I first saw Leprous in 2010 at ProgPower and was impressed by their freshness and originality. In the intervening years, I’ve seen them live a few more times and bought their albums up to “The Congregation” (2015) which I particularly liked. I have heard it said that they had lost their edge since then. I don’t necessarily agree with that, but one thing I have noticed is the increasing dominance of keyboardist and singer Einar Solberg. This isn’t hard to be fair as he’s very tall and has a distinctive upper range voice, but with his keyboard centre stage he’s even harder to ignore. “Aphelion” is the Norwegian band’s 7th album release.
Thinking back to “Slave” on the album “The Congregation” and before that, Leprous’s themes have always been on the psychological edge. Now, as the album “Pitfalls” (2019) before this one, the subject is that of deteriorated mental health. So songs like “Running Low” and “The Silent Revelation” reflect the struggle. “Running Low” in fact starts off the album. Very dark, Solberg’s vocals at the fore but so too is the sinister drum rhythm. Whilst not as experimental as they once were, the song structure is as ever imaginative, chilling even and reflects a mood in its quiet and sharp patterns. There is even distorted violin work and symphonic in this ultimately progressively structured piece with tinges of Opeth in there. A quiet but anguished mood is at the heart of “Out of Here”. No-one could compete with Solberg’s vocal gymnastics but it’s not just about that, as the instrumentals deliver a silky accompaniment. The keyboards make “Silhouette” more urgent and edgy. Solberg appeals to the skies with the help of choral harmonies. The instrumentals are colourful, featuring a heart beat and epic symphony. It is dynamic. There was always the danger that after a number of interesting songs, the sombre mood would immerse everything at the expense of interest, and that’s what I thought happened with “All the Moments”, as Solberg squeaks his way through tragedy – this sad ballad is genuine enough but not such an absorbing listen.
Sonic waves from the keyboard run through the rhymes and vocal range of “Have You Ever?”. There’s no doubting the shattering sense of isolation. Solberg’s vocals and the emotive songs come from a different world. The pattering drums, the dramatic sections and the symphonic inserts all have richness. “My mind is a prison, my thoughts are invisible”, sings Solberg on “The Silent Revelation”. This song is so much better than the others for the fact that the slick and dynamic musical elements take it forward, leaving us to reflect on the song. Solberg’s special voice. The energetic progressive patterns creative something distinctive and unusual. “The Shadow Side” picks up both and the result is a punchy song. Leprous need the instrumental imagination to feature, otherwise there’s a danger that we will drown in misery and the impact is lost. The lyrics of “On Hold” are clear – “How can I sort it out when I don’t know what I’m looking for” among them. Without doubt the clarity and vividness of the lyrics create impact with the soft instrumentals reinforcing the sensitivity. I may have commented on this before, but there are moments as here when Solberg’s voice sounds like that of George Michael. With that goes a certain ambience, which reflects the “new Leprous” as opposed to the old sharp and feisty one. The balance of the vocals and the soft and dreamy instrumentals is immaculate and has a magic about it. After a fairly ordinary ballad in “Castaway Angels”, we reach the final song “Nighttime Disguise”. Backed initially by a deep, almost djenty rhythm, it is a typically disturbing song, more complex than the others and full of intrigue and darkness.
This is a great album but prepare to be confronted. “Aphelion” captures a sombre mood. The songs are distinct but unified by personal struggle. Gone, at least for now, is the hard-hitting quirkiness in favour of more reflection and for the most part softness. Einar Solberg’s vocals are so striking as almost to be distracting but the instrumentals balance them perfectly and match the sensitivity. This is a subtle and in its own way powerful album.
(8.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
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