I am very pleased that the wait for this new 17th album by Therion has been only three years as opposed to six between 2012’s ‘Les Fleurs Du Mal’ and ‘Beloved Antichrist’ in 2018. ‘Beloved Antichrist’ coalesced everything about Therion we love and indeed for some it was their best album. For me it was in terms of sheer ambition and utter flamboyance, as the question in the Therion camp must have been where to go from that album. Christofer Johnsson, and his now long term collaborator Thomas Vikström, has produced some of the finest symphonic metal that has ever been released. Anyone who has been a Therion fan, like myself, and has travelled their journey through the previous 16 albums will know how that every album has offered something different, from concept based releases, elaborate vocal arrangements to the stupendous symphonic delivery we all know. Even very early Therion had the tenets of what was to come, you’ve only got to listen to ‘Symphony Of The Dead’ or ‘The Way’ from the band’s sophomore ‘Beyond Sanctorum’ released in 1992 to prove that. The band has always been about breaking boundaries, surpassing everything they’ve done previously as one can never accuse Mr Johnsson of resting on previous works. Indeed I interviewed him some years ago for another outlet where he told me he was prepared to stake his career on any album Therion has released. A bold statement and one that has held true through the course of the bands discography whether you like the early death metal works through to the spellbinding ‘Beloved Antichrist’.
So where has the band decided to go for this new album, well gone is the expansive enriched concept like album, instead the band has channelled its energy and creative fluidity into eleven straight up hard hitting anthems that capture the essence of their 1996 masterpiece ‘Theli’ and 1998’s mesmerising ‘Vovin’, both of which defined the symphonic metal genre as we know it. Every song here is a crack hit as I’m sure all fans will have their favourites as the album kicks off with ‘The Leaf On The Oak Of Far’, a longwinded title for a short tune that encapsulates what Therion are about. Written with a fist pumping drive the song crashes in with a catchy riff and cool vocal tone. The vocal arrangements are sumptuous, as always, as the antiphonal male and female styles enhance the song hugely. The songs catchy choral insertion is infectious as the opener is a true standout and followed by the equally excellent ‘Tuonela’ where the pace slows marginally for a denser moodier affair. With Marko Hietala of Nightwish adding his considerable vocal impact to the song the track is intense, majestic and magical and leads into the excellent title track which readers will be familiar with as it was released as a single last year.
The title track is classic Therion with an initial dolefulness that transitions into colossal choral vocal arrangements that fans of the ‘Vovin’ era will absolutely adore alongside the soaring female vocal line. Far more solemn and melancholy but steeped in a grandiose anthemic poise ‘Die Welten Der Zeit’ has ballad like strains offering a stark contrast to the preceding songs and also the follower ‘Ai Dahka’ where the tempo is notched up substantially. Being far more metal the song delicately balances that metal with the symphonic threads that texturise the song. With a slight Middle Eastern flavour on the guitar hook periodically the soaring female operatic vocal sends tendrils of dramatic purpose through the track.
The calming serenity of ‘Nocturnal Light’ has tangible emotion producing that cinematic aura we all know Therion can produce with ease. With a mournful aura and slight sleazy beat the song focuses on female vocals that unfurls into the expansive choral variety with sheer panache. Returning to the upbeat style, ‘Great Marquis Of Hell’ has a dark heavy metal substance before it neatly pivots in pace to a straight up metal song with a supreme catchy chorus delivering cool commercial appeal that I am certain will be in the live set, when they finally start up again.
‘Psalm Of Retribution’ returns to the shadowy aspects of the band but retaining the anthemic drive of course, as deep male vocal layering is heard. I love this aspect of Therion’s song writing, that ability to swerve the emotion from cheery symphonic euphoria to a morose ambience. Closing the album is ‘Ten Courts Of Diyu’ where an Oriental ethos is felt through the melody, with dramatic pacing and theatrical isolated female vocals. A beautiful tune the song is the very core of Therion, as the track harks back to a song like ‘The Siren Of The woods’ from the ‘Theli’ album. The melancholy saturates the song where emotive vocals are linked into the male style with aplomb. Symphonic texturing is more subtly done here, allowing the emotive guitar to focus the song, especially on the lead break and concludes this fabulous new album brilliantly.
Therion are back with a streamlined new album, packed with commerciality done in their very own way, as each song will ingrain its indelible hooks into your head.
(9/10 Martin Harris)
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