Leprous has opened the weekend with a new single and video.
The band debuted its new single ‘Castaway Angels‘ and its video Friday. The single features a powerfully emotional musical arrangement that gently crescendos until it reaches its climax late in its nearly five minute run time.
Front man Elinar Solberg hits some powerful high notes in that climax that are so controlled, and in turn create their own notable impact. His band mates add their own touch to the song, paying full attention to dynamic and mood changes along the way. The result is a composition whose musical arrangement builds a solid foundation.
Solberg discussed the song’s creation in a prepared statement.
“This year we’ve all had to readjust our lives, do new things,“ the statement reads in part.
“Missed out on things we were supposed to do, and find new things to do. One day in the beginning of the corona outbreak in Norway I came to TorO’s (keyboardist/guitarist Tor Oddmund Suhrke) house with a song we were supposed to work on together. The problem was that I was already finished with the sketch we were supposed to be working on (which was later on thrown away as it wasn’t that good after all), so we just sat down to try to make something new. Him with the acoustic guitar, and me with my voice.“
During a quite short time, we came up with the main structure of what was later to become “Castaway Angels,” he added. “Very basic, very pure and no technology to distract us. Just the melody and the guitar. So once we got in the amazing Ocean Sound Recording near Aalesund, Norway we continued that approach with the full band. We recorded the song together in the studio (when we were not busy sitting in the Jacuzzi being in awe by the view) in one take, after jamming together for one evening. It’s so typical to get obsessed with details, perfectionism and layers. But here we just wanted to play together. Do something pure and simple. I’m very pleased with the result, and can’t wait for everyone to hear how we’ve been spending time together when we were supposed to be on tour,”
The lyrical theme of Leprous’ new single is a strong pairing with the song’s brooding but heavy musical arrangement. It comes across as a very bleak, introspective statement that is sure to appeal to goth fans as much as dark prog fans, with Soldberg singing in the song’s lead verse, “Reaching out for oblivion/Hiding here for now/Dreaming still about another end/I can’t look back anymore.” In other words, this is someone who is in that dark, brooding moment, but knows looking back is not the answer. Solberg adds in the song’s second verse, “Sitting here counting minutes still/I’ve found my place in solitude/Help me face this nothingness/For my vision is gone.” Again, here is one of those brooding, goth type lyrical themes. It works for the noted listeners, especially when considered with the song’s surprisingly beautiful musical arrangement. The whole makes the song a powerful new offering from Leprous.
The video for leprous’ new single features the band in studio recording its song. That footage is paired with scenes, such as waves flowing gently onto a beach as the sun sets; a waterfall, and a coastal (likely European) town to help heighten the emotion in the song’s musical and lyrical content. The cinematography is just as certain as the song’s musical and lyrical content to connect with audiences through the overall visualization.
In other news, Solberg is scheduled to host a stripped down, intimate performance of songs from Leprous’ catatlog at 2 p.m. ET Sunday through Leprous’ official Facebook page. The livestream performance will take place live at the “Telemark gallery” in Solberg’s childhood town of Notoddem. Tickets are available now.
Leprous released its sixth album Pitfalls last year. The album produced four singles, ‘The Sky Is Red,’ ‘Below,’ ‘Alleviate,’ and ‘Distant Bells.’
More information on Leprous’ new single, and video is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: http://www.leprous.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/leprousband
Twitter: http://twitter.com/leprousband
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