Leprous is just one of the best bands around right now. Check out Castaway Angels for a much more delicate feel and some of the most incredible vocals you'll ever hear.
The Sky is Red or Slave live. Both would be a great live reaction. Great reaction. Enjoyed the perspective of writing on the keyboard BW guitar at the end.
I would like for him to hear Foe, Moon or Valley, ideally Forced Entry as those are a bit more interesting harmonically than The Sky is Red (love that one btw)
One thing I really appreciate about Leprous (Anathema are another metal-adjacent band that does this) is how they put emotion front-and-center. I mean, I also love and appreciate many of the technically virtuosic prog metal bands out there, but once in a while it's nice to have a metal band that just piledrives you right in the feels.
I saw Leprous with Haken and Bent Knee a few years ago. I knew of them, but hadn't really listened to them before that night. I was blown away by Leprous live. Everything sounded perfect but fuller, with a low end that doesn't come across in the recordings. I bought the tickets for Haken, who along with Bent Knee were fantastic as well, but Leprous absolutely stole the show for me that night.
I saw that same tour back in 2018 and felt the same way! I was already a Leprous fan, but was a way bigger Haken fan at the time, so I went excited to see the new Vector material. I was absolutely floored by Leprous and they stole the show. I got so into them afterwards that they became my all time favorite band. Haven't missed a close-by show since.
I was at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago for that tour! Also came to see Haken primarily. I knew and really liked Leprous already, but man oh man, they absolutely stole the show for me. So much energy, it was unbelievable. Transcendent experience. Looking back, the only regret is not experiencing The Sky is Red!
Same thing happened to me - I went to see Bent Knee, but then Leprous came on, and immediately I was like, "whoa - who are these guys?!" I've been a huge fan ever since.
Hell yeah more Leprous! I heartily recommend the studio version of At the Bottom, as fantastic as a live band they are, their studio mixing and engineering work is also phenomenal. At the Bottom stands out as one of the hallmark songs of modern prog music for me, insanely good!
I saw them in London in February '23 at Shepherd's Bush. Einar mentioned at one point that they had played there once before about a dozen years previously on a tour where they lost a lot of money. I was the one person who put my hand up when he asked who was there that time. My shortest of short lists for favourite bands will never be just down to one but it will always contain Leprous. Bilateral ate my brain when I first heard it.
Saw them last night at Sortland Jazzfestival. My third Leprousconcert. Brilliant as always. Stayed at the same hotel. Tor sat down with us and we were talking for two hours. Nice, down to earth guys and worldclass musicians. Thanks for The Flood, my fave from The Congregation. I recomend Bonneville our Distant bells next👌
Bonneville drum play through! Love Einar, but Baard is a superstar as well and he deserves all kinds of credit for his composing and the dynamics of the songs.
@@ConnorHammond I think they're calling Lep-rous Lep-rous. And the show I was seeing a few years ago, this was the ending song. That ending stayed with me every since, like so many other epic endings of Leprous.
I was lucky to see a headline Leprous show this year. They absolutely smashed and also have a huge variety in their setlists. Einar made the audience choose a song among 5 options and to his surprise and my enjoyment- The Valley won. Will go see them anytime I can.
You discovered Leprous, thats great Doug! Good feedback at the end too, I think Einar is the mainr composer in the band. It would be awesome if you react to Slave (live) or Contaminate Me (live - save that one for metal monday lol).
Such an interesting observation regarding keyboard and how it affects approach to composition, probably deserves a whole discussion of its own Thanks for the food for thought
I loved this reaction! Would love for you to check out The Sky Is Red, it is one of the most unique and impactful songs I know (and one of my all time favourites)
I'm so glad to see Leprous on the channel. Phenomenal band. I'd love to hear you discuss the song Distant Bells cause there's some fun rhythmic stuff going on in there. Slave is another tour de force when played Live as well
You are correct. These guys are phenomenal live. I took my teenage kids to see them three times last year, and this tune was a pleasant surprise on their setlist when my son and I saw them five years ago. It feels as if they're operating on a different plane from their peers, musically speaking, and I can't wait to hear what's next...
