LEPACA KLIFFOTH

This is the first Therion album with no death metal vocals. Christofer Johnsson sings in a hardcore style, and two opera singers were hired to do some vocals on three songs. The music is much more melodic, with more keyboards and even orchestra samples.

"The Wings Of The Hydra", "Riders Of Theli", "Darkness Eve", "Let The New Day Begin" and "The Veil Of Golden Spheres" are the heavy/speed metal tracks on the album - pretty much in the "Symphony Masses" style, but with no death metal parts. "Melez" is maybe the track that most reflects the album: metallic and melodic (my favorite heavy track on this album). "Arrival Of The Darkest Queen/The Beauty In Black" has been released as a single to show the new direction the band wanted to take: this song is really mellow, with both opera singers doing the vocals (my favorite soft track on this album). "Black" has the female vocals too, but the melody is quite weak compared to "The Beauty In Black". "Sorrows Of The Moon" is a cover from Celtic Frost (a good choice): the band probably wanted to give credits to one of their strongest influence of the early days. The title track is kinda weird - a mantra of some sort... "Evocation Of Vovin" is another operatic song with both guests singers - another nice song. "Enter The Voids" hmm... isn't that the song that was sent to the label as a joke and they made it a single?

Rating: 64/100