Review of "Deggial" It's very hard to write something about an album, which has been told a lot about. Waited with impatience by many fans, does not dissilusion. One thing is sure, "Deggial" is deed of genius, completly different than powerful "Theli", overfulled with energy, beautiful, symphonic "Vovin". From this music flows out seizing sorrow, dusk, and pain... It is much more monumental opera of darkness than normal symphonic-metal music... Voices, instruments, echoes... On "Deggial is more symphonic music (except immortal stringed instruments one can hear for example flutes, oboes, great war drums), sublimated vocal lines (basses, sopranos, alts), classic aranges. Heavy, metal guitars appears more rarely, they often are just a background for powerful choirs and orchestra. The novelty are omnipresent acoustic guitars. Album is absolutely perfect from the side of recording, every voice and instrument is great hearable (the cost of recording session was 100000 DEM). Very interesting thing is "therionized" version of Carl Orff`s classical song "O Fortuna" - is sounds amazing (first heavy guitars, later stringes, drums and the choir). Dusky lyrics of all compositions refers to mythlogy of many nations, they are full a tales about gods, dreams, forgotten ceremonies. Sublime, monumental Christofer Johnsson's work will propably be the best candidate for album of the year 2000 (but I'm wondering in which cathegory: choiral-classical metal?). Filled up with beauty, sorrow, magic, the album draws the hearer into the crazy, dusky universum. Old gods are dancing in the night, the skies are burning, blaspheming creatures are living beetwen mortals again... PS: I encourage the adorers of classic and choral music to listen to this album. It is worth of it! __________________________________ Review of "SOTR" Just in time, I've sat down with decision to write some words about this album - from (since? - TH) its release some months have passed. Why am I doing it so late? Because, beeing sincere, for a long time this album was nothing special for me, well, just a good job, which made lot of confusion around itself. But after this months and after many hours spended to listening to this album I can boldness say that it is just great! "Secret Of The Runes" does not belong to the album, which can be loved or hated after only a few examinations (? - listenings...? - TH) - to get sure feeling some time is needed, and to see a beautyful in it one have to sit down in silence, concentration and then set the volume level such loudly. It's the best way to get known how the album (which after few examinations we can say it contains only choirs) is heavy and how it's lightening with beautyful and mysticism. Even first track, "Ginnungagap" is starting from uncanny heavy guitar sounds which are fucking strong, and when the choirs are including one knows this is it. I'm not going to write about every song, I will try to conceive them all into one short part. First of all, the guitar hits - guys 'rows' excellent, sounds of their guitars sometimes are so hard, that as the synonym of the word "guitar", to the head is coming word "tank". But what is most important, knowing earlier creations of Therion, it is able to see that on "Secret...", comparing to other albums, is huge quantity of solos which can't be just name the good workshop 'cause one feels there a lot of passion of band to the music, besides the solos appear in adequatest moment. Except the electric guitars we can hear there even acoustic guitars, very often the violins appear. Anyway during the recording session a lot of different instruments has been used, mostly those ones using in Philharmonic Halls, but Johnsson have found a place even for a special tube, which Wagner and Strauss used to play on - Therion borrow it. If 've mentioned the choir, I've gotta write there is one perceptible (and interesting) thing - the female vocal is mostly solo and the male vocal is hearable in execution of few guys. And maybe this is another reason why this album seems to be so heavy. But after all, "SOTR" is very (it would be nice if you found some "big" word replacing word "very" TH :-) melodic, every note has been precisly thought over by Chris. No doubt, this album is ripest creation of Therion, maybe it is even ripest album in the world of last years. And I'm really antonished when I hear the voices of criticism, but as I wrote in introduction, this is not the album which one can start love - a man must growing up to it, 'cause someone would say "yea, it's not bad", but wouldn't see its beauty. It's amazing that after another ones examinations one can find a detail, which has been missed (overlooked? - TH) during previous listenings. And every deatil has been precisly thought over and done excellent. Heh, it had to be written laconic, but I screw it up :) Anyway I've gotta also write something about not-melodic side of "Secret Of The Runes", saying shortly - about lyrics. This is concept album, which in eleven songs has been written (described? - TH) Odin's journey through the worlds of nordic mythology. First track is prologue, titled song is epilogue but on this album are songs which completly do not fit - not by style but the reason is that they are damaging the concept. This is Scorpion and Abba covers. In my opinion, if somebody makes a concept album, shouldn't damage it by some bonus. But this is the only one thin which I could reproach this album. Maybe not to big, but I works to (for?