Leprous are happy to announce that their upcoming album, The Congregation, is complete and is to be released on May 25th, 2015 in Europe and June 2nd, 2015 in North America via InsideOutMusic. In addition, the band will embark on a meaty European tour beginning in September and carrying on until the end of October ending on Halloween in Oslo, Norway.
The band recorded the drums, guitars and bass for their new album in Sweden’s Fascination Street/Ghostward Studios with David Castillo (Katatonia, Opeth) and the vocals together with Heidi Solberg Tveitan and Vegard Tveitan at Mnemosyne Studios in Norway. Just like the preceding albums Bilateral and Coal, The Congregation was mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Opeth, Symphony X, Kreator).
Vocalist and keyboard player Einar Solberg has checked in on the album with the following:
This has without doubt been the most challenging album to write so far, if you count the amount of hours, blood, sweat and tears behind it. Which makes me extra proud to just have delivered the master of what I consider to be the most daring, technical, fresh and mature album we’ve ever done. The music of The Congregation is mostly written by me on my computer, so that this time around I could use my ears instead of my knowledge as the main writing tool. If you use your knowledge and your usual methods to write every album, you will eventually find yourself stuck in a quagmire of old habits. Lyrically, The Congregation covers the dangers and consequences of blindly following the flow, thus the album title will speak for itself.
Next to some previously announced festival appearances and the newly added show at Fortarock in The Netherlands in June, Leprous are now revealing the first dates for their extensive European headlining tour in support of The Congregation for September and October, alongside Rendezvous Point and another yet to be announced main support act.
Leprous European Tour 2015:
Fri. 25.09.2015 Bergen (Norway) – Garage / www.garage.no
Fri. 02.10.2015 Copenhagen (Denmark) – Forbraendingen / www.forbraendingen.dk
Sat. 03.10.2015 Cologne (Germany) – Euroblast Festival / www.euroblast.net
Sun. 04.10.2015 Baarlo (The Netherlands) – Progpower Europe / www.progpower.eu
Mon. 05.10.2015 Paris (France) – Le Divan Du Monde / www.divandumonde.com
Tue. 06.10.2015 Nantes (France) – Le Ferrailleur / www.leferrallieur.fr
Thu. 08.10.2015 Lisbon (Portugal) – RCA club / www.rcaclub.com
Fri. 09.10.2015 Madrid (Spain) – Caracol / www.salacaracol.com
Sat. 10.10.2015 Murcia (Spain) – Garaje / www.garajebeatclub.com
Sun. 11.10.2015 Barcelona, (Spain) – Apolo 2 www.sala-apolo.com
Mon. 12.10.2015 Lyon (France) – Ninkasi Kao / www.ninkasi.fr
Tue. 13.10.2015 London, (UK) – Garage / www.mamacolive.com/thegarage
Wed. 14.10.2015 Manchester (UK) – Ruby Lounge / www.therubylounge.com
Thu. 15.10.2015 Bristol (UK) – The Fleece / www.thefleece.co.uk
Fri. 16.10.2015 Maasmechelen (Belgium) – Jan Hertog
Sat. 17.10.2015 Karlsruhe (Germany) – Substage / www.substage.de
Mon. 19.10.2015 Milano (Italy) – Legend Club / www.legendclub.jimdo.com
Sat. 24.10.2015 Bratislava (Slovakia) – Majestic Club / www.majestic.sk
Sun. 25.10.2015 Prague (Czech Republic) – Nova Chmelnice / www.novachmelnice.cz
Mon. 26.10.2015 Warszaw (Poland) – Progresja / www.progresja.com
Tue. 27.10.2015 Riga (Latvia) – Rockcafe / www.rockcafe.lv
Wed. 28.10.2015 Helsinki (Finland) – Nosturi / www.elmu.fi
Fri. 30.10.2015 Stockholm (Sweden) – Bryggarsalen / www.bryggarsalen.se
Sat. 31.10.2015 Oslo (Norway) – John Dee / www.rockefeller.no
More dates to be added soon!
Leprous – Live at European Festivals 2015:
Fri. 05.06.2015 Nijmegen (The Netherlands) – Fortarock Festival / www.fortarock.nl
Sat. 11.07.2015 Barcelona (Spain) – BeProgMyFriend Festival / www.beprogmyfriend.com
Sat. 03.10.2015 Cologne (Germany) – Euroblast Festival / www.euroblast.net
Sun. 04.10.2015 Baarlo (The Netherlands) – Progpower Europe / www.progpower.eu
The band had the following to say regarding the upcoming tour:
So we’re heading out again, and we’re more eager than ever to hit the road! It’s a bunch of good cities we already know, and we simply can’t wait to return. The preparations for the tour have already started, as to perform the new songs is a very challenging task. When we in addition are working to take our live performance up to a new level, I believe we have some busy months ahead of us.
Needless to say, we are HYPED on a new Leprous record. If it’s any bit as good as Coal, or (gasp) better, there is more than enough reason to be excited.
Watch Leprous’s full set from their recent US tour via our GoPro recording.
-KG