Leonov Embrace the Catharsis and Dynamic “Procession” of Pain Through The Lens of Post-Metal

There have been plenty of comebacks this year and today, we at Everything Is Noise are thrilled to bring you one for the post-metal fans. After a hiatus of five long years since their well-received second album, Wake, the post-metal collective from Oslo, Leonov, is back with a fresh set of hauntingly beautiful and reflective post-metal tracks aptly titled, Procession. With this release, the band deftly combine sharp, cool progressions with heartfelt, warm passages, resulting in an eerie and cinematic atmosphere that feels almost otherworldly. Procession paints a sonic picture of a world in decline, featuring somber tones, shifting dynamics, and an overarching sense of darkness—an expressive plea for those enduring hardship and a glimmer of hope for brighter days.

While the album maintains an overall mood of melancholy and release, Leonov skillfully incorporates powerful and weighty moments. Instead of veering between extremes, they artfully merge these intense elements with a polished finesse, giving the songs a dynamic and distinct quality.

Throughout the seven songs that make up Procession, the mood only wavers to add impact to the overall message of the album. After the brief introduction, “Amer” invokes sounds of melodic doom, modal tones, and a fully realized post-metal outro that will make any fan of the genre sit up and take notice. Leonov have recognized that this type of music is at its best when all of the layers and dynamics complement and counterpoint each other and find lots of ways to make that happen, such as the relationship between the vocals and tempo of “Procession”, the title track, and how vocal layers contrast on songs like “Sora” and “Oreza”.

Procession is an enjoyable dirge that expands, grows, and shapeshifts across its runtime by utilizing what makes this band unique. Haunting vocals, hypnotic riffing, and a sense of responsibility to the songs’ purpose and not just chasing what would make them ‘heavier.’ Post-metal is a way to express more emotional range within the context of extreme metal but over time has gone on to find a life of its own and thankfully, Leonov are pushing that idea even further. You can follow the band on Facebook and be sure to head to their Bandcamp or label page to secure your copy of this behemoth which officially releases this Friday, November 24 via Vinter Records.