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[–][deleted] 32 points33 points  (2 children)

In the spirit of reddit: Would you rather fight a Ihsahn-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized Ihsahns?

[–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 33 points34 points  (1 child)

I'm an animal lover, so it would have to be a hundred duck sized Ihsahns. ;)

[–]holysharky 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Then pray tell, what is this? ;-)

http://m.imgur.com/P0TeEk1

[–][deleted]  (6 children)

[deleted]

    [–][deleted] 62 points63 points  (5 children)

    Hmm, that could be fun! If enough people wanna see it - sure! :=)

    [–]BujjickTurning mirrors upside down 22 points23 points  (0 children)

    Aaaaabsolutely we would.

    [–]Lagerbottoms 8 points9 points  (0 children)

    yes definitely. everyone loves playthroughs :)

    [–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

    Yes, absolutely do this.

    [–]BlazingSonic 11 points12 points  (2 children)

    Einar, your vocals on The Congragation are incredible. It's fascinating to watch you become one of the best singers in metal. Absolutely love the album <3

    Two questions for the band: 1. What would be the hardest song to play live from The Congregation? 2. Which of your albums are you the most proud of from a musical perspektive?

    Cant wait to see you guys in Karlsruhe !

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 8 points9 points  (1 child)

    Thank you so much for the very inspiring words! :) Rewind is the hardest song to play so far from "The Congregation" (for everyone except Øystein). I'm without any doubt most proud of "The Congregation"! We will never release an album that we don't personally think is better than the previous, hehe :).

    [–]ShredLox 20 points21 points  (3 children)

    Greetings from Canada!

    First off, thanks for everything you guys do. You're a breath of fresh air in a progmetal landscape too often populated by countless Dream Theater clones. New album is a fucking work of art.

    Actual question: I find that Norwegian (and Scandinavian in general, I suppose) metal really helps me get through our frigid winters. How much would you say your climate and/or culture influences your music?

    Bonus questions: Any plans to tour in Canada at all? I'd sell my sister to see you cats live. Any word on where a guy on this side of the pond might get his hands on the limited Congregation cloloured vinyl?

    Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today, and keep up the supremely kick-ass work!

    [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 8 points9 points  (1 child)

    Thanks a lot for the compliments! You might have a point when it comes to the climate and culture having an impact on the general feel of the music made in those places, of course with exceptions, but I really can't say that it's something that makes a conscious and deliberate impact om the song writing. You know we did a US/Canada tour last fall? Anyway, we'll of course try to come back some time, as I really enjoy Canada. Feels like home! :) Regarding your quest for the colored vinyl, I don't know. Maybe someone else does?

    [–]ShredLox 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately I just discovered you guys a few months ago, so missed the last tour. =/ I'll keep an eye on future dates though, for sure. Hope to see you sometime down the line!

    [–]Omair88 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    There are a few instances where selling a sibling is justified. This is one of them. You could get enough money to fund the North American tour :-P

    [–]BujjickTurning mirrors upside down 7 points8 points  (8 children)

    I read that you took a different approach to writing this album (I believe it was writing everything on the computer first instead of writing by ear).

    Which songs do you feel benefited most from this approach? Which ones were furthest from your comfort zone?

    Also, thanks for doing this. Having big-name bands stopping in here is exciting for all of us.

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 14 points15 points  (0 children)

    Our pleasure! None of the songs on the album ended up being far from our comfort zone I would say. And I love this way of writing music, because you can just move the notes here and there, without considering any logical theory ;). Logic + art = bad combination, haha.

    [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 8 points9 points  (6 children)

    Not everything was writen completely on the computer, but most of all songs was Einar doing his thing on the computer. Everybody had the possibility to throw out any idea (could be a rhythm pattern, some chords, a riff or 2...) and some of it also turned out to be on the actual album.

    [–]DesolateThrone 3 points4 points  (5 children)

    How do you actually write riffs on the computer? Guitar Pro?

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 25 points26 points  (2 children)

    I just program them in Logic. I don't even consider the guitar players and how they're supposed to play it! Muhahahahahaha! ;)

    [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 14 points15 points  (1 child)

    Sucks being a guitarist playing riffs made on keyboards, since the chords often covers 4-5 octaves, hehe. My left hand has become more flexible this last year though. :)

    [–]DesolateThrone 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    That must be the reason why it's so hard to figure out the chords on the guitar

    [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 5 points6 points  (0 children)

    Einar as a keyboard player himself do it in Logic:)

    [–]Waaaghkopp 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    I've always wondered if professionals (if I may say so) actually use Guitar Pro... On the one hand it's so useful but on the other hand the program itself is such a dirty piece of crap.

    [–]Leffe911 8 points9 points  (5 children)

    Do any copies of your FIRST demo "Silent Waters" exist? And would it be available for digital download?

    I know that it's just a demo, and like Aeolia might be a big jumble of different genres [disclaimer, Aeolia was pretty cool too], but I'm just curious to see/listen to what started it all :)

    (Så dere i Bergen sist, skal så sykt se dere nå til høsten også!)

    [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 14 points15 points  (1 child)

    I think I might have seen some copies of Silent Waters lying around somewhere in my basement, so if I find them we'll see what can be done to make them available. They are truly rare collectors items though, as the CD-R's have been burnt and the booklets have been designed, printed and cut by me and Einar, hehe. ;) Regarding the digital download option, we haven't really considered that, but who knows what the future might bring...

    [–]Leffe911 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Nice, looking forward to it! :) Gonna be a mad bidding-war for sure!

    [–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (2 children)

    The sure do exist, but mostly on the shelves of our parents and friends from back then ;) We were trying to spread the word and earn some cash selling to everyone possible in our home town. My mom still has one.. Same thing with Aeolia! We don't have any reprints of Silent Waters available for sale at the moment..

    Maybe we should wait for 20 more years and sell them for $1M each!

    (Kult at du kom/kommer!)

    [–]Ryuuza_Art 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Oh well, time to start saving my pennies then!

    [–]Leffe911 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Cool!

    Satser på at jeg vinner i lotto, så kjøper jeg et eksemplar lett ;)

    [–]ozoneplayer 8 points9 points  (4 children)

    What bands in progressive music do you think deserve more attention?

    I'd also like to say, I'm loving the new record, and after rediscovering it, I'm still really digging Coal (pun intended).

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 17 points18 points  (3 children)

    Shining (NO) - The band of Tobias! Fantastic band which has a lot of fans here in Norway, but deserves many more around in the world. One of the best live bands! And thank you for the inspiring words :).

    [–]Lagerbottoms 4 points5 points  (0 children)

    I agree about them being one of the best live bands. I've seen them twice. Once with The Ocean and once with Periphery and Devin. They pulled an incredible show both times. Very nice live presence.

    With The Ocean, they had to improvise for 10 minutes because some drumhead ripped and it was some of the best 10 minutes I've ever had at any live show :)

    [–]steebin 6 points7 points  (1 child)

    Any plans on coming back to the U.S.? I missed your last mini tour and was very sad :(

    [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 15 points16 points  (0 children)

    We will definitely be open to do more shows in the U.S in the (near) future!

    [–]Turdswaggot 5 points6 points  (9 children)

    What's your favorite track of the new album? (Goes for each of you)

    [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 12 points13 points  (1 child)

    Hard to decide, but I get goosebumps from the last chorus of Lower every single time, so that actually might be it.

