It was Sunday, on a weekend after a thunderous Varathron concert where our bodies still ached. This Therion concert was supposed to take place in the same venue, but due to either ticket sales or the large band, it was moved to a much larger space.

Honestly, I didn’t expect a big crowd turnout, but luckily I was mistaken. The concert kicked off with the Athenian power metallers The Silent Wedding.

It was a band that was eager to perform again in Thessaloniki, and as a result, their performance was flawless. A band with great chemistry gave it their all on stage, despite the short time they played.

The time approached for Therion to take the stage, and despite the venue having very few people initially, it began to fill up abruptly.

It wasn’t overcrowded, but as more people came in, which was quite a few, they seemed dedicated to the band.

I must admit it was my first time seeing them, being quite distant in tastes from symphonic metal. But the moment to perform had arrived, and whatever apprehensions I had started to dissipate as the band won me over from the start.

I felt like I was watching a metal theatrical performance right in front of my eyes. Each member knew exactly what they were doing, both in stage presence and musical skills.

The two guitarists, Christofer Johnsson and Christian Vidal, seemed like they came from another planet, but where I was obviously left speechless was by the tenor Thomas Vikstroem and the two amazing sopranos Lori Lewis and Rosalia Sairem.

These five, along with the other two members, sent shivers down our spines with each song. After taking some photos, I left everything behind and went straight to the front to immerse myself in the music they played.

Again, one word can express their entire live performance, goosebumps. The setlist was long and enough to satisfy anyone.

Highlights were definitely “To Mega Therion,” “Lemuria,” and “Birth of Venus Illegitima.” Major credit is due to the professionalism of this band.

Amazing stage presence, flawless production, resulting in absolutely no one being disappointed.

Those who had been listening to them for a while, I imagine, enjoyed every cent that they spent for a ticket, as did those who simply came out of curiosity, probably ended up as fans by the end of the night.

Review and Photos Sotiris Zikas