THRESHOLD

It may have taken five years for Threshold to provide the follow-up to the mighty 'Legends of the Shires', but at long last they are back with their twelfth studio album. In many ways I find it hard to understand that it has now been 30 years since they released their debut, as in many ways it seems like just yesterday that I played it in the car for the first time wondering what on earth was going on, but in others ways it is truly a lifetime so I guess that's right. There have been quite a few line-up changes over the years, but guitarist Karl Groom and keyboard player Richard West have been there since the debut, drummer Johanne James has been there for more 20 years, bassist Steve Anderson has been there since 2004's 'Subsurface', it is just within the singers that their history has been a little more fraught. Incumbent Glynn Morgan replaced Damian Wilson for their second album, before being replaced by Damian in turn who left the band before returning years later, after which he was replaced by Glynn again in time for the last album, which means that Glynn is not only the new boy but also one of the three who were in the group in the 90's.

Confused? There is no need to be, as Glynn knows exactly what he is doing and has slotted right back in where he was back in the day. They have kept with the style they demonstrated so well on their last release, using a single guitar yet still looking back in time to what they were doing in the 90's. The single guitar means they are not as heavy as they used to be, as Karl has resisted the temptation to overdub everything in sight, which means there is more room for Richard to shine. Steve and Johanne stay back in the pocket, meaning they are providing the support required for the others and ensuring the foundation is always there but never taking anything away from the two melodic leads. This also means there is quite a lot of space within the arrangement, deliberately so that Glynn has been given the room for his voce to really shine. I am not the only person who felt it was a shame he had not been allowed to develop his time with Threshold nearly 30 years ago, but here he is comfortable and enjoying himself.

Richard has also brought in some of his non-metallic or prog influences, which adds additional flourishes to what is an incredibly polished release indeed. Wherever Karl Groom is involved one knows the production is going to be superb, and the guitar sound great, but he also has restrained himself at times to provide more balance and thoughtfulness, while also riffing hard in the way we have come to know so well at others. They describe the album as 'Legends'' darker, moodier older brother, yet to my mind it is also still very much linked back to their earlier works. I have been a fan of these guys throughout their career, and even saw (and reviewed) them when Glynn was in the band first time around. They say they can't wait to get out on tour, and all I can say is that everyone in Europe is very lucky as this great band has released another great album.

THRESHOLD releases this lively and progressive 12th opus. An album addressing the acceptance of the other in our fractured world, here we go.

"Haunted" opens swirling, melodic and rhythmic by a metallic riff; acoustic break echoing the touching spleen and a sensitive first solo by Karl backed up by Johanne's pads. "Hall of Echoes" follows on a futuristic mid-tempo, AOR-proven metal-synthetic track; exchange of calm and shimmering parts before a duel between Karl and Richard; text on the antechamber of death and title where the synth smells good of the 80s. "Let It Burn" continues with a Glynn by the way, texts on climatic disorder; breaks in rhythm, punchy and controlled prog metal, calibrated with a fat sound; finale with solo and ethereal religious atmosphere. "Silenced" drives the point home with a vocoder that played well in the 90s; a synthetic neo-prog single, melodic with a precise chorus, also agreed which gets away with a melting solo and a finale with orchestral samples. "The Domino Effect" for one of two epic moments, over 10 minutes on the clock; atmosphere à la Symphony X more melodic metal than progressive, three moments including a neo-atmospheric break where the keyboards bring back a time to KANSAS with cottony vocals, a stratospheric Petrucci-like solo and a Wallien finale where Richard shows his aura like a certain Ruddess ; large piece smoothly conducted between technicality and emotion.

