A LEPER AFFINITY, BUT NOT QUITE LEPER MESSIAHS

Before you criticize Norwegian prog-metal prodigies (prog-igies?) Leprous for bestowing a lame flower-themed title on their second album, Tall Poppy Syndrome, consider its meaning: a societal phenomenon in which distinguished or successful individuals are resented for achievements that separate them from the average person. Just the kind of thinking that would be the downfall of a group as freakishly talented as Leprous. ‘Twas their preternatural chops that led Emperor frontman Ihsahn to hand-pick Leprous as the backing band for his first and only solo concert. Ihsahn also drafted the group’s lead vocalist/keyboardist Einar Solberg (his brother-in-law) to play live with Emperor for a string of reunion gigs. That’s like God giving you a high-five.

Few metal bands can wield ferocious death metal and melody-drenched 70s prog with equal authority as Leprous do on Tall Poppy Syndrome. Fewer still sound so confident when their band members are all between 18 and 23. Take opener “Passing,”which flows freely between mellotron and melodic doom, sensitive bass counterpoint and a powerful chorus. Goosebumps rise when, after a beautiful acoustic passage, somebody shrieks “TONIGHT I’M PASSING AWAY!!!!” and a set of piercing falsetto harmonies finally push the song to orgasm. Opeth could use “Passing” without changing a thing.

Leprous’s age shows on the album’s take-on-the-entire-world-at-once ambition. Their try-anything-once attitude leads to some absolutely stunning feats of metallic theater, including the Ihsahn-style fugue that begins “He Will Kill Again,” and the pitch-perfect collision of Into Eternity and Faith No More on “Not Even A Name.” Tall Poppy Syndrome also has its share of cringe-worthy moments, mostly resulting from the band’s ambitious yet abortive attempts at jazz (end of “Phantom Pain”) and funk (“Dare You”). These stylistic digressions feel shoehorned in and Leprous aren’t that great at them to begin with. Solberg often sounds wimpy on the sensitive sections, many of which are draped in gorgeous melodies that deserve better.

There are far worse crimes than a wee bit of over-ambition and mediocre breath control, and for the most part Leprous dazzle on Tall Poppy Syndrome. Perhaps in the future the vestigial parts will slough off, as leprous things tend to do, and Leprous will make a top-to-bottom terrific album. For now, mostly great is more than enough.

(3 1/2 out of 5 horns)

-SR