Therion Symphony

Hailing Symphony Masses – Ho Drakon Ho Megas as the first genuine Therion release may appear at first glance strange. After all the two preceding straightforward death metal efforts aren’t less legitimate. It isn’t either the big watershed Theli will be. The lineup is completely different than on Beyond Sanctorum, however Therion lineup has always been anecdotal and no musician here will last long anyway, even while remaining conscious Piotr Wawrzeniuck has been an important figure in Therion’s own little world…

This is Therion's perhaps most essential release other than their brilliant 2004 releases of Lemuria/Sirius B. This live dvd consists of over 4 dvds and the live audio cds of the main live performance which was shot in Mexico City in 2004…

Given that Vovin sees yet another round of major changes in the Therion lineup, it's remarkable how consistent frontman Christofer Johnsson's vision remains from record to record. Cut with a symphony choir, this outing continues in the vein of the prior Theli, offering a rich and majestic sound a cut above the genre norm.

Therion mastermind Christofer Johnsson has never recovered from hearing the choir come in at the end of Ozzy Osbourne's "Diary of a Madman." While 2002's Secret of the Runes, a conceptual work celebrating the nine different worlds of Norse mythology, was technically flawless and endlessly atmospheric, its orchestral and choral wall of sound seemed pasted on rather than successfully integrated into the electric onslaught. After a two-year hiatus, Therion return with not one but two records, the blistering, elegiac, and overall stunning Lemuria/Sirius B. This time around, the Scandinavian heavy metal equivalent of the Moody Blues eulogizing a Viking funeral have mastered their dark art and created the finest record of their career…

THERION have always been a band that have challenged themselves to explore new paths, while remaining true to their musical core values. For their 17th studio album, “Leviathan”, mastermind Christofer Johnsson and his collaborator Thomas Vikström have created something that has been previously unthinkable to the guitarist and the singer. "We have done the only thing that was left of all the different angles to explore", explains Christofer. "We have decided to give the people what they kept asking for. 'Leviathan' is the first album that we have deliberately packed with THERION hit songs."

In many ways, Beyond Sanctorum, Therion’s second album, is particularly eccentric even by Death Metal standards. The production is cinematic, the sound is full, sometimes there are distorted vocals and even the popping of a female soprano voice (the last element makes one think about the band’s later efforts). Though it's been written in the wake of similar albums by the like of Dismember, Entombed et al, Beyond Sanctorum includes much more varied dynamics and tempos, dissonant leads, the occasional slow section and songwriting pushed to the point of verging on epic…