"Complex" returns to the synth-metal sound eyeing a beat on LINKIN PARK; air worthy of the consensus 80s; the jerky riff is also reminiscent of the works of STAR ONE; hard and synth break for a knife jam and deluge of symphonic technical notes to avoid landing. "King of Nothing" appears for the heaviest, supercharged, trending 90s track this time around; A masculine EVANESCENCE, a nasty riff and Glynn onward; a single from yesteryear in prog nu-metal where the break and the solo allow you to hang on. "Lost Along the Way" hard-FM intro and EUROPE-style tune, for stadiums at last when that was the time. A little FOREIGNER too, ASIA for the voice in the fiery chorus, in short all the big names; soulless title in fact saved by a synth solo bringing me back to BANKS and the 3rd version of GENESIS. "Run" falls back into that 80s-90s soundtrack, that's nice but it's still 2022; the found air is energetic and conventional and Glynn overplays; once again it is the solo that takes the title out of torpor. Finally "Defence Condition" intro prog, ie effects, backing vocals, cinematic synths; fat riff, Glynn surfing on metronomic drums; symphonic and pompous break and it starts again on the jerky rhythm; spleen guitar break and we return to it on the same side on a perceptible finale; the last two minutes ambient, spatial and sympho then strongly metallic show the imprint of the group.

THESHOLD therefore releases a well-calibrated album, which sounds like deja-vu; yes, I expected more from this group, too far back on the metallo-progressive scene, delivering good music without pouring into that little extra that would make it an excellent album. Glynn brings the most to give the pep to each title, Karl and Richard set the fire well with their various solos, the bass is very well set with Steve and Johanne, but there is this but; the spark that makes you vibrate and leave you speechless at the end of the album, in short I continue to hope for a little more.

British prog metal masters Threshold are back with their 12th studio album Dividing Lines, released on November 18th via Nuclear Blast. This is their second LP after singer Glynn Morgan - who had already appeared on Threshold's sophomore album Psychedelicatessen in 1994 - made a return to the band's ranks, replacing Damian Wilson. The rest of the line-up is unchanged compared to the band's previous record Legends of the Shire. Karl Groom and Richard West lead the charge armed with guitar and keyboards, respectively. As usual, the pair penned much of the material included on the new record, although there are also notable contributions by Morgan, who injected fresh blood into the band's songwriting department (more on this later). The line-up is completed by Johanne James (drums) and Steve Anderson (bass), forming a time-tested rhythm section for nearly 20 years now.

The band presented Dividing Lines as the "darker, moodier brother" of Legends of the Shire and the description is quite accurate: while Legends was a sprawling, double-disc progressive rock tour-de-force, Dividing Lines marks a return to a heavier and more compact sound that has characterized much of the band's output in the new millenium. Prog rock aficionados need not worry, though: there is plenty of sophisticated progressive goodness running through the album's 64 minutes, including distinct references to the 1980s neo-prog sound of bands like Marillion and Arena. This is probably the aspect of Dividing Lines that I found most satisfying: the album is a masterwork of balance as heavy prog metal riffage and aggression are combined with lighter prog rock arrangements and soft, emotional melodies, masterfully interpreted by Morgan's expressive and resonant voice. The singer also contributed to the songwriting with a handful of tracks that hint towards modern metal influences (the faint growls emerging underneath the cleans in the chorus of "Let It Burn", the massive vocal hooks in "King of Nothing" and "Run"). These influences also emerge more generally in West's futuristic keyboard sound, in the crisp, vocal-driven production, and in the streamlined song structures that never stray far away from a simple verse-chorus form.

This was a surprise for me, as I tend to associate Threshold with a more traditionally progressive form of metal, in a similar camp as Ayreon / Star One, Queensrÿche or Fates Warning. To their credit, Threshold pull off this modernist spin majestically - and this comes from someone who is not a big fan of the modern metal fad in the first place. Threshold's secret weapon lies in the exceptional songwriting and arrangements. Simply put, Dividing Lines contains a handful of songs that can be considered career highlights for the band. "Hall of Echoes", "Let It Burn", "Run" and the long-form epic "Defence Condition" offer a mighty testament to Threshold's extraordinary ability to tread a fine line between complexity, heaviness, technical playing, and melodic accessibility. The hooks are absolutely exhilarating, but the songs also possess strong replay value thanks to the intelligent arrangements and interesting dynamics. I am particularly fond of the depth and subtlety in the arrangements, with keyboards and guitars playing off one another to create an ever-changing, multi-layered sonic background that ensures the music never feels monotonous or repetitive. The playing is also sublime, with strong solos by both Groom and West, plenty of powerful grooves by the rhythmic duo Anderson-James, and a superb performance by Glynn Morgan, who sounds like a man at the highest point in his career.