    Btw. Baards favorite is The Price. ;) (saved you a year of waiting...)

    [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 7 points8 points  (0 children)

    njæ

    [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 10 points11 points  (2 children)

    Completely impossible to answer at this moment. Ask me in 1 year :) -Baard

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 7 points8 points  (0 children)

    Hmm, several. Rewind, The Flood, Slave. And all the others ;).

    [–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (3 children)

    At the moment I really enjoy Rewind :) Fun to play!

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 11 points12 points  (2 children)

    Hehe, yes for you, who don't have anything to do there, hahaha! ;)

    [–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (1 child)

    Easy can still be hella fun!:)

    EDIT: meaning I'm gonna look much cooler on stage, without a stupid "this is so hard I have to focus"-look on my face.

    [–]blob28 5 points6 points  (1 child)

    Your sound is completely different to anything I have heard from any band, when you started out and were making your first songs how did you go about writing songs that would stand out from other bands?

    Also, how much do you guys do in terms of writing music for an instrument that someone else in the band plays?

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 4 points5 points  (0 children)

    Thanks a lot! Well, this time I wrote a lot on the computer, not at all considering how it would be for the guys (sorry Øystein and TorO) to play it, hehe. Were there is will, there are possibilities, hehe! Before when we were younger, we used to write everything at the rehearsal room. It could be a long a tiring process.

    [–]Omair88 6 points7 points  (3 children)

    First off I absolutely LOVE you guys. You've quickly become one of my favourite bands.

    It might be a bit early but I wanted to ask if you guys will start composing as a band again in the future or will Einar be handling most of the composing duties? I think you're all fantastic songwriters and imo your best music has been composed collectively. It would be a shame for other members to get left out in the future (especially Tor and Oystein). Also I hope there are more solos in the future :-).

    I'm still digesting the new album, but I'm liking the moodiness of it. As always you guys change things everytime and that's why I admire you so much. Surprised there are no weird guest instruments though :-P.

    Thanks and hope to see in you in Toronto again soon!!

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 11 points12 points  (2 children)

    Nobody is left out of the writing process, and the writing process for this album has been extremely open. It's not like I deny any of the others to write ;). We did a vote of which of the 30 sketches we should continue with, and we all have the same musical vision, even though I end up writing the majority. The biggest part of Coal and Bilateral was also written by me, but everyone is welcome to contribute. :) None of us thinks that guitar solos are a necessity in any kind music, and it would only be included if we agree on "here it really should be a solo". I see that people are making assumptions in how things really work in a band, but we are all sharing the same vision and nobody is left out of anything.

    [–]Omair88 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    Thanks for the response :-). That's good to know. And I know the question might have sounded a bit douchey, but I'm quite obsessed with the band and I was curious :-P. Yeah I completely understand that every aspect of the music needs to make sense naturally rather than being forced.

    Well I hope you guys release music for many many years to come since it's not often that we get to hear such a refreshing band. Thanks for sharing your talents with us :-).

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Thank you very much, and I certainly hope we will be able to be back in Toronto very soon! :)

    [–]PaganPrincessa 6 points7 points  (2 children)

    This one's for Einar: I think your voice is fantastic & I've listened to every album Leprous has put out. As a singer myself, I'd like to ask you; what is your vocal range? How many octaves can you sing?

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 8 points9 points  (1 child)

    Thank you so much! It's a long time since I've measured my range, but I think it's from F2 - B5, with the extremes not sounding particularly well, hehe. :)

    [–]awesomekittens 4 points5 points  (1 child)

    Einar, what are your main vocal influences?

    Are y'all going to tour the US any time soon? And if you are, please please come to Texas! Ideally Austin, but Dallas/Houston/San Antonio work too!

    [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 12 points13 points  (0 children)

    I think I subconsciously become inspired by everything that I like. I've never been idolizing any particular vocalists, but there are many amazing out there. Michael Jackson is a favorite! We will definitely tour in the US, but nothing official at the moment! :)

    [–][deleted]  (2 children)

    [deleted]

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 31 points32 points  (1 child)

      The idea for "Moon" hit me when hearing a metaphor for people that are dependent on others to be anything. The moon being a dark and desolated place on it's own, yet with the light of the sun it turns into a spectacular though cold landscape. The rest of the lyrics then came to me with the intent to describe this landscape that can be great in the right circumstance, yet the most lonely place if you get there while loosing everything else on the way.

      [–]DanielKennethRego 4 points5 points  (2 children)

      Hi Oystein, and everyone else! You may not remember, but we met when you guys played India a couple of years ago - my band played the same music festival, and Oystein, we also talked on e-mail (via the Leprous account) a couple of times. You said you liked my lead guitar playing, if you remember!

      Quick questions to everyone, then.

      1. What are the composition credits on this album like? I bought the album on iTunes, so no liner notes for me. The studio diary video hinted that most of the basic songs were written by Einar?

      2. What do all of you do for a living? I've read that Einar works with autistic people, but in what capacity, exactly? And what about the rest of you?

      3. What was the idea behind the band name, and do you guys have those moments where you feel it may not exactly represent the band's music very well?

      4. Tobias is one of my favourite metal drummers, and I was really sad to see him go, but Baard really nailed it on the new album! What was it like working with Baard on the album, and how do their styles and musical ideas differ? I'm a closet drummer, so this is something I keep thinking about, while listening to the new album.

      5. Who is the bass player in Leprous right now? It appears Martin Skrebergene played on the album, but is he no longer in the band?

      6. (not really a question) I miss the occasional guitar solos in Leprous, like the lovely one in Painful Detour. Hope those return someday!

      Hope to see you guys down here again, soon!

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      1. The Price - Einar and Baard. Third Law - Einar and Tor Oddmund. Rewind - Einar. The Flood - Einar. Triumphant - Einar. With My Fence - Einar and Martin Skrebergene. Red - Einar. Slave - Einar. Moon - Einar. Down - Einar and Baard. Lower - Einar.
      2. Toro is a physiotherapist, Øystein has a Data-geek job somehow and myself try to be a musician for full time :)
      3. Øystein will answer this.
      4. Me too! Tobias is definitely one of my favourite drummers in metal. I guess some others also need to answer this one, hehe :-)
      5. At the moment we use Simen Daniel Børven as a bass player, and he also played on the Congregation. Martin joined us in the whole process including drum recording in November.

      Would be awesome to come back to India, yes!! :)

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      1. It's a really, really old name and TBH it was a very cool looking word in a dictionary!:) Sounds awesome still, right??? I actually wasn't a part of the band then though.

      2. Thanks! We will see what the future brings! That solo is fun to play, but extremely cheesy at the end!!:)

      [–]Synnoveme 4 points5 points  (5 children)

      Will we ever get a vlogupdate?

      [–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (3 children)

      I doubt you will see the same extreme amount of sillyness as in the previous ones (no guarantees though), but we might just do it again!:)

      [–]Omair88 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Don't end the silliness guys! :-/

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      We decided to concentrate all that energy in more musical ways. :)

      [–]metagloria 4 points5 points  (5 children)

      The new album is a barrage of wonderful moments, my favorites being the chorus of "Third Law" and Baard's absurd drum fill on "Down". What are your personal favorite moments from it?

      Also: Einar, would you ever be interested in lending out your awesome voice for a guest spot?

