Leprous ‘Melodies of Atonement’: A Dynamic Blend of Rock and Electronica

It’s only been a couple of years, but a new Leprous album still piques the prog-metal community’s interest. Granted, they haven’t put out a metal album in a while, but I think fans still mainly think of them as such. And they give us some hints of that past on their upcoming release ‘Melodies of Atonement’ that older fans will likely both enjoy, but perhaps be a tad disappointed over as well.

The album kicks off with “Silently Walking Alone” which was one of the first singles released. With pulsating keyboards and electric beats, it sets the stage quite well for the album as a whole. As with their last two albums, this one is also very electronic forward, though there is certainly more of an emphasis on the rock element than either of those. Indeed vocalist/keyboardist, and main songwriter Einar Solberg has made it a point of saying that they wanted a heavier album this time around, and they have certainly done just that, but with a single exception, they have done so mostly in the electronic direction (meaning aggressive synths, and beats), and not in a metal direction.

A prime example of how the album as a whole comes across in both “My Spector” and “I Hear The Sirens” they start very mellow, with gentle keys and other electronic-based sounds, and Einar’s signature high registering gentle, yet soaring vocals. Then as the chorus builds the guitars, and drums come in stronger and build to a more rockish feel. The lyrics are mostly of an introspective nature, as has become a common theme in their music, and on a whole, it seems the band is bent on looking out for the mental health of themselves, and their listeners.

The highlight for me, and likely many long-term fans is without a doubt “Like A Sinking Ship”, which was also released as a music video about a week and a half ago. Beginning in the quiet manner that we have now grown accustomed to, they slowly build up the intensity before finally going all out in a metallic assault that we haven’t heard for years now, complete with some wonderfully savage screams and growls. It’s a glorious thing, and frankly, this track alone is worth it for the price of admission. Unfortunately for those who have seen the video and got excited thinking they were moving more in this direction, this is the only time this happens on the whole album. So while certainly a treat, it is a shame that this level of dramatic shift, and sheer intensity only was allowed to happen once.

Which is not to say that the rest of the album isn’t enjoyable. It certainly is. I just don’t especially love the more laid-back, moody electronic direction they’ve gone over these last three albums as much as I do say ‘The Congregation’ or ‘Coal’. I will say though, that I like it more than their previous album. I would also add that the almost poppy feel from tracks like “Self Satisfied Lullabye” really hit well for me, and is quite fun, this song in particular gives off some old Kraftwerk vibes which isn’t something I am going to complain about.

They finish things off with “Unfree My Soul” which is another high mark for the album. It features some of Einar’s best vocal performances and is anchored by a beefy drum sound courtesy of Baard Kolstad. They add some heavier guitar riffs as well for good measure, and despite its short run time, and fairly basic structure delivers a more epic feel than some other songs, and delivers what for me feels like a satisfactory conclusion for what is quite a good album.

No matter what direction Leprous goes in they prove that they will always be interesting, and always looking to move forward. While ‘Melodies Of Atonement’ doesn’t necessarily break any new ground for the band, it does take their more recent sound, and build upon it in more exciting ways, and is certainly my favorite of the past three releases. Those who really love the newer direction will find a lot to love here, and older fans should find enough glimpses of their prog metal roots to make for an enjoyable listening experience as well.