PITFALLS

Pitfalls comes to prove how Leprous is a very versatile band, able to combine melodic and classical elements without losing its identity. 'Pitfalls' being their most accessible material to date feels like a ballad-ish album on several times, to be enhanced by Einar Solberg's stunning high pitches (ex.: I Lose Hope's middle section).

For me, it often feels like a 'Malina' DLC, leaving behind plain vocals and synths that came with tracks like Malina and The Last Milestone and shining a bit more of a spotlight on the band as a whole. Yes, Einar is still a fundamental pillar here, but Halvor Strand's bass, for example, can be much better appreciated, guiding the ballad moments whenever the songs need to pick back up to where they were.

The album's ending is definitely a highlight: The Sky is Red comes as almost a signature ending for Leprous, even with a not-so-big discography. Kinda like BTBAM albums must always have that beginning song that introduces the story to be told. The Sky is Red is a light version of Coal's ender, Contaminate Me (if there can be such a thing).

In the end, this is an excellent first material for anyone getting into Leprous. In fact, this is a great album to hook in a lot of folks not used to the weird things in the prog universe.

Side note, this album fits perfectly as a soundtrack for Netflix's 'Dark' series. Hope I'm not alone here.