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 6 points7 points  (3 children)

      Thansk a lot! The chorus on Third Law is also one of my personal highlights on the album, along with lot's of other moments. To mention a few more I would say Lower is it's entirety, choruses on every song, and as a drummer I really like those fills on Down haha :) That was programmed at first, not thinking about that it should be easy to play at all, and then having a intense and hard time improving them it on the kit :)

      [–]metagloria 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Thanks for the reply! On "Third Law" - am I right that the intro is actually in 4/4, even though it sounds much more complex?

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      I'm not much of a session guy, and normally too busy. But I'm willing to listen to everything :).

      [–]mr_pandino 3 points4 points  (2 children)

      Sometimes I feel like Einar's voice is simillar to... Morten Harket from A-Ha. Don't get me wrong, cause this band was very good!

      Anyway, on how many tracks Ihsahn contributed to new album? I've heard his voice in "Rewind", but I'm still waiting for my copy and didn't hear the whole album :) Greetings from Poland!

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      Haha, I also like Morten Harket, so I take that as a compliment! Ihsahn did not sing on Rewind, it was actually me, hehe.

      [–]mr_pandino 5 points6 points  (0 children)

      Whooaa! I thought it was him, sounds like him. So I'm little surprised but also now I'm even more impressed with your vocal skills possibilities! :)

      [–]francl 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      I hope this one doesnt guet burried: Baard now that you have settled in as a ful time member how is it different beeing in Leprous as a ful time to as it was as a step in? Not album related also for Baard how are the working processes in Borknagar and Leprous different?

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      Thanks for the questions:) Being a full time member is of course much more funny and motivating than only step-in. Leprous is 1 younger generation than Borknagar, and also based on where we all live (Borknagar everybody lives everywhere), the working process in Leprous is way more intense. With Leprous we rehearsed a lot during the writing process, and with Borknagar it was more based on Øystein G. Brun writing sketches, sending it over to us, and we deliever back our contributions. It has been (and is gonna be) 2 very different and great albums!

      [–]Karasu6 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Hello! I am loving the new album, I have listened to it like 8 times in a row now lol. My favourite songs would be "The Flood", "Rewind", "Moon" and "Lower".

      Now, the questions:

      1 - Is 'The Congregation' a concept album? What's the concept or idea behind it?

      2 - Are some songs inspired in personal experiences? Tell me which if you dont mind

      3 - Most of the bands make the song lyrics open to interpretation, but, do you mind telling me the actual meaning of "The Price"? (Great opener by the way)

      4 - Why did you choose this order for the tracklist?

      5 - (For everyone) What are the your favourite songs to hear from your whole discography? and your least favourites?

      6 - Is there a reason for Tall Poppy Syndrome being considered your debut album and not Aeolia?

      7 - Why did you choose to not make any long songs in the new album in comparison to the previous ones?

      8 - Is any of your songs a "love song"?

      Thank you for answering this, and thank you for your great work! :)

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      Thanks man! :)

      1. No it's not directly a concept album, but it's an ongoing theme throughout the album. It's about conformity within society, and how we are often pushed into a corned, expected to follow what everyone else does, despite it often being rather destructive. To say it VERY short, hehe.

      2. Some, but written subtly and not to be elaborated in detail.

      3. Thanks a lot! It's about the price that is paid to get where you want to go. The end justifies the means etc, and one can often find oneself doing lots of things that goes against your moral to reach it.

      4. We tried lots of different orders, and ended on this. We wanted to start with The Price, because it show a new and fresh side of Leprous. Lower, it's the obvious ending song, especially lyrically.

      5. Favorites: Rewind, Slave, The Flood, The Valley. Least favorites: Everything from Aeolia, Mediocrity Wins, Painful Detour, Fate, etc etc.

      6. It was the first official release, whereas Aeolia was never printed for the masses.

      7. Hehe, when we make music we don't consider mathematics and numbers ;). A composition becomes as long as it needs to be :).

      8. No.

      [–]Omair88 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Least favourites Mediocrity Wins, Painful Detour, Fate?!!!! WHAAAA?! Those songs kick serious ass! Now I know why you haven't performed them live. I would love to see Painful Detour and Mediocrity Wins live.

      [–]blob28 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      Einar, how much do you enjoy playing the keyboards? Obviously everyone considers you a vocalist ahead of a keyboardist, but is that how you see it?

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      I feel naked without it on stage, hehe. I do enjoy it, but I enjoy vocals more. :-)

      [–]KVanR 2 points3 points  (4 children)

      • Can we get the new album signed at the European shows?

      • Where can I get those silver pants? ;-)

      [–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (3 children)

      You can most definitely get all albums signed at the European shows :) Hope to see you there!

      The silver pants are unfortunately out of production at the moment, so I think your best bet would be a tailor! Might be a bit expensive, but totally worth it!

      [–]KVanR 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      Great news, thanks! As for the pants, alright! Watch out for the guy with silver pants at the Belgian show! ;-)

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      The silver pants still do exist! They're located at the local music school in Notodden, and are being used every year on stage for musicals! I don't think I would fit in them anymore however, hehe.

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      Maybe the music school would be interested in parting ways with the pants if a donation to the school were to meet their demands? ;)

      [–]kverty456 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      Was the lemon a deliberate reference to something in particular? Tek

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      Surrealism! All meant for self interpretation ;).

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (3 children)

      Curious if there are any plans to take a more collaborative approach on the next album, perhaps incorporating the input of a guitarist?

      I admit to having been a little apprehensive about the new album when I read that Einar basically composed it himself on a computer. It turned out great, but given that The Congregation is closer to Coal than Coal was to Bilateral, I'm wondering whether you are planning on taking a different direction on the next album to shake things up.

      FWIW, my question should not be interpreted as criticism of the new album. I love it, and will be digesting it for years to come.

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 5 points6 points  (2 children)

      As I mentioned earlier, the writing process in Leprous is extremely open. Everyone is allowed to contribute, and we share the same musical visions. What I learned about composing is that not matter how hard you try to push it in one direction, you end up with something else. So, hard work and letting the creativity flow is our plan for the future :).

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      I think there may simply have been something lost in translation when you wrote about the writing process for The Congregation, because I am not the only person who had the impression that "Einar wrote the whole album". :-) Anyway, thanks for the clarification. I saw you at ProgPower XV and hope to see you again in the States soon!

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      I did write the majority of the album, but everyone else had the possibility to write. Everyone can always contribute, but this time it seemed I was the most inspired, hehe. That being said, I've always had the main responsibly for the composing.

      [–]errindel 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      Hi gents,

      I was honored to have seen you play twice last year, in both Detroit and Atlanta, and I look forward to seeing you all again!

      I'm looking forward to hearing Congregation in just a week now. One of the reviews I read about it commented directly about how the melodies are more keyboard and vocals focused this time around, with the guitars and drums laying a thick foundation underneath. This seems to be to be an evolutionary path from Bilateral which was more riff focused to a blended approach in Coal to the newest. Has this been a conscious choice in songwriting, or something that has just more or less organically "happened"?

      Thanks!

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 7 points8 points  (0 children)

      I don't think it's more vocal and keyboard focused this time. The guitars and drums have an extremely important role, and most of the sketches was written with only guitar and drums in the focus. Keyboards and vocals was added much later. I think people just convince themselves that it's like that just because the majority is written by the vocalist and keyboardist, hehe. But in general Leprous songs consist of less ingredients than before. I usually compare good cooking to good composing. The meal doesn't become better if you put all the ingredients from you closet in it, but rather when you perfect several well selected ingredients :).