My only gripe with Dividing Lines is that the songwriting quality drops somewhat halfway through the album. The first four songs are excellent, but things start to fall through with the first long-form epic track included on the LP, "The Domino Effect": the melodies here feel slightly phoned-in and predictable, which makes the song seem longer than it actually is. The subsequent tracks "Complex" and "King of Nothing" also fail to leave a strong impression. Things start to look up again with "Lost Along the Way", although its very overt soft neo-prog influences are somewhat at odds with the more metallic nature of the rest of the album. Fortunately, Dividing Lines closes mightily strong with two of its best tracks, "Run" and "Defence Condition", whose magnificence makes me forget the somewhat pedestrian 25 minutes that preceded them.

Despite the slight mid-flight turbulence, Dividing Lines stands out as one of the best albums by the British progsters, as well as one of the most accomplished melodic prog metal releases of the year. The album may not break any new ground, but when the quality of the songwriting is as high as on some of the tracks included here, it would be foolish to complain. Album after album, Threshold continue to perfect their special blend of melodic power metal and progressive rock, and on Dividing Lines they have found a way of expression that is at times utterly breath-taking. The album is the sound of a band riding a creative peak at the height of their compositional powers: if you are a prog metal fan, you'd be a fool not to ride along.

[Originally written for The Metal Observer]

MOP is the 9th studio album by English progressive metal and heavy prog band Threshold, and marks the return (for the second time) of vocalist Damian Wilson to the band.

Ashes, what a strong opener for the album. Fast, melodic, catchy, hooky and metallic. All the correct ingredients in compliance with the band's unique sound.

The Return of the Thought Police is just classic Threshold with heavy Groom's riffing, James's clockwork drumming and the vocal harmonies that alongside the keyboards create the hooks, their formula.

Staring at the Sun grabs you with the immense rhythmic display by James and Steve Anderson (bass) and fluctuates between heaviness, funkiness and epic. Wilson's vocal work is outstanding throughout the whole album smartly utilizing his range and melodic unique melodic grasp.

Liberty Complacency Dependency brings back the heavy riffing and the atmospheric anxiety the band is so known for including in their song writing. Groom's soloing is a highlight here as well as the overall dynamic of the song that elegantly wonders between a couple of different sub genres.

Colophon is maybe one of the strongest tracks in the album, at least for me. The bass line is so catchy and memorable, simple but sticky and with the level of pristine production this album has it stands out even more. Somehow the riffing finds a way to follow the frenetic drumming (or vice versa) and again the vocal work its remarkable.

The Hours sits halfway of the journey with melodic hooks again, the type that invites to further listening with those heavy guitars trying to feel as mellow and crystalline as the piano, something the band does so well! Wonderful song indeed.

That's Why We Came hits the power ballad button but not in a traditional way, almost every line sounds more like a bridge than o chorus and somehow it works avoiding a colisión between boring standard structure and emotional inventive, a really good track.

Don't Look Down is yet another classic Threshold sounding song with the all its perks and flavors. The heavy guitars, the harmonizing vocals in the bridge and the melodic hook in the chorus, mellow and virtuoso break and then back again to the already full conceived formula.

Coda! My favorite from the album, the song that made me go back and back, simply perfect Threshold. It has a little of everything that I've mentioned and applauded?remember remember!

Last but not least?The Rubicon. 10 plus minutes of progressive metal at its best. Bass and drums are so tight that is difficult to tell who's really driving the truck and then the guitar-keys tandem that decorate everything in that unique way, that Threshold way, their sound. March of Progress is immense, an amazing record that deserves attention. Enjoy!

Shall I commence saying that the first acoustic guitar chord just melted me? or that the vocals at first almost sent me home? Or maybe just that this drummer-guitar guitar-drummer duo/trio is just too much?? What a trip has been?

