This has been a dark, trying year for so many people, myself included. You could say that about the last few, as it feels like it’s misery on a loop, the harshest of realities making themselves known far too often for comfort. Within all of that pain, there can be glimmers of hope, reminders this state isn’t forever, and one day we might climb out of horror. But being in it can feel as hopeless as anything ever faced.
The music created by Nordic post-metal power Leonov always feels like it connects with that world, a place where it seems like everything is falling down around you, but there’s just enough promise to keep you going just in case the storm ends. The band’s powerful new record “Procession” feels like a beacon in the cold, black night, a place to seek in order to let the bad energies have a place to fade. The band—vocalist/synth player Tåran Reindal, guitarists Ole Jørgen Reindal and Rune Gilje, bassist Morten Kjelling, drummer Jon-Vetle Lunden—sees the suffering and tries to add a layer of relief for those who suffer, while knowing full well that struggle will be a hard one to achieve. This music, harsh and thorny as it can be at times, also is like a companion holding your hand on your journey, acknowledging that path is with its dangerous curves but assuring you that a better way remains possible.
“Rem” is a dark, enveloping instrumental opener, guitars layering, the solemnity welling as the heat rises, increasing the darkness as we head into “Amer” that stings right away. Reindal’s singing floats with the clouds, a steely, dreamy haze getting richer, buzzing as the playing slips into darkness. The pace is ominous even as Reindal’s singing soars, the ambiance floating in the mists, the vocals feeling like honey drizzling gently, and then the chugging renews. Shrieks gut as the doom floods, the mix of ugliness and beauty multiplies, and the final blasts lurch in madness. The title track numbs immediately as Reindal’s singing floats like a ghost, the lush calls mixing perfectly with the rising menace. Guitars buzz as the pace turns propulsive, swirling and snarling, picking up steam as the key hypnotize and fade into fog. “Sora” brings shadowy doom, softer singing, and a rumbling feeling that you can sense in your guts. The band pushes harder as a thick mist envelops, and Reindal’s calls pick up and soar, filling your chest with energy. The emotion overflows as darkness falls, impassioned playing overwhelms, and a heavy exhaust gasps from the song’s center point.
“Mesos” slowly drips as Reindal’s ethereal singing swells, pulling through shadows and embracing grandeur that emerges from behind a wall of sound. “Who says that we won’t make it?” Reindal sings inquisitively, the playing dissolving slowly, continuing to melt and soak the ground with its juices, snaking through gloom before disappearing. “Oreza” brings darker playing, lurking in the shadows, the singing fluttering and reverberating. The pace turns spacey, guitars hurtling through ominous atmosphere, scuffing and menacing as the heaviness turns the screws, finally floating off into the stars. Closer “Son” is a soft, smoky track that brings hushed singing, and a tenderness that is palpable. Clean guitars add soothing waters as Reindal calls, “Tonight, a child is born, to us a son is given,” a sentiment she repeats that obviously holds a world of meaning. Murkiness and dreaminess collide, coating everything with warmth, the playing bathing in moonlit electricity.
“Procession” is that rare heavy music album that manages to act as a soothing agent, even amid the thorns that are woven into the record. Leonov always rose above merely a metal universe and go otherworldly, which they do here in ample amounts, giving an adventure that’s a little different than what we usually cover. This is a perfect record for a dark evening when you want to give your mind a rest, ruminate about your dreams, and release the energies that are weighing you down.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Leonovband
To buy the album, go here: https://vinterrecords.bandcamp.com/merch
For more on the label, go here: https://www.vinterrecords.com/
Meat Mead Metal 