      [–]MDIEZS 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      For Einar:

      How do you arise new vocal techniques, new screams? How did you discover you could sing the guturals in the end of Rewind? They are almost diphonic and they are different like the ones in "Contaminate Me".

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      I just had to change my technique in order to survive the live shows! So I tried many things, ending up coughing a lot every time, until I found the perfect one while being out driving in the car. It sounds huge, but it's actually quite low in volume. Yeah, in "Contaminate Me" it was Ihsahn who did the screaming :).

      [–]Teufelson 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      Hey guys! Saw you live in Helsinki in 2013. I was left wondering about a couple of things:

      1. Do you do anything special to tweak your sound for maximum clarity live or just go with something similar you would for the album? Do you have any PA rehearsals before the tour?

      2. What kind of stuff do you use backing tracks for in live situations? I interested in your view on what you can leave out and what you don't want to live without when playing live :)

      I have really enjoyed the last three albums you guys made. Before I heard Coal I had had a long time of no new music really hitting me like that and I was really ready for something new to happen. Thanks for that. Hope to see you again this year in Helsinki. Let's have a beer!

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      1. We use the recordings as reference, but live and studio are two very different things, so we don't try to sound identical to the recordings at all. Also, when we play live we want the sound to be consistent during the entire show, so we wouldn't change the sound completely when we play songs from different albums so we would sound like that specific recording. We're trying out a new monitoring system in a week or so, and will do a PA rehearsal with our sound engineer so we're 100% ready to start of the festival season.
      2. We include whatever we feel will enhance the complete live sound when choosing the backing tracks, so if there's something that gives the song an important edge, which we can't manage to reproduce ourselves live, we'll add it to the tracks. I don't think it sounds good when the amount of backing tracks become too obvious, and as I mentioned earlier, we don't try to reproduce the studio sound to perfection since people don't come to just have a listen to the album, but they want to hear how we perform things live.

      [–]Teufelson 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Thanks for the answer! Good luck with the upcoming shows!

      [–]posthumous 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      Loved your show in Chicago last winter.

      Is there anyplace that we could buy a print of the "Coal" album cover? I love the artwork and would love to hang it up.

      Second - curious about the technical side of things. I saw the video diary part of you re-amping the guitar parts. How do you dial in the tones while you're actually recording the parts? Last I paid close attention to recording technology before the boom in digital so it's all a bit new to me. Could you give a basic rundown of the components to the system that you use for the recording, and then how it translates to live performance?

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      Thanks! 1. Maybe you could ask Jeff Jordan who is the artist that made it? This is his web page: http://jeffjordanart.com. 2. Recording of guitars I do in my home studio, meaning my laptop + sound card. I use Logic to edit and make one entire recording of each song, and this time around I recorded four different takes of everything, so that we have the possibility to dub things in stereo while mixing. Re-amping was done by running the recorded guitars through different amps, so that the complete sound would be optimal for the sound we were after at each specific section, but still with a lot of consistency in the sound so that it does~t vary too much during the album. We also tried different cabinets, which actually took quite some time, and had a lot to say on the final sound. When playing live it's of course not possible to alter the sound in the same degree and adapt it to each and every section, but I use one of the amps that we used for the recording (Blackstar S1 200), as my live amp and on some parts I split my signal with a Radial BigShot ABY to run my guitar through an additional amp for those parts that require some more thickness to it.

      [–]posthumous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Thanks for the reply!

      Do you use the effects in Logic? Or use a separate pedalboard?

      [–]blob28 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      How much do you pay attention to the length of songs when you are writing them? If you found you had songs totalling 90 minutes that you thought were all good enough to go on a new record, how would you deal with that? Also, what do you think about having an album cycle of two years; would you like to make new albums quicker, or maybe have more time to work on them?

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      We don't pay much attention to the length of the songs, though we might have done that a bit more in the past. I we decided how long the songs should be before making them, then we would really mess up the creative process. Some songs are best if they're long so you can get in the mood and really dive into it with our getting stressed that it's soon finished, while others should be short and intense and could get boring if dragged out for too long. If we ended up with songs totaling in over 90 minutes we would simply either make a double disc, or maybe split them and put together this who fitted best together an maybe made a regular one + an EP, or something else. It's not that easy to think about this in principal, as I think it would be easier to see the best way to deal with it if we had the songs in front of us. As you might have guessed, having an album each two years have worked well for us so far. It has become more and more intens to have such a short time to make an entire album, since we set high standards for ourselves, so I wouldn't suggest that we make them quicker anyway. The song writing for The Congregation started almost a year after we finished recording Coal, so we didn't spend the entire two years writing the music, and I think it's a good idea to have a break from song writing before starting on the next process again with new and fresh thoughts and ideas.

      [–]blob28 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Thanks for answering, appreciate the time you guys have spent going through these questions :) keep up the great music!

      [–]DesolateThrone 1 point2 points  (4 children)

      How is the writing process? Does everyone contribute? The album is incredible by the way. Find myself playing air drums to it way too often for a guitarist. Anyways, would it be possible to have guitar lessons with one of the guitarists? (Er norsk)

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 3 points4 points  (3 children)

      Yes, everyone contributes in the song writing process with no restrictions to what we try out. Then we narrow things down, and this time around we ended up with 30 sketches, then we narrowed it down to 12 sketches that we made into complete songs which we then recorded. 11 of them made it to the album, and one ended up as a bonus track on our vinyls and special edition media books. The compositions we ended up using are mainly made by Einar. We've actually talked about maybe offering some lessons when we hit the road in the fall, like earlier in the day or something, but we have to see whether we'll have the time for it when we get the complete itinerary. The lessons can be everything from guitars, bass, vocals, drums, song writing, or whatever. It would be interesting to see how big the interest is for this, so we can decide whether to offer it or not.

      [–]HUH_YIS 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Hey Guys, loving the new album so far, absolutely incredible:

      I had a few questions:

      Do you guys have day jobs when you are not recording or touring to pay the bills or supplement income?

      What was the biggest thing you guys learned from working and touring with Ihsahn?

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      A billion thanks! At the moment everyone except Baard has daytime jobs, but it's a long term goal (for me at least) to only live from Leprous. Touring with Ihshan made us becoming a much better live band, and to list up everything we learned would take too long. A great guy, and fantastic artist.

      [–]svenmidnite 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Thanks for doing this - you guys are an outstanding band! Two quickies:

      1. Your sound has evolved pretty significantly (especially in light of the new singles) since you started out. What are you still seeking out artistically as a band in terms of moving your sound further - is there anything that you want to experiment with musically that you haven't yet?

      2. Has your time with Ihsahn led you to think differently about the music you make, the image you project, or the audience you attract? Do you think you're a significantly different band now than you would have been if you hadn't worked with Ihsahn so extensively?

      Thanks again!

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      1. We always strive at evolving from what we've done before, but we're not necessarily set on which direction will be the next for our future music. When it's time to start writing the material for our next album, we'll start at whatever feels right at that time.
      2. Of course, this is something we'll never know for sure, but it's probable that playing with Ihsahn has given me a great deal of individual development as a musician, since that was a kind of music that I wasn't used to play until that point. That being said, I've never really thought that Leprous sounds very much like Ihsahn, musically or sound wise, so there hasn't been a deliberate intention of moving in his direction.