The shire (Part 1)? perfect, exquisite, beautiful and too simple to be true? which lead us to Small dark lines, fast, powerful and poppy, a brief showcase of what to expect from this amazing album, all instruments saying "I'm present, I'm here!", catchy hooks and choruses. The first epic delivers itself on The Man who saw through time, and the title (an appealing one) kind of predicts the greatness of this song. James, Anderson and West simply make everything so much easier for an inspired Groom to display the band's power to deliver so many arrangements, some complex some less, all of them so incredibly well thought/crafted, it flows so easily? almost 12mins of greatness. Btw, I do like the alien-robot-like intro and out. Trust the Process brings unquestionable furiousness with a consistent and flawless rhythmic section, great riffing by Groom and powerful vocals, roughness maintained throughout the whole "process". This is song led by somehow odd melodies, but everything works so perfectly, Gentle Giant-like playful vocal harmonies almost corky at times, but again? so well put together by the band for a full experience? masterful to my ears. There's some epic vibe in the last quarter of the song, but a different type of epic vibe, like an 80's dark pop one, if that makes any sense. Bass and drums are back again for the first line of the hugely catchy Stars and Satellites, maybe the brightest song of the trip, almost too poppy to belong tho this specific ride but nevertheless less good or memorable than the rest of the great songs from this album. There's like a PF-Gilmour episode halfway through that balances the power metal side of the band effortlessly blending it with the commercial pop sound they can't seem to get away from? I see only brilliance. On the Edge closes the first album (did I forget to state it was a double album?, my bad!) lifting up tempo, supported by James frenetic drumming and Groom's heavy almost Sabbath-like riffing. A very interesting Keys-guitar soloing tandem and then The Cult-like vocals by Morgan, who really does a great job in the entire album with a proper and nice range. The Shire (Part 2) opens the second album with a piano-based copy of part 1, but this time around the band expands the storytelling for double the time making the melodies stay longer in the listener's both short and long term memory, appropriate indeed. Snowblind is perhaps the proggiest of them all and clocking slightly over 7mins delivers some of the heaviest and at the same time very melodic guitar playing by Groom, love & rage based lyrical content plus unearthly drumming by James again paving the way to those twin guitar melodies and the 70's inspired virtuoso keys and then back to straight pop metal again, they just do this so well, their formula is solid. Subliminal Freeways disrupts the madness with some more epic sounding modern pop metal? I really enjoy Grooms riffing style, his soloing is always memorable with well thought melodies that invades the brain after the first listen. Short and precise? State of Independence feels like a continuation to The Shire (Part 2), with the same nostalgic feeling but this time kind of bringing the saga to an end, more powerful and a little darker that its predecessors. Superior Machine has all the ingredients of a single, even though no progressive rock band strives to have music considered radio hit friendly, this album does have a few tracks that could easily tease with this reality? Treshold? No offense meant whatsoever, the band has that particular way of composing and creating arrangements that sound so familiar, yet complex at times, yet soft progressive metal at others. The Shire (Part 3) works as a transition brief instrumental to my favorite track of the musical experience, the one that brought me back and back again, the song that I invest almost an hour of music listening to finally get to it, Lost in Translation. For me it has everything a song has to have to grab me by the throat and never let go again. The heavy riffing, the storytelling-like lyrics, the atmospheric keys in the back providing the epic pillars to the memorable choruses, and that bass line, my GOD! That bass line that accompanied by the octopus sounding drumming lead the way once again to the guitar-key soloing battle, a band's blue print. 10 minutes of beautiful and powerful prog. A Floydian similarity can be heard kind of changing the mood around the third fifth of the song, a break masterfully designed before bringing the tempo for a reprise towards the end, perfection. Swallowed closes the double album with the same birds it opened, piano instead of acoustic guitars and the melodic feeling of Te Shire saga, with the Floydish input only this time more in the vocals and the guitar playing. Unquestionably a unique band, with a unique sound and unique formula, never a copycat of anything or anyone by any means. 100% recommended! THE END!

