Let me get the spoiler alert out straight away, I'd already seen both Leprous and the support band Nordic Giants and they were/are awesome.
Anyway, let's restart the review.... a couple of drinks in Rescue Rooms and taking advantage of their excellent Happy Hour which lasts for 4 hours, then a short walk into Rock City. Support band Nordic Giants are an instrumental post-rock duo from England, playing drums guitar and keys and include cinematic projections and videos as part of their performance. Patient build up to the tracks help to give an immense sound that would compliment any movie as the main soundtrack and my only complaint was that they were not on long enough. With a handful of albums/EP's and singles over the last 14 years and two years since the last album, we really need the next Nordic Giants release to be now-please.
Main act Leprous hit the stage next and the gigantic sound from 2 x guitars, bass, drums and keys was immense. They remain one of the best Norwegian progressive metal bands around and this current tour into 9 countries throughout Europe has helped to remind fans on just how good they are. Avant-Garde sounds and a math metal masterclass for the masses, a gigantic sound that is underpinned by thunderous bass lines, tight tribal drum beats and allowing space for singer Elinar Solberg and his impeccable voice, switching from fully engaged roars to ethereal and floating high, beyond Rock City's roof and up into the sky. Keys remained experimental, almost industrial at times and the guitarists gave us a relentless frenzy of riffs. Their wall of sound was almost operatic at times and the sounds seemed to take us all to another level. Phew! Have I put across just how impressive they were?
Leprous have been together since 2001 and they have simply got better and better over the years. Although Elinar is the singer and founder of the band, each musician dominated his space on the stage and all took turns to stand out in the sound. Their energy was almost brutal at times and in contrast the audience were stunned into contemplative silence, whilst the band threw us all into mental exhaustion. Rock City's curfew is always strict and at 10 o'clock sharp, Leprous said goodbye to fans who wanted them to play all night.
Goodbye Leprous and hope to see you again soon.
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