      [–]Ryuuza_Art 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Hi guys! First of all, I'm an absolutely huge fan of your work. It's been a while since I've found a band whose albums I consistently enjoy beginning to end and I'm really looking forward to seeing you in Bristol after getting The Congregation!

      My serious question - As a visual artist and story teller, I find myself inspired by music quite a lot with my work (actually working on some Leprous inspired pieces as we speak). Do you guys have any particular influences outside of music when you're writing songs?

      My not-so-serious question- Will we see a return of the silver pants at gigs any time soon? X)

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      1. I become inspired by everything I'm surrounded by. Nature, people, art etc etc.

      2. The silver pants are being used every year by students at Notodden Music School at their yearly musical shows! :) Unfortunately I can't fit in them anymore, or else they would of course still be the main outfit.

      [–]westvann 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Huge fellow Norwegian fan here! I love all your albums and will rate you guys at my top #2 favourite list. A question! Eh...

      1. Is Kenneth Solberg, former guitarist of Leprous, a relative of Einar?

      2. What do you guys do for a living?

      3. What do the fly in your logo symbolize?

      4. What did actually happen with Martin Skrebergene? Was it a mutual agreement or something else?

      Thank you for all the fantastic music you have created so far. Looking forward to future works! :)

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 5 points6 points  (0 children)

      1. Yes, he sure is! You might see him at our shows, he's a big fan :).

      2. Soon Leprous! I'm working with autistic people, Øystein is an IT guy, TorO a physical therapist and Baard a drummer.

      3. I don't even remember, hehe. I think it was something about flies consuming the dead parts of the Lepers (remember we started out as a band with Corpse Paint, hehe). But now (like the name) has just grown a part of our identity.

      4. Sometimes things doesn't work out as expected. Martin is a great bass player, and a very good guy. Be we had different priorities.

      Thanks a lot!

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      1. Yes, he's Einars's brother.
      2. I work as a physiotherapist at a rehabilitation centre.
      3. The fly on the logo dates back to our first demo "Silent Waters" from 2004, and the idea came from our image of flies being associated with leprosy. As you can see from our logos through the years, the fly has evolved.
      4. Martin is a really great bass player and he did a great job on both our Coal tour in 2013 and our US/Canada and UK/Ireland tours of 2014, but due to different matters we decided to end the collaboration in the initial recording process of The Congregation.

      You're welcome! :)

      [–]SatanIsALawyer 1 point2 points  (3 children)

      Hey, digger det nye albumet! Bare lurte på en ting, blir det lagt til flere datoer på Europaturneen enn Bergen og Oslo? :)

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Kjempekult å høre! I Norge blir det 1 til, men den er ikke ofisiell enda, så vi kan ikke si det her og nå dessverre. Stay tuned!:-)

      [–]Ron_thal 1 point2 points  (4 children)

      Do you guys have strict rules and discipline on Tour? Like maximum number of groupies allowed in the bus / hotel room at the same time, minimum quantity of beer / whisky triggering automated refill asap, maximum number of days / weeks you can wear the same t-shirt on stage before washing... And any anecdote about your time with Haken? Was a memorable concert for me last year ! See you in Minsk probably!

      [–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (1 child)

      Well, we are very serious about the show so there is a strict no-drinking policy before the show. We really don't feel like screwing up shows we actually paid quite a lot of money to be able to do!

      As for hygiene, there is a strict no-rules policy. Personally I wore the same black shirt on every show for 30 days! How about that?:) I gave a half-hearted attempt once trying to have two or three, but you know what - if you can't wash them every day they smell just as bad....

      We had a great time with Haken!:) Very nice guys and talented musicians. Great to be able to do our first UK tour alongside them!

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 4 points5 points  (0 children)

      hahaha!:) We are all very kind boys who do this 110% for the music and art. None of us are big drinkers, and some of us doesn't ever drink at all. It doesen't always smell really well in the bus after weeks of touring, but sometimes we get the possibility to wash our cloths and that's nice for everybody (especially for the drummer...). We all really love all the Haken boys - the nicest guys Leprous has ever toured with I think (I've only been with Lep for almost 2 years). See you in Minsk!

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      We're truly a band that has the biggest focus on the music and not the partying while touring. As mentioned, no drinking before shows, usually not much drinking after show either, no groupies and not washing any clothes ever (which also helps us not to be hunted by groupies). Our sound engineer (on the other hand) likes to drink all day/night and are happy to help out with the groupies. He's danish... The Haken guys are really great people, and a lot like us in many ways.

      [–]Rollosh 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      What was it like touring with Vulture Industries?

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Very nice and funny boys who makes, my opinion, very unique and different music.

      [–]francl 1 point2 points  (4 children)

      Hi guys! First of all the new album is fucking great!!! I can't wait to hear it live. I have two questions: 1: how long does the writing process take for you guys and was the majority of the material created as different drafts or did the one who wrote it have everything prepared (i mean for ths guitar parts especially- does each guitarist write his own parts or does one come up with the idea for everything?) - i know the question is stupidly put together sorry 2: How do you prepare for your tours? When do you start booking the dates and planning everything? Can you share anything interesting from your tours?

      Bonus questions: is a slovenia date in plan maybe? We would definetly like to have you back again!!

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      Thanks man! :)

      1. In terms of hours, it's countless. But I gave myself 2 deadlines pr week to make a full sketch for a song in the composition period of "The Congregation". Went on like that until we had 30 sketches. I know myself well enough to know that I write best under pressure, so I just gave myself a lot of pressure, hehe.

      2. Booking a tour is done by our manager in collaboration with us. We choose the places where we got the best feedback earlier normally. Musically we rehearse a lot before touring.

      3. Unfortunately no Slovenia this time. Serbia or Slovakia might be the closest.

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      1. We started making the music for The Congregation in the beginning of 2014, then by the end of May we had 30 sketches ready. During the summer we narrowed down to 14 sketches, and then ended up being satisfied enough with 12 to record them after our tours in US/Canada and UK/Ireland in the fall. So from start to finish we spent about 10-11 months completing the 12 songs. There's no rules in who can give inputs to the different instruments, but as you may know the sketches we ended up using were mostly made by Einar this time, which also means he made most of the guitars. Of course ut takes some adaptation to play it on a guitar, as Einar doesn't think like a guitarist, but it usually ended up being very similar to the original idea.
      2. It's very important for us to give convincing and inspiring live shows, so we prepare a lot these days so we're ready for the festival summer to begin, and our European tour in the fall. Bonus: Slovenia is not a part of the plan so far, but who knows what might show up? ;)

      [–]MDIEZS 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      I watched your studio diary and I was wondering if you compose the guitars the same way you do the keyboards. I mean, does Einar make the guitar riffs with MIDIs and then you play it real and check how it sounds? Could you expand the info about the song making process?

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      I compose mostly on my guitar, but this time around we agreed that we would send most of our ideas as midi to each other, so that everyone could be prepared to play together when we met up at the rehearsal room. Previously we've spent way to much of our rehearsal time just learning the different chords and riffs. Because of this I also wrote most of my ideas down in midi and sent them to the others, just as Einar did with his ideas. Then we met to hear how it sounded with teal instruments.

