LEPROUS · Coal | CD

Jewelcase CD with 12 page booklet.

Background information about 'Coal'

Leprous have never been a band that plays it safe, and Coal proves that beyond any doubt. Following the more accessible Bilateral, the Norwegians took a sharp left turn into darker, more complex territory with their third full-length. The album hits like a slow-burning fuse, building tension through intricate rhythms, haunting piano passages and Einar Solberg's astonishingly versatile vocal range, which can shift from angelic falsetto to gut-wrenching aggression within a single bar. Tracks like the title song Coal and the brooding opener Foe showcase a band that has fully embraced the art of the slow burn, letting each composition unfold at its own deliberate pace.

What makes this record so compelling is how it balances sheer technical proficiency with genuine emotional weight. The rhythm section of Tobias Ørnes Andersen and Rein T. Blomquist locks into grooves that feel almost mechanical at times, while guitarists Tor Oddmund Suhrke and Øystein Landsverk weave textures that range from shimmering clean tones to crushing, distorted walls of sound. The Cloak and Salt are standout moments where the band's progressive metal roots merge with something far more atmospheric and unsettling. Coal is not an easy listen, but it is a deeply rewarding one, an album that demands patience and gives back tenfold with every repeated spin. It is a bold statement from a band refusing to be pigeonholed.

For fans of: Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Haken, Riverside

Other Versions

LTD.2-LP TRANSPARENT VINYL DLP · Sold out BLACK 2LP+CD DLP · Sold out MINT 2LP+CD DLP · Sold out LTD.MEDIABOOK DIGI · Sold out

Track listing

1. Foe
2. Chronic
3. Coal
4. The Cloak
5. The Valley
6. Salt
7. Echo
8. Contaminate Me

Manufacturer: Century Media Records GmbH, Schäferstr. 33a, 44147 Dortmund, Germany, Contact: www.insideoutmusic.com