PITFALLS

I have not heard 2017's 'Malina', but having been fairly disappointed in 'The Congregation', what would 2019's 'Pitfalls' bring us? I sat there listening to it, and one word kept coming through my mind, Marillion. Now in fairness there were other times when it was also Muse and Opeth, but Marillion is the one which seems to make the most sense here. The music has become a vehicle just for the vocals of Einar Solberg, who it must be said is a truly incredible singer, and this music is not something I necessarily want to listen to. 'At The Bottom' starts as if it has been recorded in a home studio with drum machine, keyboards and vocals, and given that Solberg is also the keyboard player it isn't beyond the realms of comprehension that is exactly what it is.

There are indeed flashes of genius, as indeed the way that song in itself breaks into something more dramatic but it never continues for long enough. This is where Marillion comes in. I am one of those people who will argue their best material was probably prior to the release of the debut album, and they have not released anything I will actually play end to end for pleasure since 'Childhood'. That does not stop me buying Marillion albums as I am an eternal optimist, and there are indeed some wonderful songs from the Hogarth period, but little which makes me want to play them time and again. The last time I saw them in concert I swore I would never bother going to see them again, but I am sure I said that a few times prior to that as well and I still go. There will be many people who feel this is a wonderful album, and indeed it is well-played and produced, but this is just not the Leprous I want to listen to. There are times when it is incredibly bland, and although some may say it is accessible, commercial and awesome, I do wonder if they would be saying the same if this was the first time they had ever heard material. If this was a debut then I may be saying there is promise and it will be interesting to see where they go from here, but this is their seventh release and I worry about what the next one will bring.

As an avid fan of Leprous, growing up with this band since my first years on this site back in the early 2000s, believe me when I say that judging one of their albums is quite difficult for me. I have to say that their previous album 'Malina' stands as one of the favorite albums in my collection of any band of any genre. This one was quite shocking to hear, at first. That's a good thing. I expect to be challenged by the artists every once in a while. I've been spinning this one for about half a year now, and I'm still having a hard time placing it. It has taken me a long time to 'get' this one, and I find it ironic, because there is a lot less to digest musically here than other albums that have stumped me before. This is the first Leprous album to challenge me like this, so here we go. As a Leprous album, it just doesn't match their other works. So, let me do this, let me strip away my pre-conceived beliefs in what this band I love so much is. This is Leprous in its more delicate and minimalistic. I can see how one might say they are more accessible with this album, but I would argue the opposite just as much. There is a subtlety and finesse to the delivery on this work that Leprous hasn't shown as of yet, till now. I can't understand how this is accessible from a mainstream standpoint, because even if the songs can be catchy at times, there is no way this music would find its' place on a top 100 list. The subtlety of vocals, of the drumming ghost notes, of the light textures of layers of sounds is like a Radiohead album built for extreme metal fans. Square peg into a round hole or something like that, this kind of music isn't easily digested by the common listener. This album reminds me of how I felt about Anathemas 'A Natural Disaster', both clearly got their inspirations from some of the same places. This over use of electronic soundscape, and a lesser emphasis on the musical skill of this band (of which is of incredibly high caliber I can assure you, just listen to 'Malina') I suppose I should be congratulating Leprous for this self-control for sake of the vision/art. If anything, I find this one to a pallet cleanser of sorts, as the last 3 albums had a natural curve, it was in fact time for something different. To give you an idea how I am coming to terms with my feelings on this album, this is the question I ask myself "How does this musical art hold up from beginning to end, as a cohesive thematic unit (that's the objective) and how does it hold my attention (the subjective)" Well, I think not one song is misplaced, there is a flow and dynamic path throughout this album from beginning to end that I follow without delineation. I've said this before, and again, I'll say it - I'm not judging this album based on how 'progressive' it is. I don't know what that is supposed to mean anyway, and again, I don't care because everyone's idea of what is 'progressive' is different. Does this work of musical art maintain its composure throughout? Yes, it does. Radiohead- esque, catchy and poppy melodies, and further we go away from those 70's prog giants into the future of Wilson, Riverside, and PoS.

Delicious Crossover Prog and the one of the best Prog Metal Epics of All Time

A decade ago when I was a PA regular, I reviewed two of Leprous' early albums and in both I said that the band was vastly talented but yet to find their sound. By "Pitfalls," they had found it. Einar Solberg's voice had moved from very strong to mind-blowing, and whether you liked it or not, the band was using that asset to full effect. By this album, Solberg is able to pull off the full range of pop / R&B acrobatics along with his metal angst, and the band uses both. Many dislike the pop / crossover approach of the early parts of the album, but to me it feels like a band that is embracing evolution. None of the songs here feel like "selling out," they feel like a band that is truly combining multiple genres to write great songs. The pop sensibilities make the melodies and songwriting take center stage, as it should.

The prog is not gone. On some songs like "Observe the Train," the song is straight pop ballad, but the prog roots come through as ear candy. On others like the opener "Below," the band alternates between prog metal rhythms and melodicism, creating a modern take on prog that foreshadows the currently blowing up sound of Sleep Token who rightfully cites Leprous as a major influence. There is a bit of a dark trippy-ness everywhere on the album, which I imagine makes Leprous a force live now.

And so we have a very solid, inventive, truly modern crossover prog album. But then at last comes "The Sky is Red." I consider this the best prog metal song of the last 5 years and one of the best ever. It has complex rhythms, heavy guitars that allude to djentiness without falling into the cookbook, and hypercomplex drumming. But over the top Einar is simultaneously virtuosic and so emotive. And just when you feel like the album ended on a colossal fire burst, we get the odd time bursts that evolve slowly, methodically to a brutal breakdown unlike anything I've heard elsewhere. The first time I heard the isolated keys begin the riff, it seemed like the band was completely in free time. But as band slowly enters, the rhythm make more and more sense, and pummels you until it seems like you've known the vibe your whole life. It took several listens before my ear could impose the rhythm on the riff initially, and now that it does I yearn a little bit for the sense of surprise and discovery that I got on those early listens. This section may the only time in recent years I listened to music and thought "What just happened?" in delight.

Part of the pop / modern / crossover move is the incorporation of electronic even including some programmed drums. This might seem a little strange considering the immense talent of the players, but this is where music is at now. These are the sounds of today. It makes this album feel new, forward thinking, rather than retro or stuck in the past.

Congratulations on a band that already had some success and talent choosing to continue to up their game and evolve.