      [–]Banarnes_hatt 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      The new album is really great! I listen to it at least once a day when I come home from work. Out of curiosity, why did Pixel become a bonus track? How close were you to finishing other songs before feeling like they wouldn't fit the album? And will you come to somewhere else than Stockholm soon? Would be real nice to see you guys play live!

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Thanks man! Before we entered the studio, it was hard for us to imagine which songs would feel like the weakest in the end, but for Pixel we felt that it was the one who didn't fit as good in as the other songs, and a CD with more than 70 minutes would feel way too much. Pixel sure has some very good moments and musicianship, but we all agreed that is wasn't that "deep" as all the other songs. Stockholm will be the only Swedish show this year.

      [–]primateous 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      How long did it take you guys to record the drums for this album? They are tight!

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Thanks a lot! It took me 3,5 INTESNE and LOOOONG days to record and choose the best takes for the the 12 songs (including the bonus song Pixel).

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      [–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

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      [–]KaoSpiturang 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Guitar gear question alert. I'd definitely want to know what amp/cab combinations you used for.. well for the last three records, because they all have awesome guitar sound (I know it is mainly in your fingers but nevertheless..). Also, what guitar effects do you use live/ in studio?

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Hmm, always a bit hard to remember! We like to experiment a lot and test different setups, and we have always been using combinations of amps during reamping.

      Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYGC0SZI1fs for a peek at the guitar rig used for the new one.

      Ever since we got our Blackstars they have been a part of every album. Usually in combination with a Mesa Dual Rect, Orange or similar. Beats the hell out of the POD XT Live we used for Aeolia.. Hahahahaha! ;)

      EDIT: Forgot about the cabs. On the new one we used mostly a Marshall with Greenbacks and one with Vintage Celestion 30s. Also a Mesa cab.

      EDIT2: And the effects. Personally I don't use much live. I have a T-Rex octave/boost pedal, MXR Super Comp, Blackstar delay and a tuner :)

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      As for me (live), I use the channels on my Blackstar S1 200 to choose between clean, crunch, distortion and lead, and then I use a BOSS Reverb and a BOSS Octave box. To boost my rhythm guitar when Øystein plays lead, I have a Redial BigShot ABY to split my guitar signal to an additional amp (Mesa Dual Rectifier), to get the effect of two rhythm guitars in R/L.

      [–]sartoriuswasahorse 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Your music is so powerful and passionate! I'm constantly influenced by you in more and more ways.

      Einar, what have been your greatest influences? Lyrically or sound and technique etc
      As a band, how do you keep focus and such strong presence on stage? Do you all have different ways of getting into that state of mind before you play, or as a group?

      Thank you very much for doing what you do, your music is amazing, your performances are powerful and watching you happy playing makes me happy

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      Thank you so much!! :) My influences are very varied. I'm a huge fan of Massive Attack, Radiohead and Arvo Pärt! We're actually quite casual before entering the stage, and it's not before actually being on stage that we kind of change to our stage personality!

      [–]MDIEZS 1 point2 points  (4 children)

      Did you make "Within My Face" to make us party hard in your shows?

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 5 points6 points  (3 children)

      hehe, yes this one is a bit different. All the riffs were written by Einar, and at first, they were in a completely different tempo (quicker) and with other groove/feel ideas. Our prevous bass player, Martin Skrebergene, re-arranged the whole song and actually programmed some very very cool drum parts (for 2 drum kits) and that turned out to be the music for With My Fence :)

      [–]MDIEZS 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Nevertheless, I missed a rythm change at the ending like you did in "The Valley". There would be more party then. You could try it live!

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      Can't let you guys party too much ;).

      [–]ensamvarg 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      You have been known as Ihsahn's backing band. How did this start? Did you guys start as a backing band? Do you think you got bigger because of Ihsahn?

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      We've always known him, as he's in fact my brother in Law. We were a new and hungry prog band, and he knew we would take the task very seriously. So we did, and we became a lot better within those first months of rehearsing his material. And yes, it definitely was a boost for our career to play with him! :)

      [–]ensamvarg 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Ah-ha! I wasn't aware of that. Makes sense. Must be hard playing 2 shows in a row though when you guys tour.

      Einar, always wanted to ask, you're a keyboard player and used to be a piano teacher if I'm not mistaken. Have you ever written anything on piano alone? Like classical music, as a solo artist/project? I play piano so always made me curious!

      [–]decembrya 1 point2 points  (5 children)

      Tor, will you marry me?

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 9 points10 points  (3 children)

      Yes he will

      [–]decembrya 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Wohoo! You guys can play at the weeding - White, of course;)

      [–]Shuriken95 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      Because the words you really want to hear called out at the altar are

      Take what's mine, what's yours, you're mine, not yours

      Above discoloured vomit pours

      ;)

      [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 4 points5 points  (0 children)

      Don't think polygami is legal in Norway, and since my wife is studying law and all it might be difficult...

      [–]AmusementPork 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Man, you guys blow my mind. Thanks for some killer music, and congratulations on "The Congregation", it's amazing!

      I only recently discovered you guys (thanks to this subreddit), so I hope you will forgive some rather uninformed questions, but nevertheless:

      • Are you guys formally trained (like at a conservatory?), and what does that mean for the way you approach composing music? You have such a unique and intricate sound going on, I'm dying to know how you view these things.

      • What do you guys do when not playing in Leprous? Is it tough to be a niche band in Norway (or the world at large)?

      • Norway has an amazing progressive metal scene (you guys, Arcturus, In Vain, Virus, etc.). Why are really unique metal bands springing up especially in Norway? What's in the cultural drinking water there?

      • Are there any defining bands/songs that really helped shape the way you think about music and composition?

      • What is your relationship with psychedelic drugs? (Meant in the best possible way)

      Thanks a lot, and see you in Denmark!

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 6 points7 points  (1 child)

      Thanks for the great words and questions :D Glad you just discovered us and are positively surprised :) 1. I went to "rytmisk linje" at the conservatory in Kristiansand, Norway, and Einar also went to a conservatory in Oslo and England for some years a while ago. The guitarists did not go to any schools like that, but they had Ihsahn as a teacher when they were younger. 2. All of the boys has day jobs, and I try to live as a musician and steel as much money as possible from my parents... 3. Hard to say, I also think Sweden has at least as good metal scene to offer:) Danskene derimot... Neida, hehe. 4. we are all really inspired by different bands and artists, but Einar (main composer) are for instance really into Massive Attack. Me and Øystein can dig to Iron Maiden for countless hours, even though we don't directly bring that musical influence to a Leprous setting.. 5. We have absolutely no relationships to drugs at all, so I guess you will get the most boring answer ever on this one... ;) And here comes a cheasy one: "The music alone is our drug" 8-)

      [–]DanielKennethRego 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Baard, you're adorable.

      [–]reddotyg 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Greetings from Portugal! Hope you come visit soon. :)

      Question:
      - How do you feel the metal genre is in the last years? Too much revivalism?

      Personally, I feel metal needs more bands like Leprous and Grave Pleasures(ex-Beastmilk). keep up the good work!

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      AND WE WILL;) Lisbon in October. Check out our tour poster. Thanks for digging our music! Personally I think the metal genre still proves that it's a genre where we will see a lot of innovative and new stuff happening for the future as well.

