THERION - LEVIATHAN | Rockum Reviews

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, mastermind Christofer Johnsson and his collaborator Thomas Vikstr�m 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."

True to the Swede's words, the album opens with the catchy and swift tune 'The Leaf Of The Oak Of Far' featuring female and male antiphonal singing as well as a choir that seems to have evolved straight out of THERION's breakthrough full-length "Theli" (1996).

This is immediately followed by
the obvious highlight 'Tuonela', in which Christofer cleverly underscores this hit-track's Finnish vibe by employing NIGHTWISH�s "metal voice" Marko Hietala. Next up in this parade of future fanfavourites is the title track 'Leviathan' that offers classic THERION material with operatic female
vocals and a massive choir.

Christofer Johnsson's passion for classic voices, choirs, and orchestral elements as well as his penchant for epic melodies in combination with rock and metal shines clearly through the following sing-along ballad 'Die Wellen Der Zeit', which indicates another nod to German romantic composer Richard Wagner. "Ever since 'Theli', Wagner has been and will always be at the core of THERION", emphasises Christofer. "When we started to combine metal and opera, it was something new and original. Today, symphonic metal has long been a firmly established genre."

When THERION came into being in 1988 by changing name from the already existing band BLITZKRIEG, which was founded a year earlier, Christofer had rather taken inspiration from SLAYER's
"Reign In Blood" among other classic metal albums. At the beginning, the Swedes were firmly rooted in death metal, a genre which they helped to define, as witnessed by their debut album "Of Darkness...." (1991). Yet even back then, there were hints of "something else" lurking beneath the rough surface.

The use of female vocals is another core ingredient of THERION today, which developed gradually.

CELTIC FROST had basically introduced the female element to extreme metal on "To Mega Therion" in 1985.

THERION began with both a female and male vocalist emulating a church like choir already in their sophomore full-length 'Beyond Sanctorum' (1992). With Symphony "Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas" (1993) and "Lepaca Kliffoth" (1995), Christofer continued to developed his trademark sound by gradually drifting towards cleaner vocals and more keyboards. With "Theli", the Swedes had firmly established a reputation of pushing the boundaries of metal in the 90s � among such acts as their compatriots TIAMAT, THE GATHERING, and MOONSPELL that were often referred to as "gothic metal" at the time.

THERION continued to break new ground leaving inspiration for others to follow in their wake: On "A'arab Zaraq - Lucid Dreaming" (1997), Christofer further explored the use of Near Eastern music in metal which he had already begun in 1992, while "Secret Of The Runes" (2001) dared to have
Swedish lyrics in some songs. While critics were left confused and fans challenged, THERION were often ahead of their times and vindicated in hindsight. Even the band's 25th anniversary excursion "Les Fleurs Du Mal" has by now overcome the initial shock the album caused and is only beaten in terms of streaming by the classic "Vovin" (1998).

When Christofer faced the question of where to go next after the dramatic "Beloved Antichrist" (2018) had finally fulfilled his musical mission, his answer is "Leviathan" named after a giant sea monster from Judeo-Christian myth that has roots in Babylonic lore: THERION have created a giant hit album � and for the first time in the history of the Swedes, their fans are not asked to explore
something new, but simply to lean back and enjoy the best from their band!

-Spanish version

THERION siempre ha sido una banda que se ha desafiado a s� misma a explorar nuevos caminos, sin dejar de ser fiel a sus valores fundamentales musicales. Para su 17� �lbum de estudio, el cerebro Christofer Johnsson y su colaborador Thomas Vikstr�m han creado algo que antes era impensable para el guitarrista y el cantante. "Hemos hecho lo �nico que quedaba por explorar de todos los diferentes �ngulos", explica Christofer. "Hemos decidido darle a la gente lo que se qued�
preguntando por. 'Leviathan' es el primer �lbum que hemos empaquetado deliberadamente con �xitos de THERION ".

Fiel a las palabras del sueco, el �lbum se abre con la pegadiza y r�pida melod�a 'The Leaf Of The Oak Of Far' con canto antifonal femenino y masculino, as� como un coro que parece haber evolucionado directamente del gran avance de THERION en su larga duraci�n "Theli "(1996).

