PSYCHEDELICATESSEN

This is the follow up to THRESHOLD'S excellent debut album. Their vocalist Damian Wilson left the band before this album to sing with LANDMARQ. The new singer Glynn Morgan was a decent replacement for Damian Wilson, and this album is heavier and more progressive than their debut "Wounded Land". Tony Grinham, the drummer, also left before this album to spend more time with his family. He was temporary replaced by Nick Harradence. It's nice to hear that THRESHOLD isn't just an ordinary DREAM THEATER clone, as so many other progressive metal bands. THRESHOLD has made themselves a sound of their own. On this release their music is somewhere between progressive metal, Heavy Metal and Power Metal, with many mood and tempo changes and beautiful melodies. My favourites on this album is the opening "Sunseeker", "Into The Light", "Babylon Rising", "Innocent" and "Devoted". This is a very nice album even though it isn't as good as their debut album "Wounded Land".

This group couldn't have given itself a better name than Threshold. They weren't only on the threshold of metal and progressive rock, they were forever in the middle of change with group members. If they were in the studio or on tour, they were changing group members. The constant state of flux that surrounded them did not deter them. They continued to grow as a unit and develop their own distinct sound. They were hailed as the UK's answer to Dream Theater. Although they reminded of that group at times, they most definitely have their own sound. They have a harder metal edge than most prog bands. Most recently they have settled into a more permanent lineup and their sound has reached a maturity that many groups never have the pleasure of enjoying.

These special edition releases from Inside Out Music give a great overview of group in transition as well as one going through tremendous developmental growth. The additional content on each album includes pictures, videos, and demos. All of that is very interesting and valid while absorbing this entire multi-musical experience.

I really enjoyed the artwork for each CD cover as well. Progressive bands really have a flair for attractive and thought provoking art on their albums (thank you Yes and Roger Dean). Of the band's releases, I preferred Psychedelicatessen. The album had a rawness to it to that is difficult to capture and duplicate. It really rocks hard and fast on literally every song, while its predecessor has a more refined and produced sound, but it's excellent just the same.

Both albums are worth their weight in gold for prog and metal fans. You get it all- remastered tracks, bonus CDs, demos, and videos, what more could you ask for? As usual there are a limited number of these on hand, so don't waste any time wondering if you should buy them or not, just do it.

My first review of this excellent band will be short and to the point, mainly because I've picked their worst release as the subject. Now, carrying on with what I said about a concise review, let me define this album by UK's best (and only I think) prog-metal band in two words: bad and boring. Now, how could it be?

Well, the answer remains solely in one person's shoulders: Glynn Morgan.

Or maybe I'm being unfair, because the song-writing is really uninspired and monotonous, with the Threshold of Hypothetical and Subsurface nowhere to be found in here. Even the longest track, Into the Light, fails to live up to future amazing songs like Narcissus or even Into the Unicorn from then-next release Extinct Instinct. Tracks don't have good choruses (and that's a staple of Threshold style, the ability to write catchy, broad, melodic anthemic choruses) here; there's no good riffs in this album, every riff here seems to have been taken out of the "metal-riffs-for-dummies" book.... so the musical quality in itself is weak, but.... let's get back to the point....

Glynn Morgan. Now, he's not a atrocious singer like Dominici was in Dream Theater's first album or Ray Alder in (sadly) Fates Warning' last 8 albums, but he's nowhere near the quality level of singer-to-be Mac Dermott, or of high-octave-master-singer (sadly only for one album) Damian Wilson. Morgan has a decent voice in terms of reach and power, he can climb a few notes up and down the scale... but he doesn't have MUSICIANSHIP in his voice, this meaning for me the ability to switch the vocal sound to suit different musical moods, to convey emotion, despair, hate, happyness, in a word, to MATTER. I've criticized overly theatrical singers like Peter Gabriel or Fish because at times they seemed to put drama first and melody, note-singing second....but they knew how to sing, it's just their style that doesn't do it for me! In this case, morgan could've learned a little bit about these prog and neo-prog legends (both from Threshold's country, by the way) about injecting some adrenaline (or some narcotic, depending the music's mood) to his vocals. Too bland, too lineal....too BORING.

But, in the end, maybe it was not Morgan's fault...maybe the material was so weak that he just couldn't put interesting vocal lines to such lame music.

If you are new to Threshold, try their masterpieces Subsurface or better yet Hypothetical first, and then Clone and Critical Mass, and go on with Extinct Instinct, an album still not up to par with the band's best, but with some amazing singing by Damian Wilson. DO NOT BUY THIS ONE AS YOUR FIRST THRESHOLD ALBUM, FOR IT MAY ALSO BECOME YOUR LAST.

Not recommended for: fans of interesting, good prog metal with variety, great riffs and choruses that make you want to, well, sing.

Recommended for: well.... Threshold completionists like me, who don't have anything better to do with their hard-earned dollars (or euros or whatever you use)... Wait, I had a lot of better things to do... I just made a MISTAKE. And so is this album, A MISTAKE.

