LEPRA – Devil’s Blood in Her Tongue

Extreme metal still surprises with originality, and Lepra is an act that defies expectations by existing at all, crafting something truly astonishing and unprecedented.

 

Lepra, an all-female trio from Portland, Maine, was formed in 2019 by Sarah, Kate, and Nyssa. Their personal lives remain largely unknown, but their entry into the music scene is unforgettable. Though rooted in black metal, their style transcends typical USBM, blending punk, folk, goth rock, ambient, and doom. The music features flute, keyboards, and persistent choral vocals. Calling it “original” barely suffices. Their debut, Devil’s Blood in Her Tongue, fully showcases this originality.

 

The cover is misleading. Many might assume it’s just another cavernous demo tape, but that would be a mistake. Over 36 minutes, the album immerses listeners in a parallel world: a marginalized girl embarks on a journey through exile, plague, and dark magic, meeting wild beasts, deities, and kodama along the way. By journey’s end, she finds that chasing “good” is futile in the face of endless suffering and, empowered, establishes herself in the twisted world she’s created.

 

A complex concept, masterfully executed over seven tracks. The album flows with twists, starting with Our Lady of Everlasting Sorrow/Hibernacula: soft chorals and liturgies rise above steady drumming, while tremolo-picked guitars add melody. This continues in Corvus and the Augur and Erlösung am Hexenring, the latter focusing more on ambient textures with ethereal guitar and keyboards. Olde Growth features heavier black metal, but in some verses, the liturgies soften the instruments in the right way. The closer, Mandragora (Spell of Entrapment), starts aggressively with dual vocals, then fades into a mysterious, keyboard-driven finale.

 

This is one of the year’s most impressive revelations. The songs are well-crafted and delivered with enthusiasm and personality, all within a unique style. The music stands out thanks to creative songwriting and seamless blending of influences. It took three years to create this album, and it shows. Lepra is not just any trio—they are talented, creative, and passionate. Devil’s Blood in Her Tongue proves it—a true gem of 2023.