Vox Occulta (Deluxe Edition) [feat. The Norwegian Radio Orchestra]

For his second solo album, Einar Solberg of the prog-metal quintet Leprous teams up with the prestigious Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Vox Occulta sees the singer and keyboardist exercising his impressive vocal range and flair for the dramatic on a collection of songs that combines elements of classical, opera and cinematic soundscapes. Opener “Stella Mortua” is a theatrical exploration of envy and insecurity delivered with maximum grandiosity. At the opposite end of the spectrum, “Vita Fragilis” blurs Broadway cadences with harsh vocals and odd time signatures. The 12-minute melancholy of “Grex” simultaneously channels Radiohead and old Hollywood before making way for extended solos from Monuments guitarist John Browne and former Bent Knee guitarist Ben Levin.