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Leprous - Tall Poppy Syndrome
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8.7 | 395 votes |
Release date: 5 May 2009
Style: Progressive metal

Owners:
293 have it
58 want it


01. Passing
02. Phantom Pain
03. Dare You
04. Fate
05. He Will Kill Again
06. Not Even A Name
07. Tall Poppy Syndrome
08. White

Top 20 albums of 2009: 4
Top 200 albums of all time: 148
Guest review Lyrics (8)

Guest review by
embracing
Rating:
9.0
If you're looking for some prog/avantgarde goodness without all the pointless technicality, just awesome songs, but still with a great original edge to which you can even headbang (Headbanging to prog? Who am I kidding?), these Norwegian gentlemen provide your cure.

I am writing this review one year after Leprous' next album, Bilateral was released. Yes, said album turned many heads, yes, it got promoted like crazy by Ihsahn, yes, most people who know the band now know it because of that album (me among them) and for many of us, it remains one of the great surprises of 2011 (which is a big deal, considering how progtastic 2011 proved to be). But let's take a look at what their previous release had to offer. Is it as groundbreaking as the follow-up, only less promoted and fallen through the cracks?

Read more ››
published 09.12.2012 | Comments (5)

Found in 35 lists
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Comments

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Comments: 25   Visited by: 1170 users
14.10.2011 - 06:56
Rating: 9
MetalDoomMaster
I think this is a lot better than Bilateral. A lot more memorable stuff on this album. Very good prog album
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29.10.2011 - 16:54
Rating: 10
qlacs
"The Quaker"
Definitely better than Bilateral.
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24.08.2012 - 04:29
Rating: 9
Dream Taster
The Enemy Within
Staff
Now I can die... Holy hell, what an album.
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14.10.2012 - 10:10
Rating: 10
Monolithic
♠♠♠
I was listening to it this morning. An epic album filled with memorable stuff.
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22.04.2013 - 14:07
Rating: 10
undi
At first, you don't have the furthest idea what you're getting into.
Then, you don't know how you lived without this album until now.
When you finish... you just can't finish. You come back again, and again. And again.

I'm glad I somehow found this little known gem, and I hope they finally get the attention they deserve.
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17.08.2013 - 16:53
Rating: 8
Hex_Omega
Gem Seeker
Dream Theater + Shining + Alchemist = This album. Bilateral is more Devin Townsendish.
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28.11.2013 - 05:29
Rating: 9
BloodJuNkie
Of Egypt
If you dislike this album give it another listen. I gave it a 5 after the 1st listen, now i can't give it less than 9.
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28.11.2013 - 06:08
Lit.
Account deleted
Tried it 2 1/2 times. Still wouldn't give it anymore than a 5. What a heinously overrated album from a heinously overrated band.
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28.11.2013 - 21:44
Rating: 9
K✞ulu
Seeker of Truth
Written by [user id=101272] on 28.11.2013 at 06:08

Tried it 2 1/2 times. Still wouldn't give it anymore than a 5. What a heinously overrated album from a heinously overrated band.

Argumentation? By the way 2 1/2 is way too few listens for this album. I have listened to this one more than 7 times probably, and while I like on the one hand, I still can't fully get my ahead around it, and still I feel this is a spectacular album.
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Savor what you feel and what you see
Things that may not seem important now
But may be tomorrow

R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner

Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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28.11.2013 - 21:47
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Inb4 Marcel's classic post: Most albums can be fully judged after one listen.

...and I couldn't agree more.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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29.11.2013 - 01:35
Lit.
Account deleted
I also agree with Marcel's post, and this album doesn't warrant more than two listens. I only needed to listen to it once to realize how boring it was. Thought it would be better the second time around, but nope.
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03.12.2013 - 03:02
Rating: 7
Unhealer
Eclecticist
Just gave this album a listen with full attention after several casual listens. I don't think it is better than any of the albums that followed, but certainly not bad. I find pretty "amateurish" songwriting at times, compared to everything that followed.
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03.12.2013 - 05:46
Rating: 9
Diverge
Hmm I think that this album is getting a rather odd reception here on Metal Storm. On just about every reputable prog site, this album has been very well received. I'm certainly not going to acknowledge it's a perfect album, but it is an influential one and one with a surprising level of consistency. I tend to sympathize with those people who like what Leprous's contemporaries have done with the sound developed here and on the subsequent records, but this is certainly not a failure in any capacity nor is it nearly as boring or amateurish as some of the comments have suggested.

As for Leprous being overrated.... it's certainly something I can see. I personally never got into Bilateral, for example. That being said, the sheer quality of this record and Coal more than justify the hype for this group, in my honest opinion.
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23.08.2015 - 21:23
Rating: 9
Reaper_Redeemer
Their best album.
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22.11.2016 - 12:08
Rating: 8
MichaelAngeloT
Fantastic Album!!! ..The vocals.. the guitar riffs..!!! It Blows me away
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05.01.2017 - 23:13
Rating: 10
Coolingsrock
Amazing record and don't let anyone tell you otherwise
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22.09.2018 - 17:09
Rating: 9
Jack_Torrance
Just wow.
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29.04.2019 - 22:41
Rating: 10
metalriff
Tall Poppy Syndrome > All later albums combined
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1001 Metal albums to hear before you die
https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6531
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22.07.2020 - 17:20
Rating: 8
Mountain King
K i K o
Great album! I am really like it, so proggy with hints of Opeth once the growling starts (there's not too much growling for the haters of this style). I really love the 3rd song "Dare You", it has great riffs and drumming.
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09.02.2021 - 15:55
Rating: 9
nonZero
I gave this album an 8 initially, but (like all the best prog records) it has grown on me a lot over the last couple of years. Now it sits comfortably within my top 50 albums of all time.

9.4/10 for me - 'Passing' and 'Tall Poppy Syndrome' are the standout tracks. 'He Will Kill Again', 'Not Even A Name' and 'White' are also fantastic.
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Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)
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09.02.2021 - 16:00
Karlabos
What's a Poppy syndrome? Does it have to do with that singer?
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"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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09.02.2021 - 17:12
Zap
Written by Karlabos on 09.02.2021 at 16:00

What's a Poppy syndrome? Does it have to do with that singer?

Not sure but I'd place my bets on drugs.
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09.02.2021 - 18:14
Rating: 7
Redel
Moderator
Written by Zap on 09.02.2021 at 17:12

Written by Karlabos on 09.02.2021 at 16:00

What's a Poppy syndrome? Does it have to do with that singer?

Not sure but I'd place my bets on drugs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome
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10.02.2021 - 16:50
Zap
Written by Redel on 09.02.2021 at 18:14

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome

Well, I was way off
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10.02.2021 - 22:01
Rating: 7
Redel
Moderator
Written by Zap on 10.02.2021 at 16:50

Well, I was way off

I had no idea and was going your way too.
Thus I wanted to verify it...
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