Topping their 2011 record Bilateral was going to be simply impossible; Leprous achieved something with that one. Instead, the band took a much different, natural, almost slower approach at their sound for Coal that takes a few listens to really grasp. On the surface the record is very simple and non-complex, but God is in the details. Start noticing the little intricacies and harmonies behind the seemingly easy pieces of the puzzle and you'll find that Coal is a beautifully complex monster that gives the band a refreshing new sound.
The album opens with "Foe," a song that keeps adding layers upon layers of harmonies over a pretty simplistic beat in 7/4. The song grows and grows with the addition of snare drums, choruses, gigantic reverb-drenched guitars, and then! Nothing. A clean guitar and some falsetto vocals followed up by an a cappella ending. So where's the magic in that? Listen to how many tracks go into "Foe." Of course it sounds like there's a good amount going on, but really pay attention to the flam hits on the drums, the insanely intricate harmonies in the vocals, all the guitar work, and you'll be astounded. In fact, the album's artwork does a very good job representing the music in that there are so many intricacies about it that it comes off easy to look at until you concentrate.
The standout track on Coal is "The Valley," which clocks in at a full nine minutes of music that tops anything Leprous have done to date. The best way to describe the song is a black-and-white journey through the eyes of a madman to recover something that was his, but lost. Kicking off with Ghost-esque keyboards and a persistent snare drum, the song seamlessly flows through the verse and into what might just be the coolest chorus rhythm of time. If there were a rhythm to falling down the stairs, then this chorus nailed it.
Everything about Coal is well executed, well written, and diverse to keep you interested from start to finish. There really just aren't enough good things to say about Coal; it's a refreshing slab of progressive music that doesn't try to be anything more or less than what it was written to be. It's a natural, spacey record that hits hard in all the right places and backs down when it needs to.
It's safe to say this Leprous have achieved a perfect record with Coal.
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