-TH) me as the fly sitting on TV screen - there is no need to irritate but somehow it makes a man disturbing :) Summing up, "The Secret Of The Runes" is great album worth of purchase, even the packing (cover? - TH) is done fucking good... anyway let's leave this aspect. Comparing to "Deggial", "SOTR" just crash it, comparing to other albums rather has no sense because on the example of this disk there is great visible that Therion made his own unique style, in which nobody has played before. Of course we can start to look for resemblance to some bands, but in few years other bands will be comparing to Therion. This is not the music for kids listening some "chaff" (crack? you know, something like music extreme death metal bands- TH) but for opened people and, first of all, sensitive for the beautyful. I recommend it with my whole (black) heart THOR _______ Therion - Vovin Therion is the phenomenon, of which meaning is impossible to overrate, phenomenon hard to foresee, suprizing from a record to a record. This exception (ing? _TH) was growing up with every next disk, at least the record "Lepaca Kliffoth" set the band in first row of "climaters" (you know, guys from this kind of climatic music - TH) and Theli has shown how many metal has common with symphony. Vovin is another one key to the magic world. The world weaved with eternal secrets and heavenly sounds. The band right now has no stable perssonel, from people which in the past ammounted the band only Christofer Johnsson has left, but it is known not from today that Therion is him. On "Vovin" he resigned from singing. He gave this not to anybody, because to Martina Hornbacher from Dreams Of Sanity. The voice is giving by Sarah Jezebel Deva too (known from Cradle Of Filth and Covenant). In "The Wild Hunt" appears male vocal belongin to Ralf Scheepers from Primal Fear. But the solo vocal parts on this album are really a rareness. The huge role performs manypersonal choir (many... - lot of guys there, can't find fitting world.. - TH), transferring into the world of dreams, beauty and ancient gods. It mainly makes Therion is that, what any other band just cannot be. In music itself, one can feel little more classic heavy metal. Motifs from "Wine Of Aluqah" makes a man feeling something simmilar to Iron Maiden... But, it is not worth to play in XX (can't find this world - if you hear for example Therion and you think it is simmilar to Iron Maiden, so this is... comparing... but maybe you know more poetic world... the thing you are doing then...) during keepin up intercourse with art. Therion drowning us in its own Kingdom, in where every sound flows as lazy, regulated river (it is pity remembering exploding "Theli, but...). Drowning in atmosphere full of nostalgy, XX (if you're sitting down and starting to getting silenct... this is that world -TH :) and unequalized beauty ("Clavicula Nox", "Eye Of Shiva"), unreal reality, and comisc experiences ("Raven Of Dispersion"). Sometimes baring (you know, making something naked - TH :) power of orchestral sounding, and symphonic sublimity & fury ("The Opening", "Morning Star", "Black Diamonds"), or opening the gates to ancient Persia ("The Rise Of Sodom And Gomorrah"). Here, every sound is a part of magic puzzles, which affecting of its beauty, charming by amazing harmonies and monumental sound makes genius, enchanted totality. Hard to believe that all these images are one man's product. Christofer Johnsson is uncommon creator. His life motto are changes, also researching and development, and all of this in the range of art of composition which we know as Therion. Everything he makes is buckled with clasps of silence and he closes it in his own world, which can be visited only by choosen ones. It is very hard to muddle through this record without suggesting by own feelings. Because it looks like every sound is intimate dream hidden in deepest depth of heart. Also I cannot put my feeling away, but I know that not only I felt after hear "Vovin" that everything what has been before seemed to be an emptiness. I know that this album will fascinate many sensitive receivers looking for unconventional impressions, (receivers) teared off from hard reality. ________ Therion - Live In Midgard Concert albums are very different in today's times. Usually they are releasing 'cause lack of ideas for play and/or cash of band and/or record label. Usually an albums of this kind are middling interesting and their worth is destined only for maniacs. Usually concert albums are not 'written down' (sound on CD - fit any word - TH) performance, but completly mixed in studio substitute of a show, which completly loosing an atmosphere of a gig and gaining bewitchment climate of affected (affecting [noun here] - TH?). Fortunately to market sometimes goes prominent concert album which isn't touched in the studio, but if it is, there are only insignificant comsetic details. To the albums like this, belongs newest Therion release called "Live In Midgard". The most important thing, which one have to mention and which is heareable during all the time of intercoursing with album, is fact that CD (exactly CDs because it is doubleCD album) is closest to a bootleg than to any concert album. DOKOŃCZYĆ _______ History Word Therion in Greek means beast, a wild animal. So, there's nothing strange the band has been called like this if they first indend was to play death metal. But one have to know that before