They say the only constant is change.  I don’t know who “they” are, but “they” are probably fans of Leprous.  There are few bands more chameleonic and enigmatic than the Norwegian prog metallers, who throughout their twenty three year career have mixed prog rock, metal, art rock, avant garde, pop, symphonic and experimental elements into something that never manages to repeat itself.  On Melodies of Atonement, the band continues their nebulous modus operandi of change for its own sake by addition through careful subtraction, honing their craft and shining a brighter light on each individual member.

Chances are good you don’t need an introduction to Leprous.  Formed in Notodden, Norway, in 2001, the band powered through a relatively unstable early period until 2009, when they achieved dual success with their debut, Tall Poppy Syndrome, as well as becoming Ihsahn’s backing band (who happens to be the brother-in-law of singer Einar Solberg).  After that, it was hit after hit, and the quintet haven’t ever looked back.  More than that, they have never been afraid to stretch themselves and try new things, and with the caliber of musicians they work with, it seems like there’s nothing they’re incapable of.  On Melodies of Atonement, Leprous change things up by shifting the focus back onto what each of the individual members contribute and away from all the orchestral, symphonic and prog elements they have been known for.  Solberg has promised that the orchestral elements will be furthered in his future solo releases, but longtime fans of the band might be a little unnerved to see that Solberg himself states that there really aren’t any prog elements to be found on Melodies.  Still, this is promised to be an album that also reintroduces many of the heavier elements back into the music, so it’s not all a shock.  2024 is shaping up to be the year of “bands who have gone more straight-prog doing heavy things again” after all.

If you are familiar with Leprous at all, it shouldn’t surprise you that Solberg’s voice steals the show here by a country mile.  From a low croon to a bluesy riff to a falsetto shriek, the man has range and depth for days.  His indelible mark is all over Melodies and even if I find myself bouncing off a lot of the modern pop runs and melodies that are, quite frankly, all over Melodies the album, I have to give credit where it’s due.  If you’re looking for a vocal clinic, here you go.  That being said, I also really appreciate that greater focus on the band and the emphasizing of what they can do so well by adding less to the picture.  The drums from Baard Kolstad are an unsung part of what makes Leprous great, and I’m very impressed with how he can make a minimalist kit do so much heavy lifting, especially when it’s not buried under a lot of frills and fluff.  Dual singles “Atonement” and “Like a Sunken Ship” both showcase stark highlights on Melodies, particularly the latter.  Man, I really hate how much those poppy “la-la-la-la”s get stuck in my head, and when the distortion and harsh vocals (!) kick in, it’s a really good time, especially going into Solberg basically shattering glass with his high notes.  However, Melodies has one pretty big flaw in my mind, and that’s the other edge of the sword they used to cut out the chaff.  Many, too many, of these songs sound exactly the same with no variety: synth intro into quiet, groovy verse into big chorus into bigger outro, rinse and repeat.  It’s pretty cool for the first few tracks, but then I find myself getting bored, even with all the acrobatics that Solberg is doing and with the cool splashes of color the rest of the band is throwing in (the upright bass on “Faceless”?  Yes queen.)  The back half of this album is especially a slog, devoid of a lot of the pyrotechnics that make the first five tracks.  But, I do believe at the end of it all that there is enough here to make the true Leprous-heads pleased, and this would definitely be an excellent album to use as a jumping off point if you’re interested in getting started with them.

Perhaps Leprous just isn’t my thing after all?  I have to say, I’m not a big pop person, especially the kind of radio-ready pop that seems to have been a major influence on Melodies of Atonement.  If the sequencing was different, if there was just a *little* more there, I might feel more strongly about it, but as it stands I just don’t think this is for me.  Still, the musicianship is outstanding, and there might just be something in there for you, dear listener.  Please don’t @ me.

— Ian

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Melodies of Atonement is available now on InsideOutMusic.  For more information on Leprous, visit their official website.