Enter a new drummer and vocalist as well as a crunchier,heavier sound.This really is the template for all the albums that would follow. Not everyone is happy with vocalist Glynn Morgan, but I think he does a great job. Part of this album was recorded at Halfway Houses for which Nick Barrett gets a thankyou in the liner notes.

"Sunseeker" features major riffing, screaming guitar, synths and vocals. The lyrics are really a warning about dabbling in the dark side. "A Tension of Souls" is a slow but powerful tune. It picks up in tempo 3 minutes in, and we're cooking now ! Oh my ! Riffs a plenty. "Into the Light" has a slow paced 2 minute intro of guitar, synths and passionate vocals before the song picks it up a notch. We're grooving 7 minutes in with lots of riffs. "Will to Give" is a heavy tune, especially the drums and bass to end it. Written by Glynn, the band says "This is a song about temptation, getting yourself in a situation that your sure you can control, only to wake up one morning realising you're on a ride you that you can't get off !"

"Under the Sun" is taken from the words of Solomon, and is a nice ballad of piano and acoustic guitar. "Babylon Rising" is one of my favourites.The guitar melody throughout is fantastic ! The line "Rape the earth for gain." is right to the point. "He Is I Am" is another amazing tune. What a crunchy song as the riffs dominate.The guitar solo 5 minutes in is followed by a synth solo to end the song. "Innocent" has some atmosphere and great guitar, I like it a lot. "Devoted" is one of the bands favourite songs to play live. Heavy riffs with synths in the background. Vocals after 2 minutes. Some blistering guitar solos as well. "Lost" is fairly mellow with acoustic guitar, reserved vocals and synths. "Intervention" is a perfect way to end the record. A powerful song with ripping guitar and heavy riffs.

I much prefer this over their debut, but it's not as good as "Clone". If you like melodic metal with some crunch, check it out.

Psychedelicatessen is the second album from UK prog metallers Threshold released in 1994. In came a new vocalist Glynn Morgan to replace Damian Wilson (who would return for following album Extinct Instinct) and Nick Harradence on drums, who would also only last for one album to replace Tony Grinham.

It's an often overlooked and underrated record from the band which is a shame as although certainly not their best it beats some of their more recent albums having some decent tunes that have been lacking somewhat of late. Morgan is a decent vocalist, more in the classic metal tradition than Wilson's more natural prog credentials. The album treads similar ground to their debut though with more emphasis on the metal than prog elements making it heavier overall with a couple of ballads thrown in (Under The Sun and Innocent) There's no epics like Wounded Land highlight Sanity's End but the material is fairly consistently strong throughout with enough time/tempo changes to keep things interesting. There's some excellent riffs/solos from guitarists Karl Groom and Nick Midson and Richard West's powerful and atmospheric keyboard playing is given more space than recent releases. Where the albums real strengths lie is in the melodies and whilst being a pretty heavy album, guitar riffs haven't been allowed to allow heaviness to overrule a decent tune. Sunseeker and A Tension Of Souls, Both around the seven minute mark make a great 1-2 opening to the album but with nary a weak moment I wont cite them as highlights.

Any lover of prog metal could do far worse than checking this album out and well worthy of 4 stars.

Threshold second album from 1994 named Psychedelicatessen, quite strange name that will not represent entirely what is on the album, at least for me. Exit Damien Willson from vocal departmen and enter the more rougher in range Glynn Morgan, also the drumer was replaced, living place to a more rough sound, more towards pure metal with fiew progressive metal moments as a whole, sometimes they sound more like a thrash band with crunchy guitar riffs and beating drums. Excellent vocalist Damien Willson will go in other direction on to just formed Landmarq, a great neo prog band from early '90's but he will join on Threshold Extinct instinct from 1997. Now what we have here, musicaly speaking, not very much the Threshold that we know from the albums with Mac Dermaott, the passages is very rough in places, without memerable songs, only fiew of them are great like Sunseeker, brilliant guitar sound and solos are super and Into The Light , the rest are only ok. Psychedelicatessen is an album not very much apreciated by prog metal fans, is understandeble because is far from being a great one like later releases, here the progressive metal is almost left aside living place to an almost metal album, only fiew passages remind me of Critical mass or Subsurface for ex, the choruses are kinda weak and without substance. This album to me as a whole is ok, 3 stars, good one but far from Hyphotetical (their best without question). What I like most to Threshold is the sound of Karl Groom guitar, he has such a great metal sound on his guitar that easy I can say is one of the most brilliant metal sound I ever heared on a progressive metal band. 3 stars, good but non essential, they will do much better later on, even on the next album they are better in many ways.

I used to be entirely unimpressed by this album. I liked some songs but after the stellar debut it was a bit of a letdown. The vocals of new guy Glynn Morgan weren't bad but could simply not be compared to Damien Wilson's superior performance on the debut. And most of all the production was terrible.

I've sort of revised my opinion with the 2001 remaster that solved the sound problems and consequently immensely improved the listening experience. In most cases the whole re-mastering hype is just baked air but here it really improved the drum and guitar sound. It made me finally start appreciating this album that boasts some of their best compositions next to the debut.