Therion has released its first album, it name was Blitzkrieg (in German - fast war), also by some period of time the band was called Megatherion. In 1989 when Christofer Johnsson (the founder of the band, and as the time shown, the only one member which stayed in the band after many years of existence) had 17 years, he and some metal heads released two demos (Paroxysmal Holocaust oraz Beyond The Darkest Veils Of Inner Wickedness). Quality of those stuffs was fatal, but as Johnsson will say after years, the recording session had learn him a lot. In 1990 about band called still Blitzkrieg started to be noisly, and the reason was recording of next demo entitled Time Shall Tell. The sound had much better quality, and the songs in relation to these from previous demos became more ripe and was showing big potencial sticking in the band. Casette faleed into the hands of guys from Deaf Records, and thanks to it the band could record its first longplay in pretty profesional studio. The record "Of Darkness" appeared one year later (1991), and was decorated with the name Therion. An interesting thing was the fact that Johnsson when was thinking out the name of the band was suggesting by the title of album of Switch band Celtic Frost, "To Megatherion". Later he got known that Aleister Crowley used to call himself as Therion. Coming back to "Of Darkness" - the record had a raw climate of heavy shambles, which can be appereciate by hot-headed fans of death metal. It was compared to records of Bolt Thrower, Carcass and Entombed and even if the fact was that Therion did not thought out something new and only copied the ideas of using by other bands, it was appreciated and well received not only in Sweden, but in Poland too. What's interestesting - on the first Beast's record appeared over half of songs written few years earlier which had been placed at demos - cooperation with record label have let the young musicans to record this song again in much better terms. So, there's nothing strange that in the same year they released another new album, entitled "Beyond Sanctorum". DOKOŃCZYĆ _____ LIVE 1 Everything has started from the moment, in which I got the letter with the interview with Chritofer Johnsson from Therion. He wrote, they will play Poznan together with Moonspell. Therion and Moonspell are my favourites bands, however I know them from their latest achievements - Moonspell from "Wolfheart, Therion from "Lepaca Kliffoth"). Anyway I have no orgasm while I was thinking about this coming show. I bought a ticket on 24th September and I forgot about this show. I reminded it maybe about one week before and with fear I saw that I go there alone, without any pal. But, what shall I have to do? (you know, past time - TH). Eskulap.. Opposite the entrance crowd of metal heads and few "normal" people. Many metal heads was in overcoat (mostly leather - some kind of new fashion? :). Misters guardians (you know - security - TH) - typical discussers but most of shows in Poland are disussion shows, so let's forgive them. There left only shining in ultraviolet stamp on hand and I am in the metal hell. Inside... queue. To cloak-room. Very long, so I go to make a little round through the club. Oh, T-shirts! What?! 50 zł? Are they insane or something?! I'm entering to the hall, where bands will play. I'm meeting Pyra with friends (hi Pyra!). I'm going out and I see that the queue is two times bigger. I'm nervously embrancing my jacket and thinking what shall I do. Suddenly I hear the sounds of intro. I'm going to the main hall (I will call it in this way) and on the stage I see Darkside. There's no lot of people, so I'm standing close to the stage. I'm hearing antonished voices "Wow, they are starting punctually". :) Darkside... I don't know this band but when I hear what they're playing I'm becoming soft and going to stand with my jacket in this fucking queue. I got two jackets to leave in cloak-room - I was always obliging :) I'm coming back to the main hall and listening to Darkside. They are playing tharsh/back something. Bald vocalist/guitarist is screaming and playing in typical black metal way, bass player looking like crazy butcher waving (swaying? - TH) his head. Keyboard player (which is not hearable, and he seems to play drummer parts - drummer couldn't play well? (here you can use some funny word in the way like he was screwing up or suck, dunno - TH :) was waving his head nervously too. Generally, they sucks. In the end the drummer throws his sticks and the break follows. Some people entering, some leaving. I'm staying. In the break one could hear some metal songs from the tape. But they are becoming lighter. On the stage is coming the guitarist/vocalist of Darkside again. Bis? No, he's arranging the equipment for Therion. From the first sight one can see Chris's guitar (in contradistinction to the rest of metal world it is Gibson Les Paul... but maybe Ricardo from Moonspell was playing on something Gibson-simillar). Three microphones for the choir. The microphones are placed by very funny guy - in the serious age but he's starting telling the jokes... People are antonished. Intro... and Therion! The crowd is going crazy! Everybody are jumping and raging. Sometimes is so sultrinnes that one can become soft. Therion played very well, choirs were fucking great! Three woman... but what they were! You should have seen them. The only one fault was lack of second male singer - on Theli it was Piotr