Customer Reviews

Tall Poppy Syndrome

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tall Poppy Syndrome is the second album from Norwegian progressive metal band Leprous, and is the band's first release since signing to Sensory Records. Sensory has an impressive track record when it comes to discovering cutting edge progressive metal bands, but they found something quite special with Leprous.

I suppose you could compare Leprous to a pair of fairly well known Norwegian progressive metal bands - Winds and Age of Silence - but that doesn't really do justice to just how...moving...an album like Tall Poppy Syndrome really is. It's as progressive and avant-garde as either band, but unlike those bands, Leprous' "metallness" is never in doubt and they just seem more alive and vital than their peers. This is not a power metal band with a lot of keyboard solos, nor is Leprous another insipid Dream Theater wannabe. This is unconventional metal that combines precision musicianship, intricate melodies, a uniquely Scandinavian sense of soul-crushing melancholy, and an extreme metal ferocity that's unleashed at just the right moments. Think Winds, Age of Silence, Opeth, Katatonia and perhaps Between the Buried and Me. Tall Poppy Syndrome recalls each of these bands, but sounds like none of them exactly.

In terms of musicianship, the members of Leprous all pass the prog metal proficiency test with flying colors. What's nice is that they didn't have to resort to a bunch of 10-minute instrumentals to do so. The technical wizardry they employ is all in service to fully-actualized songs and the cohesive album as a whole. There are some incredible guitar solos though, and the keyboard work...let's just say it's not at all surprising that Einar Solberg was chosen to support black metal icons Emperor. As impressive as the musicianship may be, it's the vocals that really push Tall Poppy Syndrome ahead of the pack. It has a swirling mix of emotional clean vocals and tortured extreme metal growling/screaming that goes well beyond the Soilwork "screamed verse/clean chorus" template, and some insane vocal harmonies courtesy of guitarists Tor Suhrke and Oystein Landsverk.

If you're less than thrilled, or even flat-out bored, with the state of progressive metal these days, and you have an open mind regarding the use of extreme metal elements, you really must experience Leprous. It really is a moving and unforgettable album, and was enough to restore this skeptic's faith in the genre.

PS - Leprous is playing at this year's ProgPower USA festival. I can't wait to see if they can pull this off live.

Who says bands cannot mimic their predecessors without adding something unique, and fresh of their own? Some bands garner comparisons to Dream Theater, especially when they are considered in the "progressive metal" sub-category of metal. While Leprous really cannot be compared to Dream Theater, they are cousins in the sub-category of prog metal, even though listening to both of them will undoubtedly result in contrasting descriptions. Who Leprous does borrow sounds from are an amalgam of a few great prog bands, most notably Opeth and Porcupine Tree. Many young bands aspire to the levels of their idols, and may use their idols sound in their music. Whether or not bands find this insulting or inspiring is irrelevant; comparisons will always be made to other bands, and even so, it gives new listeners a template they can follow to familiarize themselves with the new band.

In any case, Leprous is more than just bits and pieces of other bands; they certainly have their own sound and an unique formula for creating amazing music. Guitars lace their music with catchy riffs, while the keyboardist tickles the ivory in an amazing fashion. If any comparisons to Dream Theater were to be made, it would be the equal skill in performing with their instruments. The lead singer, who also performs on the keys, has a multifaceted voice that can go from soft and relaxing to sheer brutal screams. Death metal vocals are found in small parts in one song. The production quality is certainly top notch for such a new band.

Overall, listening to new bands like Leprous reminds me why I simply no longer listen to the mainstream garbage that pollutes my ears from radio stations. While most mainstream acts produces maybe one good album, then proceed to produce consecutive albums that usually contain one or two decent songs, and the rest is filler garbage, bands like Leprous provide quality throughout their entire album. Hopefully, with this first remarkable release, they will stick to it and continue to release quality albums in the future.

Leprous is the definition of Prog. They blend traditional keyobard-heavy prog metal/rock, extreme metal, black metal, avant-garde metal, and jazz so fluently, you'll wonder how a group of youngsters(they all range from 19-24 years of age) could hit the scene *this* freaking hard. This cd sounds refined and practiced beyond anything people their age usually do. In my eyes, this cd is perfect. There is not one speck of less-than-perfect composition or performance in this album. It is also most certainly one of a kind.

