Leprous
Encyclopedia
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
.
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
.
Former members
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band formed in 2001 in the metal town of Notodden
Notodden
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, home of other bands such as Emperor
Emperor (band)
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
, Ihsahn
Ihsahn
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
, Peccatum
Peccatum
Peccatum was an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their influences range from black metal, progressive metal, industrial music, symphonic metal and gothic metal to European classical music and contemporary music.-Biography:...
.
Biography
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
Silent Waters (Leprous album)
Silent Waters is the first demo EP released in 2004 by the Norwegian progressive band, Leprous. It was recorded and mixed at Symphonique studios by Vegard Tveitan. The music is composed by the whole band and the lyrics are the work of Halvor Strand...
from 2004 and a Demo CD (also self financed), Aeolia
Aeolia (Leprous album)
-Credits:*Einar Solberg – Synth, Vocals*Tor Oddmund Suhrke – Guitar, Vocals*Øystein Landsverk – Guitar, Backing Vocals*Halvor Strand – Bass*Tor Stian Borhaug – Drums*Music written by Leprous*Lyrics by Halvor Strand...
in (2006), the band started recording their debut album, Tall Poppy Syndrome
Tall Poppy Syndrome (Leprous album)
-Credits:*Einar Solberg - Synth, Vocals*Tor Oddmund Suhrke - Guitar, Vocals*Øystein Landsverk - Guitar, Backing Vocals*Halvor Strand - Bass*Tobias Ørnes Andersen - Drums*Music written by Leprous...
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
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. They were also present at all live appearances of Ihsahn
Ihsahn
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
, previous front figure of the black metal band Emperor
Emperor (band)
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
, for the same period. In the second half of 2010, the band had their own shows at the big progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
festivals, ProgPower USA
ProgPower USA
ProgPower USA is a progressive and power metal festival held annually in the United States since 2001. Its twelfth edition will be held at Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia on September 14 – September 17, 2011, with Sanctuary and Therion as headliners....
and ProgPower Europe
ProgPower Europe
ProgPower Europe is a progressive and power metal festival held annually in the Netherlands since 1999. The last edition, the 13th, was held at Sjiwa in Baarlo on September 30 – October 2, 2011...
, and afterwards they are one of the support acts for the Swedish orchestral metal band Therion
Therion (band)
Therion is a Swedish symphonic metal band founded by Christofer Johnsson in 1987. The word "therion" comes from the Greek therion , meaning "Beast," i.e., that of the Christian Book of Revelation...
in their European tour.
After the tour with Therion
Therion (band)
Therion is a Swedish symphonic metal band founded by Christofer Johnsson in 1987. The word "therion" comes from the Greek therion , meaning "Beast," i.e., that of the Christian Book of Revelation...
and Loch Vostok
Loch Vostok
Loch Vostok is a progressive metal band from Uppsala, Sweden. Named after a subterranean lake in Antarctica, rose out of the collapse of progressive metal band Mayadome in 2001.-Biography:...
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
Century Media Records
Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :...
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
Amputechture
-Notes:#"Vicarious Atonement" is the theory that the atonement of Jesus Christ was legal in God's eyes and that Jesus died in the place of the humans that sinned....
by The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
, and the Spanish designer Ritxi Ostariz. The album is released on August 24, 2011. It features guest appearance on vocals by Ihsahn
Ihsahn
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
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
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
.
Band members
Current up- Tor Oddmund Suhrke - Guitar, Vocals
- Einar Solberg - Synth, Vocals
- Øystein Landsverk - Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Rein Blomquist - Bass
- Tobias Ørnes Andersen - Drums
Former members
- Halvor Strand - Bass
- Tor Stian Borhaug - Drums
- Kenneth Solberg - Guitar
- Truls Vennman - Drums
- Esben Meyer Christensen - Guitar
- Stian Lonar - Bass
Discography
- Silent WatersSilent Waters (Leprous album)Silent Waters is the first demo EP released in 2004 by the Norwegian progressive band, Leprous. It was recorded and mixed at Symphonique studios by Vegard Tveitan. The music is composed by the whole band and the lyrics are the work of Halvor Strand...
(2004) (EP) - AeoliaAeolia (Leprous album)-Credits:*Einar Solberg – Synth, Vocals*Tor Oddmund Suhrke – Guitar, Vocals*Øystein Landsverk – Guitar, Backing Vocals*Halvor Strand – Bass*Tor Stian Borhaug – Drums*Music written by Leprous*Lyrics by Halvor Strand...
(2006) - Tall Poppy SyndromeTall Poppy Syndrome (Leprous album)-Credits:*Einar Solberg - Synth, Vocals*Tor Oddmund Suhrke - Guitar, Vocals*Øystein Landsverk - Guitar, Backing Vocals*Halvor Strand - Bass*Tobias Ørnes Andersen - Drums*Music written by Leprous...
(2009) - Bilateral (2011)
External links
- Official website
- An interview with the band
- Leprous' profile at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Leprous' profile at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Leprous' profile at TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Bilateral review on Prog Sphere