There isn't a lot of progressive metal I like and I bought this record for its few Arena-like neo-prog moments. Treshold is however an eighties metal infused symphonic metal band with poppy refrains and a very smooth production. Almost a bit like the later albums of Toto. Some guitar riffs are clearly influenced by Metallica. The keyboards of Richard West sound great and I like his modern sounds. During the solo-sections there is some real modern prog bliss to be found. The powerful vocals of Andrew McDermott have a modernized stadion rock appeal, but the execution here is faultless and easy on the ears. If the style of the band is a bit typical, the song- writing is quite strong here. Some refrains are too poppy for my taste, there is a lot of melody here that does stick - which is not a given in my experience! The eighties swoosh ballad 'Keep My Head' is probably not meant to be a parody, but that's exactly what it sounds like to me. The 55 minute album is well spread over three sides of the vinyl and the sound and quality of the record is outstanding. I must admit I'm quite satisfied after the first two sides, but the final epic 'Narcissus' is also a great track full of strong instrumental sections. Treshold's 'Hypothetical' delivers nothing new here, but the mix of metal / prog / classic rock works well for me.

I am definitely a bit ashamed to admit that I have not heard of, let alone listened to, Threshold until just a few weeks ago. Though better late than never I suppose. And with that, Legends of the Shires, Threshold's 2017 release, was definitely a fantastic way to get acquainted. This record is symphonic power prog metal that is absolutely both fun and moving.

There is nothing revolutionary or innovative about the music here but that doesn't seem to be necessary given how engaging the riffs, synths, and guitar leads are. The performance by vocalist Glynn Morgan who has returned to the group after a two-decade or so hiatus is by far the highlight of the album. In just a few listens, his melodies and powerful delivery will be stuck in your head long after.

The album's main flaw is its length. As the album progresses, it has less and less unique music to convey. To borrow a phrase from the Jewish Passover Seder ceremony, had the record ended after 'The Shite Pt. 2' 'it would have been enough for us''

First live album of the British prog-metal band Threshold!

The sound of the album is fantastic but to be honest, maybe a bit too much. I don't know how elaborate the mixing process and the post-production of this album was, but it really sounds like a studio record most of the time, decreasing the credibility and spontaneity of the music included here.

However, the band made a good work here! Glynn Morgan tried to imitate the Damian Wilson vocals in the excellent Wounded Land songs with irregular fortune but he is fine nonetheless, and Livedelica was also the only album where the former drummer Nick Harrandence can be heard, making a powerful and accurate contribution.

Conclusion: Livedelica is a fine but far from essential live album from this underrated band, sadly out of print these days but included in the special edition of their second album Psychedelicatessen.

Specially recommended for fans!

My rating: ***

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: ***

A more significant change since last like albums. The returning vocalist Damian Wilson proves to be still in a great shape and motivation. The first track is a strong and powerful opener as the band wanted to say: we're here and will be as if nothing has happened. The uncompromising guitar riffing and solos set high expectations on this album from the beginning. "Return of the thought police" is a relief from heavy sound at least in the first part of the track. The drummer keeps the tension on. The thought-provoking track features great lyrics and melody. The fourth track "Liberty, complacency, dependency" is the first epic track with multiple sections. Slow first section with vocals in the background are replaced by a mellow contemplative section to change into a fast-paced rhythm in the middle part. Wait for the tasty guitar solo before returning to the typical heavy sound. "Colophon" is an untypical composition for Threshold - little heaviness, subtle keyboard textures and a the drum pattern more typical for alternative rock/metal than progressive metal. "The hours" features a melody and vocals similar to the previous albums with McDermott. Although the track has above 8 minutes, it does not feel epic, it is rather down-to-earth. The obligatory ballad comes with "That's why we come", naturally, the instruments stay restrained and vocals build the song. The compensation comes with the next track "Don't look down" that reminds of Dream Theater - heavy riffing, fast soloing. The flagship of the album is certainly "Rubicon". Church organ synth sound, majestic sound and well thought-out composition deserve this property. The track combines all faces of progressive metal together to make it a refreshing experience. Solemn church organ chords add more darkness to this epic track. The band enjoy every second of it!

Overall, a less accessible album than the previous one, also with fewer memorable melodies but a return to a more progressive sound and compositions. Well done boys!