The closest bands that they share styles with have mostly been described by reviewers already. Opeth certainly comes to mind, especially in their acoustic passages and vocal style. Dream Theater certainly for their very long songs, explosive instrumental passages, and a good amount of *worthwhile*(a very key word here, pun intended) keyboards. Wind's or lesser known bands such as T.O.C.(Throne of Chaos) for their avant-garde leanings. And other bands like Arcturus for their tonality and range in terms of progressions as well as vocal styling and avant-garde stuff. There are even tinges of symphonic bands like Therion but only in atmosphere. There are no operatic vocals/strings, but the keyboard/guitar/vocal melodies throughout recall those classical influences.

The cd is perfect for a fan such as myself. Opeth has been my favirote band for well over 10 years and I am constantly searching bands who can brilliantly blend brutallity and beauty on that level, where spine-tingling vocal melodies mean earth-shattering drumming/guitar passages. Bands like this just create well rounded beautiful music on the whole. Leprous has already learned how in less then 6 years.

Every song blends a lot of clean guitar/acoustic work, much more clean vocals than extreme(which are performed by the keyboardist and masterfully done I might say) which are on the level of Mikael Akerfeldt's in almost every range, spot-on drumming that shows maturity and taste, and a all-around musical sensiblity when it comes to songcraft. Every part bleeds into the next seemlessly, some might say even better than how a band like Dream Theater might do it. With DT, you sometimes get a feeling like the rest of the song is just there to encompass the instrumental stuff in the core of it, like the rest of it is unimportant. Leprous in no way does this. Every song and every moment of those songs is important, as is every part of the compisition. Every part stands out, like they are songs within songs, but always pointing towards one end. It is a rare band when I want to hear the keys as well, and their lead singer does a great job sprucing up already incredible songs. His keyboard stands out as a lead instrument throughout the album. He is a great keyboard player and knows how to create tight melodies indeed.

Their guitarist(s) are mature and well practiced, obviously. They do a lot of lead/solo work on the lines of Akerfeldt and Opeth, that is to say they don't overplay generally and write guitar leads that compliment the song better than show off their chops. The drummer does the same. You can hear his practice in his playing. He creates a lot of off-tempo rythmes that don't feel off-tempo. He doesn't throw needless fills into the mix and he only adds what should be added when it should be, sounding even more amazing than much more flashy drummers for it. The keys and bass are generally the lesser of the ensemble, but they clearly add so much to most of this cd as well. Everything about this cd is off-tempo 90% of the time. Is it a mess like Technical Death Metal off-tempo type stuff? No freakin way. This is progressive in ever way, shape, and form.

The vocals are one of my favirote parts however. They range from angelic/high-pitched singing akin to Akerfeldt or the singer from a prog band called Three, to harsh and ear-splitting like perhaps Tomas Lindberg of At The Gates, to deep and gutteral. You can tell the real singers from the fake though. This guy can sing and(again...sorry) like Akerfeldt, his growls and harsh styles are proven better by his true singing ability. He controls his tone and where his voice goes, not the other way around. He doesn't just scream, he makes the music better by choosing the appropriate styling for the situation.

Leprous is beyond impressive. This band stands to sit atop the extreme prog metal scene with only one more full-legnth release in my eyes. They could be mentioned in the same breath as Opeth on so many levels, and that is saying something when Opeth is one of the best known and most renowned prog acts today. Cheers to this band for being original and fresh and I hope their next one destroys all the pretenders in the scene and gains them the recognition they deserve worldwide.

IMPRESSIVE SECOND EFFORT FROM THIS INOVATIVE NORWEGIANS METALHEADS . HIGHLY RECOMMANDED FOR THE FANS OF PORCUPINE TREE,OPETH ,PAIN OF SALVATION AND DREAM THEATER. ONE OF THE BEST CD'S FROM 2009 ! BUY IT!

Progressive - avantgarde nowegian group leprous come to their first official release, and is really GREAT!

Not a dull moment, strong keyboard presence, inspired songwriting, a lot of song's average is about seven minutes long, and not one note is wasted; congratulations to the singer, Einar Solberg, who does a wonderful vocal work.

Is a really complex and well-written album, difficult to appreciate at fist, it needs more and more listenings.

Five stars!

If you like Opeth, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, and Between The Buried And Me, you will love this album. I discovered this band while searching through the "New Releases" section of my PROG Magazine. I came and listened to the opening track "Passing" and bought the record instantly.

These five blokes are all about the music. The lyrics are deep and heartfelt, and each musician is showcased and contributes to the record. This record is a must have for any true prog fans out there.