HYPOTHETICAL

Hypothetical was the first Threshold CD I got and it is still one of my favorites among their discography. Looking back I see this album as an important step since it stabilished their own sound once and for all. Their music is quite sophisticated and elegant, with a wall of heavy guitar riffs, dreamy keyboards and powerful rhythm section. Above all I enjoy a lot Andrew McDermott´s voice. Unlike so many prog metal bands like Dream Theatre and Symphony X, he is not a HM singer. His style is much more fitting to prog than anything else, which gives this band a very unique trademark.

One of the few CDs you can hear from beginning to end with pleasure, there are, however, some highlits like The Ravages Of Time, Sheltering Sky and the fantastic 11+ minute epic closer Narcissus (one of their best songs ever!). The producton is again done by guitarrist Karl Groom and keyboardsman Richard West and it is simply perfect for their sound. The songs are inspired and energetic.

My copy has a hidden acoustic track that shows they can handle this style of music pretty well too.

Conclusion: one of the best progmetal bands ever (more prog than metal, really). And Hypothetical is a good proof of it.