Esto es seguido inmediatamente por
el punto culminante obvio 'Tuonela', en el que Christofer subraya h�bilmente el ambiente finland�s de esta exitosa pista empleando la "voz met�lica" de NIGHTWISH, Marko Hietala. El siguiente en este desfile de futuros fan�ticos es la canci�n principal 'Leviathan' que ofrece material cl�sico de THERION con mujeres oper�sticas.
voces y un coro masivo.

La pasi�n de Christofer Johnsson por las voces cl�sicas, los coros y los elementos orquestales, as� como su inclinaci�n por las melod�as �picas en combinaci�n con el rock y el metal, brilla claramente a trav�s de la siguiente balada cantada 'Die Wellen Der Zeit', que indica otro gui�o al compositor rom�ntico alem�n. Richard Wagner. "Desde 'Theli', Wagner ha sido y estar� siempre en el centro de THERION", enfatiza Christofer. "Cuando empezamos a combinar metal y �pera, era algo nuevo y original. Hoy, el metal sinf�nico ha sido un g�nero firmemente establecido".

Cuando THERION naci� en 1988 al cambiar el nombre de la banda ya existente BLITZKRIEG, que se fund� un a�o antes, Christofer se hab�a inspirado m�s bien en SLAYER.
"Reign In Blood" entre otros �lbumes de metal cl�sico. Al principio, los suecos estaban firmemente arraigados en el death metal, un g�nero que ayudaron a definir, como atestigua su �lbum debut "Of Darkness ...." (1991). Sin embargo, incluso en ese entonces, hab�a indicios de "algo m�s" al acecho debajo de la superficie rugosa.

El uso de voces femeninas es otro ingrediente fundamental de THERION en la actualidad, que se desarroll� gradualmente.

CELTIC FROST b�sicamente hab�a introducido el elemento femenino en el metal extremo en "To Mega Therion" en 1985.

THERION comenz� con un vocalista femenino y masculino emulando un coro similar a una iglesia en su segundo larga duraci�n 'Beyond Sanctorum' (1992). Con la sinfon�a "Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas" (1993) y "Lepaca Kliffoth" (1995), Christofer continu� desarrollando su sonido caracter�stico al derivar gradualmente hacia voces m�s limpias y m�s teclados. Con "Theli", los suecos hab�an establecido firmemente una reputaci�n de empujar los l�mites del metal en los 90, entre actos como sus compatriotas TIAMAT, THE GATHERING y MOONSPELL, a los que a menudo se hac�a referencia como "metal g�tico" en ese momento.

THERION continu� abriendo nuevos caminos dejando inspiraci�n para que otros lo siguieran: en "A'arab Zaraq - Lucid Dreaming" (1997), Christofer explor� m�s a fondo el uso de la m�sica del Cercano Oriente en el metal que ya hab�a comenzado en 1992, mientras "Secret Of The Runes" (2001) se atrevi� a tener
Letras suecas en algunas canciones. Si bien los cr�ticos se quedaron confundidos y los fan�ticos desafiados, THERION a menudo se adelant� a sus tiempos y se reivindic� en retrospectiva. Incluso la excursi�n del 25 aniversario de la banda "Les Fleurs Du Mal" ya ha superado el impacto inicial que caus� el �lbum y solo es superado en t�rminos de transmisi�n por el cl�sico "Vovin" (1998).

Cuando Christofer se enfrent� a la pregunta de a d�nde ir despu�s de que el dram�tico "Amado Anticristo" (2018) finalmente cumpliera su misi�n musical, su respuesta es "Leviat�n", que lleva el nombre de un monstruo marino gigante del mito judeocristiano que tiene ra�ces en la tradici�n babil�nica. : THERION ha creado un �lbum de gran �xito y, por primera vez en la historia de los suecos, no se pide a sus fans que exploren
algo nuevo, �pero simplemente para descansar y disfrutar lo mejor de su banda!

THERION - LEVIATHAN

Gino Alache

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