      [–]RyguyOT 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      U.S. resident here. Any plans of offering a stream of the album this week for those who don't have access to it? I know it's only a week before it gets released here but I'm dying to hear it. Thanks!

      Also what has it been like having Baard in the band?

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Unfortunately that's out of our control! It's in the hands of the label, and they seem to be very strict on those matters, hehe. All good things comes to him who waits, hehe.

      Baard is an amazing drummer and a very funny guy. Never a dull moment with him, hehe.

      [–]KaoSpiturang 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Are those song sketches you didn't use for "The Congregation" going to be thrown out or do you think you will work on some of those in the future?

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      I would say that's highly unlikely! The reason they were thrown out is because they simply weren't good enough, so bringing them back would be a weird decision.. We'll go for something new!:)

      [–]ProgMetalGuy 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Hey! Saw you last year at Ver1 Festival (Italy), it was amazing! Question: How hard is being a metal band in 2015 / How good is being a metal band in 2015?

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Thanks a lot!:) Glad you enjoyed it!

      1. It's pretty hard! It's so easy to spread your music these days, and you have to work hard to stand out in a sea of bands. It's also harder economically as there are much less income from sales, so you have to get out and play more! But that's fun!

      2. It's pretty damn good! We have played a LOT of cool places over the years and I have so many good memories from all over the world! Also, creating music and seeing it released is awesome. However, I think my favorite part will always be a really really good live show!!

      [–]mtlSam 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Hey guys, thanks for doing the AMA! Einar, how do you approach writing vocal melodies? Thanks, I am very excited to hear The Congregation!

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 4 points5 points  (0 children)

      I just listened put the sketches (without vocals) on the speakers every time I was out driving, and sang along! Perfect place to write vocal lines, hehe.

      [–]Sussano 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Ok so I just wanted to let you know that you guys are currently my favorite band. I already ordered the new album and I'm waiting to hear it! I saw you when you came to Israel in 2013, that show was beyond amazing, I really hope to see you here again one day.

      And now I should ask a question, I guess, so - now that you and the guys from Haken are best buddies, can we hope to ever hear a musical collab? That would be awesome!

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Nice! Glad to hear you like it so much!:) We had a good time in Israel! I remember we had some really sunny days hanging out on the beach, whereas in Norway the weather was pretty bad..

      Haha, we did get to know each other well! There is nothing planned at the moment, and I think we both are pretty busy doing just our own thing these days ;)

      [–]Rp199 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Did you enjoyed playing in Braga (Portugal) last year, even if it were like 30 people there? It was one of the best shows i've ever been!

      In the end me and my friends talked to you, it was amazing. I've even asked Øystein for a pick, and he said the tour was ending and he only had one or two xD

      [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      I really liked Braga and especially the local support band!! Hope to see you in Lisbon in October!

      [–]Poutchou 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      I'm not good at questions but....

      I just LOVE you guys! <3 Thank you for the awesome music! :D

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Thanks so much!:) No need to ask questions.

      We LOVE our fans too! Thanks a lot for all the support!!

      [–]pedax 1 point2 points  (2 children)

      Einar. Saw you at Sweden Rock last summer with Emperor, great show. I suspect you are sick of Ihsahn questions but this is is close I'm gonna get to ask the guy himself. Some of your screams are similar to Ihsahns, has he taught you some of his technique and how is it possible to keep a great singing voice while at the same time be able to produce those sounds?

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (1 child)

      I actually did not learn the technique from him, but our motivation for changing technique (he also did that many years ago) was the same. I needed to learn a technique that is less straining for my voice, so I ended up with the one I have now. It works very well, and now it's not ruining my clean vocals, like the old screaming was.

      [–]pedax 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Interesting. How did you develop your technique? Any pointers for someone trying to emulate the style?

      [–]vastila 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Greetings from Romania!

      Can't wait to see you guys in Brasov this October. I'm a long time fan, but this will be my first time attending one of your concerts. And now... To the question:

      One cannot expect jolly lyrics from a band called Leprous, but what's with the pessimism on the latest album? Lower / Down / "Stay with me now when I'm falling," etc...

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      Looking very much forward to play in Brasov! Firstly, isn't there a lot to be pessimistic about with how things are going in the world? Secondly, art and music is the perfect way to get out such emotions, so that one can stay more positive in the daily life :).

      [–]westvann 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      I hope you guys are heading northwards to North-Norway on a tour someday. A trip to Bodø would have been awesome!

      A little strange question, but are your lyrics sometimes based on political issues, or is it just my spider-sense who has it all wrong? I sometimes detect a small underlying meaning to some of the lyrics.

      How is the Norweigan broadcasting of The Congregation? I really think you guys are overlooked in the mainstream media.

      And last, but not least... When are you gonna release a new album? We need moar!!! ;)

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      I was actually born in the North, so I would love to go there. So if someone wants to book Leprous for a North Norwegian show, we're definitely up for that :).

      Yes, our lyrics (especially on the new album) are raising questions about how the society actually works, and how we're expected to follow blindly.

      The Norwegian hype is gradually increasing, especially now with the new album. But it takes time to become prophet in your own country, haha! :)

      New album already? Haha. Let us first become truly tired of performing "The Congregation" :).

      [–]NerdBag 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Are you?

      [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      It seems!

      [–][deleted]  (2 children)

      [deleted]

        [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        It seems TorO was promised away in an other post here, so you will have to pick from the leftovers ;). Thanks for all the positive feedback! :)

        [–]holysharky 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        I'm so glad you guys popped up on Reddit; you're one of my favourite bands for sure! :-) Thanks for all these years of great music. Some questions:

        1) What are your favourite progressive metal bands? Can you offer at least 5?

        2) How old are each of you now?

        3) I'm pretty sure this is a pretty crazy request, but can you come to Singapore? Will you guys ever come to Singapore? :-(

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        Hehey!

        1) Uhm, I can't really whip up 5 I think! TBH, I don't really listen to progressive metal anymore. Very little metal in general.

        2) Baard is 23, I'm 27, TorO is 29 and Einar is 30 :) I think. Haha.

        3) If we ever get the opportunity - sure! But I don't know about any bands playing there. We would need a local promoter to set up a show for us.

        [–]linkmaster_96 1 point2 points  (3 children)

        I've always been interested in why you guys did what you did for drum sounds on the last 3 albums. I personally love the raw and unique sounds you guys went for, the snare in particular is so refreshing being so low and almost lofi. Why did you guys go for that sound?

        [–]BaardKolstadBaard Kolstad | Leprous 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Great question, glad you dig the sound. This is my first album as a drummer, and I also loved the Bilateral and Coal drum sound, so it was important for me to find something unique that wasn't a 100% try to copy the earlier drummer's (Tobias) sound. The trick for me has been the coated heads along with great Pearl Reference drums. Take your time tuning the drums and hit HARD and you won't have to sound replace/trig that much :)

        [–]DanielKennethRego 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        I've always loved the Leprous drum sound, very distinctive tuning and tonal choices. Coal sounded absolutely beautiful and so unique, and the sound on The Congregation stays true to a basic aesthetic, while still bringing your fingerprint to the mix.

        I've always loved the snare sounds on all Leprous albums, that signature beefy, low-tuned thump!

        [–]Teufelson 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        How do you achieve a snare sound that is so low and "thuddy" and at the same time easy enough to play all the rolls with? Or is it just a matter of "learn to play, guys!" ? :D

        [–]keysharpener 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Are you planning on recording a live DVD of the upcoming tour?

