MALINA

Leprous are an ever-changing band. I was first introduced to them through the crazy wonderful Bilateral and since them I've followed their work. Before Malina was released I was scared, the first two singles released made me realize they had suffer a mutation yet again, but this time in a direction I didn't like as much. When the album was released I started listening to it and Bonneville comes up, sweet, soft, delicate, sad, I was loving it and then the track gains power, the simple yet heavy syncopated rhythms take over, Baard's drumming goes maniacal and I don't have words to describe how much that track hit me. The album has a perfect opener and a perfect ending with the emotional The Last Milestone. The middle of the album isn't has good has the two extremes, but still pretty amazing, as usual.

Instrumentally the album mixes uplifting tracks with melancholic ones, always with very interesting rhythmic patterns. The drums are amazing, the guitar riffs as well (although sound-wise I didn't find it as pleasing as The Congregation), the bass is discreet yet very important throughout the album. But the thing that catches everyone's ears is Einar's majestic voice. I believe he is currently the best vocalist in prog, his technique is absurd, his range as well but the winning point for me is how easily he can go from soft, angel-like, to powerful, operatic, intense.

Overall, Malina is an amazing album, another work of art in Leprous discography. It has some flaws, some inconsistencies, but no one can point their finger and say they didn't do a great job. They did, they always do, sometimes the path they follow might just not be to your liking!