Leprous is a Norwegian progressive metal band formed in 2001 in the metal town of Notodden, Norway, home of other bands such as Emperor, Ihsahn, Peccatum.
The band went through some changes since their beginning, but currently their lineup consistes of Einar Solberg (synth/vocals), Tor Oddmund Suhrke (guitar), Rein Blomquist (bass), Øystein Landsverk (guitar) and Tobias Ørnes Andersen (drums).
After a demo EP Silent Waters from 2004 and a Demo CD (also self financed), Aeolia in (2006), the band started recording their debut album, Tall Poppy Syndrome in August 2008. Sensory Records of America signed the band, and the album was released in May 2009.
For promoting the album that received great reviews from specialized metal magazines and websites, Leprous worked with Intromental Management & Booking Agency and spent 2009 and first half of 2010 with numerous shows throughout Scandinavia. They were also present at all live appearances of Ihsahn, previous front figure of the black metal band Emperor, for the same period. In the second half of 2010, the band had their own shows at the big progressive rock festivals, ProgPower USA and ProgPower Europe, and afterwards they are one of the support acts for the Swedish orchestral metal band Therion in their European tour.
After the tour with Therion and Loch Vostok ended, the band announced the split with bassist Halvor Strand, who is now being replaced by Rein Blomquist of progressive metal band Aspera (now called Above Symmetry).
At the end of February 2011 the band happily announces that they have signed with the label InsideOut/Century Media and the upcoming album would be released via InsideOutMusic (Worldwide distribution through Century Media) after the summer of 2011. In July 2011 the name of the new album is revealed to be 'Bilateral'. The artwork of the album is also revealed and it's the work of the surrealistic American artist Jeff Jordan, who also provided art work for the album Amputechture by The Mars Volta, and the Spanish designer Ritxi Ostariz. The album is released on August 24, 2011. It features guest appearance on vocals by Ihsahn and trumpets played by Vegard Sandbukt.
In order to define the band's vision about music and what it means to be progressive, guitarist Tor Oddmund Shurke provided his insight on this matter and other subjects in an interview with the monthly music magazine Guitar World.
Line-up:
Tor Oddmund Suhrke - Guitar, Vocals
Einar Solberg - Synth, Vocals
Øystein Landsverk - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Rein Blomquist - Bass
Tobias Ørnes Andersen - Drums
Aeolia
2nd full-lenght released in 2006.
Tracklist:
1. Disclosure 11:03
2. Black Stains 04:49
3. Last Word 06:50
4. Aeolus Shadow 07:15
5. The Great Beast 06:06
6. Indecisive 06:40
7. Close Your Heart 11:02
8. Deformed Beauty (Instrumental) 01:17
9. Eye Of The Storm 10:54
/ XBTT (1) by Dejavu