Norway's progressive rock band Leprous brought their hypnotic and intricate sounds to the stage at the House of Blues in Anaheim on September 27. They were supported by Fight the Fight and Earthside for a night of progressive rock that the audience won't soon forget.

Progressive metal is all about blending complex instrumentals and driven by heavy guitar riffs. These songs feel like they are telling a story and often times are much longer because of this. Letting each instrument speak for itself and come together with all of the other instruments is what gives it so much depth. This allows listeners to get entranced by the sounds, by having a longer run time. Hearing this genre live truly is an experience since you can feel the music hit your core and while the drum tempo guides the direction of the songs.

Leprous is a perfect example of this hypnotic, compositionally intricate genre of music, and people had a chance to witness this auditory voyage live. What better venue to witness this, then at the House of Blues right here in Anaheim. Hailing from Norway, Leprous gained attention in 2008 with the release of their debut album “Tall Poppy Syndrome,” which led them to sign with American label, Sensory Records. By 2010 Leprous had begun touring all across Europe and the USA promoting the album by playing shows and providing support to other bands such as Therion.

There is no denying that this highly anticipated night was to be filled with fans of all kinds, all coming together to experience the unique sound of Leprous, along with direct support from Fight the fight and Earthside. Fight the fight started the show off with a heavier tone with deep, threatening vocals along with pounding drums. They set the tone for the night by giving fans what they wanted which was aggressive metal. Following Fight the fight, Earthside was up next, and they brought a whole new type of sound, with pure instrumentals. Earthside has a sound like no other and you can tell that they packed each song with emotion as the sounds bellowed out into the room. It felt as if you were launched into a journey of self discovery as you closed your eyes and let the sounds echo throughout your mind.

Leprous was the final band of the night, and hearing their songs live was quite the experience. Their new album has set out to create something totally new and unique, not bound by any specific genre as it blends all kinds of elements together. Vocalist Einar Solberg, alternated between high notes and thunderous shouts which created an atmosphere of mystery as you were catapulted into this auditory journey. This blend of sounds left the crowd captivated by what they were hearing. Not a single element of the performance outshined the other, the guitar riffs were carefully placed in each song in a way that did not take away from the singing. While the drums still had their time to shine, they did not over power the guitars. This is what makes Leprous stand out from other metal bands, everything worked together and gave fans something unlike anything before. The visual stage setup and lighting was something to be admired as well, it gave an intimate ambiance since with each song the type of lighting changed.

The entire show was cathartic, with each band showcasing their art and creation for fans to enjoy. Nights like this are what reminds of the true beauty in the world, with everyone coming together over a common liking.

See the full set of photos on our Flickr page.