Leprous – Tall Poppy Syndrome

Details: 2009, Sensory/Laser’s Edge, CD

An interesting album from Scandinavian five piece Leprous which manages to emerge from the glut of prog-metal releases by combining a few different styles but ultimately it’s the vocal traits from one particular style that, for me, let’s things down a little and in all honesty will probably prove to limit its long-term appeal. Fortunately they are few and relatively far between, however on both of the opening tracks, it’s a decent into death metal growling that detracts from an otherwise intriguing entry. “Passing” indeed occasionally posing the question (in my head anyway) of “is this what Black Sabbath could’ve sounded like if they’d have recruited Jon Anderson at some point”, such is the carefully phrased although heavily accented, quite gentle delivery set against a heavy background. Obviously this thought is gone once the growling starts!

Concerned after that, fortunately “Dare You” is more to my liking. Excellent power metal this is a fine track and provides a good reason to recommend the album. It nicely contrasts with the slower-tempo, classy guitar solo boasting “Fate” too whilst “He Will Kill You” continues a strong central selection to the album this time approaching a grandiosity usually associated with the likes of Rhapsody.

They are far from just power-metal peddlers though, as I mentioned at the top it’s the combination that makes this work. A hint of a jazzy passage makes for an intriguing section in the again strong “Not Even A Game” whilst a return to Sabbath like intensity sees the title track emerge into a prog-metal epic, even if there is a thought that they dwell just a little too long on the odd repeating riff in taking some four minutes to get to the spoken word substance of the song.

Brevity though isn’t something this band appear to do though. Only eight tracks yet each one lengthy makes for an album that is anything but instant. The subject matter is pretty heavy too, which adds to my disappointment that a portion of the delivery is undecipherable without the printed lyrics. That personal taste aside though its a well executed mix of metals prog and power with some nice ambient and atmospheric sections.

Highlight: Dare You

Score: 3/5

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BL

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