Lepra are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
In a fit of pure laziness on my part, I’m going to just reproduce a line from the promo blurb to set the scene for this release – “It is not your usual cup of black metal, this one has a unique blend of black punk/and roll, folk, goth rock, doom… All played with drums, bass, flute, endless keyboards, and duelling vocals.”
As I listen to Devil’s Blood in Her Tongue, the above description is very appropriate. Across the 37 minutes of idiosyncratic material that Lepra gift us with, the music reveals itself to be a rich and textured exploration of diverse blackened waters. The music’s many influences have been brought together by capable hands and forged into something multifaceted and atypical. Lepra have discovered their own voice early on in their existence, and with it they speak clearly and powerfully.
The songs are well-crafted and delivered with an enthusiasm and personality that’s infectious. It’s unpolished, but not unrefined. Lepra play their music with authenticity and presence, and there are hooks and memorable moments aplenty. Creative and adorned with good ideas and interesting sounds, these songs stand on their own rights ably and easily.
At the heart of it all sits the band’s songwriting skills, bringing everything together and ensuring that the various ideas and influences don’t crowd out the actual song itself. In this way Lepra show a good amount of control, and the songs on Devil’s Blood in Her Tongue benefit from this directing oversight.
Imagine a core of old-school symphonic black metal, raw and primitive, and then enriched with glorious clean singing, folk enhancements, and post-punk energy, then you’ll be somewhat close to Lepra’s enjoyably sensory world.
Devil’s Blood in Her Tongue is a characterful and engaging slice of atypical black metal. A compelling hybrid of old-school black metal with deathrock and post-punk, Lepra have produced a very enjoyable record.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 