Genre : Progressive rock/metal
Released : August 27th, 2021
Label : Inside Out Music
FFO : Haken, The Dear Hunter, Tesseract, VOLA
In astronomy, the concept of Aphelion is used to describe the point in the orbit of a planet, or any other floating body, which is furthest from the Sun.
So between that and the fact that the album was written and recorded during a certain ongoing pandemic, you can expect it to be thematically quite somber and melancholic.
The vast majority of albums that have been released this year addressed the feelings of uncertainty and isolation that were sparked by the pandemic in some way or another.
But I think Leprous's approach to that idea through the concept of Aphelion has to be my favourite so far and is perhaps one of the more well-articulated takes on the topic both musically and lyrically while not being too overly blatant or clumsy like some other albums I've listened to (which I will not mention) have been when it comes to discussing that subject through the music they present.
"Aphelion" feels like a natural, organic next step from 2019's pristine "Pitfalls", although here the focus is put less on electronic sound design but rather on string arrangements with the continued participation of Raphael Weinroth-Browne on cello duties.
Leprous are continuing down that road of making their sound feel broadly accessible on a surface-level with incredibly catchy vocal hooks and more conventional song structures compared to their first albums while still maintaining the level of creativity and technical proficiency that has always been part of their identity as a band.
From mind-boggling weird progressive metal extravaganza to soaring cinematic orchestral rock with a metal edge and a pop sensibility, Leprous's evolution as a band is to me, a prime example of what a progressive band should be; slowly changing their style from one album to another while loosing nothing of their original appeal and uniqueness but also still pushing their creative boundaries with every release.
Once again, the performances, arrangements and production are all absolutely stellar and showcase a band that clearly isn't done honing their skills as musicians.
I feel utterly stupid for thinking this album was going to be underwhelming after having been announced so unexpectedly and so "soon" after "Pitfalls", on which I believed the band had peaked.
Don't be as I was, and definitely give "Aphelion" a spin if you have been enjoying Leprous's latest musical direction, you won't regret it.
Comments