Wawrzeniuk, on this show his vocal part took one of the female-chorister and everything was sounding completly different than on the records. But the show was great! I'm thinking about little break, but there's no time. "The world will burn by Soraths flame"!!! Yes, yes, yes! My voice is teared but I'm singing with Chris. People are very enjoyed however there was no pogo, rather group jumpin in the rhytm of Heimat-melodien (it was looking like that :). And break again. I'm going outisde and I see a lot of people but there were a free place inside. I see some people leving the show. I'm coming back to the main hall and I hear from the speakers (loud speaker? - TH) disco-rock from 70s-80s. Total antnishment and even whistles (but not too loud). The smoke and intro again. A shadow appears. Aaaaaa! Squels, screams. Fury again. Guys, this is Moonspell! When the visibility is clear, one can see a Fernando in cassock. If I remember well (anyway I remember not too much things - it was so incredible experience) Fernando sang "Le the children cum to me". Damn! It sounds like "Wolfheart", not like "Pecado". Hard and blackly (are there influences of Deamonarch?). I started to worry that there will be lot of stuff from "Pecado", but I heard (I don't remember what aws earlier) "Ruin & Misery" and then I died. Later "Herr Spiegelmann", "Opium" (of course), "...of dream and drama", "Mephisto", "2econd skin", "deKadance", "Vampiria" (dedicated to Polish vampires) and, of course, "Alma Mater", which audience wanted from the beginning of Moonspel's performance. Fernando announced "Alma Mater" as a song tributed to Polish fans. Vocalist was changing his clothes almost after every song. He was using lot of things, such as big blowed globes which were flying through the audience. one of them was later raped hard by Fernando. Genrally everything was sounding very hard but Moonspell always play in this way during their performances (vide "2nd Skin"). After "Alma Mater" I had no strength and stifling I went to the exit. There, feeling earth vibrating to the rhtym of Moonspell, I got a feeling of satisfaction and cosmic orgasm. Dears, I wish more shows like that! Szalony Kapelusznik _______ LIVE 2 I remember great show which took a place on 3rd march in last year in Krakow, as it happend yesterday.The bands were excellent, beacause except the star of the night which Therion was, there were also Voivod and Flowing Tears. Especially performance of Voivod stick in my memory. But this time there were two supports but I did not know them too well, they didn' make too big impression on me. Starting the show, group My Insanity, has presented average interesting gothic supproting by drum automatic machine. Next band, Evergrey, which I heard good opinions about before the show, in my opinion, appeared too much advertised. We could hear five or six in the sytle of such ambitious heavy metal (it didn't seem to be progmetal) with not bad vocal.... Their music was in the climate of Stratovarius or something like this, nothing special for me. Couple of minutes after nine p.m., the dusk swaddled Proxima and with strange, running lights, performance of the star has started. First they have played "Ginnungagap" from the new record, and then we were nice suprized when Christofer announced "fuckin' Riders Of Theli". I think not many people expected to hear Therion's classic songs at the beginning, so the public reacted with total madness. The same situatuation took place during next "hit", Invocation of Naamah from "Theli". As it couldn't be enough, band played "Symphony of the Dead", which began a mixture from first three records of Therion. Nobody expected something like this. We heard five-six minutes portion of metal meat (flash, fodder? - TH). Later on the stage came back the choir with amazing Andy Engberg (every day in Lion's Share - [you know, he's in this band - TH]) and the band played songs from their last records. There were songs from every record but most of them were from classic and critical for the band, record "Theli". Besides "Invocation of Naamah" Therion played "In The Desert Of Seth", "Cults Of The Shadow" and "To Mega Therion". "Siren of the woods" was missing, they did not play "Nightside of Eden" (but this song we could here in the last year, in Proxima in February). The crowd was great, people took with enthusiasm older compoisitions and "Asgaard" (at the begginign sounding like viking-metal ;) and "Schwarzalbenheim" from new record. Of course besides Therion was playing about 90 minutes, the public was not appeased (you know, people wanted more- TH) and called out the band to play once again. First we could here "To Mega Therion" and "Cults Of The hadow" and when turned out that it's not so easy to leave Proxima stage, the duty of main singer took mentioned musican of Lion's Share. First he get a public move on by shouting (screaming? - TH) with people (separate with women and man, what has been received very well) and then Therion played the classic of Iron Maiden, "Revelations". But when the public did not give up and still was screaming "Therion! Therion!" musicans came back once again to play, together with Evergrey and My Insanity in choirs, one more heavy hit from 80s - "Balls to the Wall" of Accept. Over two hours performance finished and musicans during some minutes were taking leave of public (you know - saying Goodbye, see ya - TH), talikng with fans and giving autographs. Adam Kaliszewski _________