece rather than actually delivering it.
The Congregation reveals itself as very good record, one with plenty of ideas but not all of them universally successful. It probably says something about the hopes and high expectations that one has for Leprous that this review is reading like an aching disappointment. Genuinely, it’s not that. The Congregation, then, is the sum of its progressive parts.
Close then, but, for now, that metaphoric cigar remains unlit.
7.0/10
MAT DAVIES