EINAR SOLBERG 16
INSIDE OUT
Leprous frontman finds new routes to wonder
Einar Solberg searches further afield for inspiration
AS THE VOCALIST of Leprous, Einar Solberg has long been on the cutting edge of musical progression. The Norwegians started out as a progressive metal band, and famously as the live backing ensemble for black metal pioneer Ihsahn, but it’s been a while since that felt like a comfortable pegging for their music; their 2021 album, Aphelion, was the culmination of 20 years of steady innovation that embraced everything from djent and electronica to trip hop. As their horizons have expanded, Einar’s soulful, histrionic voice has remained their North Star, so it’s gratifyingly unsurprising that the singer’s debut solo album is as equally difficult to categorise.