A LEPER AFFINITY, BUT NOT QUITE LEPER MESSIAHS
Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 2:00pm by Satan Rosenbloom
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.