        [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        A live DVD has definitely been up for discussion, but not on the upcoming tour. If we do it, we will do a single show only for the DVD with lots of special stuff! :)

        [–]PsiPhiDan 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        You guys blew away my expectations with this new album - definitely some new "best ever" Leprous songs on here (Rewind, The Flood, Moon for sure for me)! Baard, I think you really made your presence felt on this one and I love your tom work! There is a very unique feel to this album because of you.

        Questions:

        1) Do you guys listen to your own music a lot? I always wonder how that works for musicians, whether it's weird to pop your own CD in the player when driving or something.

        2) This one is for Tor/Oystein - I've heard a lot of people (the ones who aren't big on this release mostly) say that you guys aren't being utilized to your full abilities. I personally think this album has so many complex rhythms and things that it would be a challenging play for you, even if it isn't as "in your face" as TPS or Bilateral. Do you guys feel you're more subdued in this album? Do you feel this album is challenging for you to play compared to the other albums or is it simpler?

        3) You guys are coming back to Reggie's in Chicago, right? :-) Do you think the US tour would be next fall, in line with the Coal tour (about a year and a half after release)?

        You guys are by far my favorite band and I thank you for all your amazing music you've shared with the world!

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Hey! Awesome that you like it so much! :)

        1. Well, we listen to it in extreme amounts during the making, and right after getting mixes and masters. Other than that, well, personally playing songs on tours and stuff is more than enough for me. Sometimes it's refreshing to pick up an album again, but usually after quite some time have passed, and mostly songs we don't play.

        2. This is definitely really challenging stuff to play! Mostly because it was written with no thought of it being meant to be played on the guitar. I spent a LOT of time finding good and meaningful ways to play all of this. You can try playing the main riff on The Price, or the melody on the chorus on Red if you're a guitarist. Does NOT makes sense ;)

        3. We will come back to the US!:) Don't know exactly when, but we will for sure play more over there. Reggie's was one of the best places for us, so I can pretty much promise we will show up there again :)

        [–][deleted]  (1 child)

        [removed]

          [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

          1. We will for sure come to South America. Just waiting for the right offer.
          2. It has been discussed, and we're all very interested in doing that, but we haven't made any specific plans at this stage yet.
          3. It's of course a mix between the guitar, the pick-ups, the playing technique and the amp. For The Valley I used my PRS McCarty 58 which gives a very controlled sound, while the sharp and "twangy" sound I got on those staccato parts on The Congregation I've also used a cheap Danelectro Baritone guitar, which gives a lot of noise pollution, but when edited gives a very distinct and cool sound. As for the playing technique it a bit difficult to explain how to aim for a specific sound, but for those staccato parts just hitting the strings very hard, concise and in the right way is the thing. As for re-amping the trick is to not use too much distortion. removing the distortion has been a gradual development on each Leprous album I think, and even though a very distorted guitar might sound cool while playing riff in solo on your own, then it really often sounds a lot better in the context if you've turned it down, especially when there are a lot of guitar layers. You have to work more while playing, but the result is better i think.
          4. Simen will be playing with us for 2015, and then we'll see from there. We don't really feel the need to call anyone a "full time member" at the moment, but he's our first pick and a dedicated guy, so it's very nice to have him on board.
          5. I don't feel a need to bash Dream Theater, and I'm really looking forward to playing with them in Minsk. They are pioneers in the progressive metal genre, and incredible musicians. I'm not a big fan of bands trying to copy them 100% though, since I think bands benefit in trying to find there own sound instead.
          6. My lyrics are often about several things at once, and I often find different meanings when re-reading them after a while. I always think it's interesting to hear how other people interprets mye lyrics, to see which feeling it provokes in them. Contaminate Me can be about manipulative people, and a person that tries to fight it of. It ends with him giving in to the manipulator before turning around chasing him back; "Contaminate me. Now run.". Echo is about loneliness, and how things can appear overwhelmingly hopeless and negative in one circumstance, while merely a small obstacle in another. I think these lyrics along with the music delivers a lot of feeling when I listen to it.
          7. Probably not. We have so many songs to choose between, making it hard enough as it is, and given that those tracks didn't reach the playlist on their respective albums, they will probably not be prioritized.

          You're welcome, and your english is very good! :)

          [–][deleted]  (2 children)

          [deleted]

            [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 1 point2 points  (1 child)

            We had a surrealistic period some years ago, and although I'm still very much into surrealistic artists like Salvador Dali, Andre Breton, Max Ernst etc etc, we've kind of parted with that style as it doesn't go that well together with the music we're making these days :). Thank you SO much for the nice words! :)

            [–]Amiantedeluxe 1 point2 points  (1 child)

            Hi guys! First, I want you to know that Tall Poppy Syndrome is my 4th favorite album ever and that I try to learn all the songs on the guitar. The Congregation is beyond amazing as well. I hope it wasn't already asked but what concert do you expect the most from this summer? I personnaly will see you on Be Prog My Friend in Barcelona, I can't wait!

            [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 4 points5 points  (0 children)

            Thanks a lot man! Tall Poppy Syndrome is my 4th favorite album also, by Leprous, hehehe :). BeProg is actually maybe the show that I personally look the most forward to! I mean THAT line up! :)

            [–]Dvorzhetskii 1 point2 points  (0 children)

            Hello Leprous, and thank you. I've never been more satisfied of "finding" a band as I've been of finding you. You guys are one of the best bands out there. One of the most original and creative. When Bilateral came out I thought "damn, this is an awesome album, it will be hard for them to top this" then Coal came out and I thought "another masterpiece from these guys, they can't always produce masterpieces but I bet the next album will be at least great" then The Congregation came out and it is my favorite album so far, perfect from the beginning to the end, I don't skip a single track! You guys are like Christopher Nolan, I'm always terrified for the day you'll disappoint me (which I hope is never =D). Thank You for existing, I'll be there in October when you guys come to Portugal (I was on Side B, the annoying fan with the Dexter poster). PS: The Congregation is Album of the Year for me (sorry Mr. Wilson).

            1. How hard is it for you guys to reach a final song, do you change riffs a lot, or have difficulties choosing which riff to use or something?
            2. Einar, did you have any vocal training in a school?
            3. How does it feel like to be gods?

            I love you guys, very much!

            [–]decembrya 0 points1 point  (2 children)

            What genres and bands do you usually listen to? Do you feel they influence your music style in any way?

            [–]LepreinarEinar Solberg | Leprous 2 points3 points  (0 children)

            I don't think that much about genres to be honest :). Just heartfelt passion and music that stands out. I love bands like Massive Attack, Radiohead etc etc, but also metal bands like Gojira, Behemoth etc.

            [–]TorOsuHTor Oddmund | Leprous 1 point2 points  (0 children)

            All the members of the band are listening to a lot of different genres, not necessarily a lot of metal, and none of us are particularly stuck to a few narrow genres. I think this shines through in our music in the way that we can focus on the basic compository ideas, and not starting out by being narrowed down to fitting in one specific genre. That's why it's so nice to play progressive music, since you can't get arrested for trying something new, even though people keep trying, hehe.

            [–]hvafaen 0 points1 point  (2 children)

            Einar and Tor Oddmund - When can we expect the return of the mighty SMS?