Generally, I must say I find the tag progressive a bit flattering for Threshold. They sure make long songs but all the way through the main ingredients are just fairly basic Sabbathy guitar riffs. Luckily they had a keen sense for melody and worked for a great epic impact.

Threshold's "Psychedelicatessen" is the second studio album and has a very different sound than other Threshold albums due to the earlier lineup consisting of Glynn Morgan on vocals, Karl Groom on guitars, Nick Midson on guitars, Jon Jeary on bass, Richard West on keyboards, and Nick Harradence on drums. The real change from subsequent albums is undoubtedly the vocals of Morgan. I prefer either Mac or Damian Wilson, though Morgan still knows how to power out a song.

'Sunseeker' opens proceedings with a blaze of riffs and an onslaught of lead guitar attack. Next up is 'A Tension Of Souls' that I like with very slow power chords, a bit like Black Sabbath. The keyboards have a cool retro sound but this one just sits on repetitive riffs on one note for the most part.

'Into The Light' is a 10 minute track so I had high hopes for the brilliant musicianship of Threshold. It begins with quiet guitar picking and mellow vocals. I already miss Wilson as he is so much better, though he is certainly a difficult act to follow having graced Threshold's debut. The song locks into a very mainstream sound on a simple 4/4 sig and becomes mediocre. It builds into a heavier sound with Tony Iommi riffs and a glorious lead break saving it. It is quite interesting how it changes towards the end into a faster riffier track, and ends with dialogue samples. Having said that it is not one of the best Threshold epics; one would do better to check out 'Eat The Unicorn', 'Voyager II', 'The Ravages of Time', 'Rubicon' or 'The Hours'.

'Will To Give' follows, with a pulsating bassline from Jeary, and cool guitar licks. The keys are sequenced in a retro 80s style, then it breaks out into a great metal riff. 'Under The Sun' is a quiet song, 'Babylon Rising' is standard metal, but 'He Is I Am' is one I really like with great riffs and the time sig change, along with a stirring lead break. 'Innocent' is a great metal ballad, with strong lead guitar arpeggio attacks, and some of the best melodic vox. 'Devoted' has a crunching measured riff and some lead breaks with odd unsettling screeches with machine gun fire sampled over the top. 'Lost' returns to the mellow ballad, then it ends with 'Intervention', where the band break into some incredible solos.

This earlier Threshold album does not measure up to releases to come culminating in some excellent albums such as "Clone" and "Moment of Progress". It does have some excellent tracks such as 'He is I AM', 'A Tension of Souls' and 'Intervention' but it is not consistent in quality. It did not measure up to the debut but the best is yet to come from this innovative UK prog metal band.

Only a year after their debut album but after having replaced their drummer and vocalist, Threshold released their second studio effort!

Produced by guitarist and leader Karl Groom along with the keyboard player Richard West, Psychedelicatessen follows a similar path in comparison to Wounded Land, with a style of prog metal which moves between the classicism of Queensryche and the much more modern and daring style of Dream Theater, with the preponderance of the wonderful Karl Groom guitar riffs and very melodic and epic chorus accompanied with splendid vocal melodies. This typical Threshold's chorus were not so present in the album's debut, but in Psychedelicatessen can be heard almost in every track, becoming a band's trademark.

Sadly, I think that Glynn Morgan was not as the same level of Damian Wilson in terms of vocal capabilities. He made a very good performance in this second album, but his vocals are also a bit more generic in comparison with the very personal and special Wilson's tone subtracting a bit of quality to the band's music in my opinion. And the second problem of the album is the irregular songwriting, which is incredible in tracks like Sunseeker, A Tension of Souls and Into the Light, but only just fine in the rest of the record.

Best Tracks: the first three songs are incredible! The rest are just ok typical Threshold's prog metal tunes, except for the also very good Babylon Rising and some riffs in Will to Give and Devoted.

Conclusion: Psychedelicatessen, although not being really groundbreaking, is a good follow up to the excellent Wounded Land. Glynn Morgan did a decent job on vocals, despite lacking the personality and the special tone of Damian Wilson, and the songwriting was good enough to leave a pair of true Threshold's classics like Sunseeker and A Tension of Souls.

Specially recommended for European prog-metal aficionados!

My rating: ***

The second Threshold album is the sole studio album the group would release during Glynn Morgan's original run as their lead vocalist. He's returned more recently and has been back on lead vocals from Legends of the Shires onwards; I've yet to hear the band's most recent albums, so I don't know how he's evolved since here, but it has to be said that he feels just a touch more generic than Wilson's distinctive, emotive vocal style from the band's debut album.

Fortunately, the band's musical evolution has continued apace since their debut, with the result that what you get here is an acceptable but not especially spectacular vocalist performing against an absolutely killer musical backing. In a prog metal context, that's a combination you can absolutely work with, as the band do here. Perhaps less of a breakthrough than their first album, this is still a solid release which sees them avoiding the dreaded second album slump.