Among my favorite bands at the moment. You should definitely do more by them, maybe something off their Pitfalls album (At the Bottom or The Sky is Red would blow you away).
Just returned from one of their gigs right now and had to check this out again, and I have to agree, they're so good live. I just wanna listen to more!
One of our times greatest band! Go see them live of you get the chance. It is highly addictive🥳 Btw; Simen (bassplayer) has composed Distant Bells from Pitfalls and Have You Ever from Aphelion. Both songs are pure gold!
Leprous is so good that I had to see them live two times this year both in Gothenburg and Stockholm. Was almost ready to hop on the train to Oslo to see the last show too. Unfortunately I couldn't do that. The shows were amazing. I wish they were massive but I'm grateful that I can see them in smaller clubs...
Thank you for the reaction to Leprous and for your analysis! Guys indeed are outstanding live, very convincing. And this song blows everething away on the concert when Einar goes full blast.
Highly recommend checking out Baard Kolstad's drum playthrus, he is an amazing drummer. I recommend the tracks "Moon" and "The Red in the Sky" also, the last song of this concert was the song called "Contaminate Me" its a fantastic song with an appearance by his brother-in-law Ihsahn, formerly of the band Emperor
I just love your Leprous reactions!😍 This is a band that deserves someone with your knowledge analyzing their amazing songs. Hope you continue the journey with Leprous and enlighten us further!
How I got into leprous was "The sky is red (drum playthrough by baard kolstad)"" on InsideOutMusicTV. Baard is an absolute beast of a drummer, really incredible. Also, the writing of that song is so good...
Glad to see this song addressed, it is the most impactful song to me in 30 years. I thought it was about depression too, but now I think it is about a codependent and emotionally abusive relationship, because the lyrics alternate between the other person being supportive and then sabotaging the main character. (The line "drown me when I reach for air" though, got me imagining someone who wants another person to make sure their suicide is successful even if a survival instinct kicks in...even if I didn't conclude that is the meaning. But the best lyrics can be interpreted lots of ways)
They are, indeed, incredible to see live. I've done it 3 times the last year, it never gets boring Also the chance of them doing red and/or slave as encores after this are 98%
For really great live look no further than "The Tubes". "White Punks on Dope", "What Do You Want From Life". Pure fun. Also check out "Me First and the Gimme Gimmes" for an awesome live... everything old in a punk framework, just a good time happening any ol' which way kinda thing. Tons of great old music in a new(ish) light. P.S. the mask is always the face of the unknown. nice minor/major modulations ,bouncing between doubt and the salvation of the Picardy 3rd at the end. Leaving on the hanging minor leaves the audience without a safe path home. The Picardy 3rd is the safe return to home, or salvation, whichever you're offering. "He came on so loaded man, well hung and snow white tan"-The Spiders From Mars. (Those who know will get it.) Looking at the tune from a Bard POV. Just sayin. 👌😎✌
they have gravitas. my favourite so far is "the sky is red". live version is best and just flabbergasting. see if you can get the rhythm / time... I wouldn't have got it without the Yogev Gabay explainer video. tl;dr - the raddest 11 you'll ever hear. and that outro... it's a lot more involved rhythmically and harmonically. you'd have a lot to talk about.
Prog isn't just odd meter and shredding, it's expanding genres as a whole, though Leprous do odd meters quite often, and their earlier albums have some shreddy stuff, but thanks for the naive comment!
In finding their own way to make prog instead of taking the easy way of playing fast and long tasteless instrumentals. Making a prog song starting from a minimalistic idea is even more defying in a genre known for being the opposite. The synths mimicking a cold heart pulse and writing the whole song around it is way more creative than copying dream theater or tool like many bands do.
