COAL

A marriage between traditional prog metal and that atmospheric direction that the more adventurous black metal bands have taking recently. A true marriage, half-way, not just a black metal with progressive structures or prog trying to seem cool. Tracks are divided between more metallic numbers, at the start and end, and more laid back in the middle. From prog metal side it has powerful production values, off-beat rhythms and a show-off-y vocal, when its normal. From other side of the coin, it retains riff-based atmospherics, non traditional structures and occasional Cookie Monster vocal.

Even if I appreciate the more distinctive style here (some ideas similar to recent Haken release), it doesn't mean I like the end result. Songs lack variation inside, usually centered around one or two repetetive melodic ideas, that in a post-rocky fashion are tweaked slightly along the way, but not nearly enough to justify the 7-minute length. There are no "wow" moments that would make say, like, wow that's impressive. And then there's the squeeze-the-nuts-of-the-Cookie-monster vocals. Luckily, its mostly guest-done, courtesy of Emperor's vocalist.

All in all, you've go to hand it to Leprous guys, each album shows evolution. For better or worse, up to individual tastes. Compared to previous, Bilateral, Coal is more streamlined, but less diverse.