Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Threshold - Critical Energy CD (album) cover

CRITICAL ENERGY

Threshold

Progressive Metal


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Bookmark and Share
big_room@yaho
4 stars "Critical Energy" is an excellent twin-disc live document of the artful, melodic hard rock and thoughtful commentary of THRESHOLD. Although the album is neither consistently heavy enough for hardcore metallions nor consistently adventurous enough for hardcore proggers, it is an exceptionally smart, engaging, and powerful synthesis of the styles. Highlight tracks include the multi-faceted "Choices," the aching, acoustic-vibed "Clear," and the forceful prog-metal grooves of "Fragmentation" and "Sanity's End," but almost every cut cooks.

More convincingly than any prior THRESHOLD album, "Critical Energy" cements the band's ascension to greatness; they were solid in the days of their early albums (e.g., "Wounded Land"), but they have since reached a new level. The album is not quite enough to establish THRESHOLD as standard-setters --it is neither ambitious enough to displace DREAM THEATER nor exhilaratingly melodic enough to displace VANDEN PLAS-- but "Critical Energy" compels energetic critical consideration among those genre leaders, and that's major praise. Whatever the line is that separates the merely good prog-metal bands from the true greats, this outstanding "Critical Energy" leaves no doubt that THRESHOLD has crossed.

Report this review (#26572)
Posted Wednesday, July 7, 2004 | Review Permalink
5 stars In my opinion, critical energy, is one of the best live concerts ever recorded, if you like to feel the power rifs on the guitars,solid metallic drums and bass,and melodic voice, just one of the best cd's to have in your collection, this band is powerfull progmetallic experience,is one of fhe best already in my collection....one fan more.......
Report this review (#26573)
Posted Saturday, October 30, 2004 | Review Permalink
5 stars Threshold has several live albums but this is the first "full-length" live. The material is almost two hours long and it shows the band in theirs best (both sound and playing are great). The set-list is nothing but a "best off compilation" played live; it contains songs from all previous 6 studio albums. Couple of songs came with different arrangements (acoustical version of "Life Flow", alternate version of "Narcissus"). My sincere recommendations for "Critical Energy" live and also "Critical Energy" DVD (all 18 songs from the audio + some bonuses for fans).
Report this review (#26575)
Posted Wednesday, March 16, 2005 | Review Permalink
1 stars I borrowed this one on DVD from friend of mine. This is supposed to be progressive metal - I can hear neither metal nor progressive here. This is embodied mediocrity! Vocal melodies are primitive, songs are lacklustrous, musicianship is very average. Vocalist is absolutely nothing special, actually none of them is anything special, and watching this band onDVD just bored me to sleep. This is supposed to be compilation of their better songs, I just can't imagine what their worse songs are like. Guess it's not a band for my taste, is it?
Report this review (#36868)
Posted Saturday, June 18, 2005 | Review Permalink
4 stars A very good live show recorded in 'de Boerderij' Zoetermeer The Netherlands, unfortunatly I wasn't there....sigh. A great show encompassing their best song from the different albums. Heavy dual guitar play combined with strong keyboard runs, strong drum and bass play, and a voice you can't ignore. John Jeary left the band, and Steve Anderson replaced him on bass for this tour, and has remained a member since.

Mostly metal Threshold distinguises itself through the strong songwriting, with very good solo's throughout, and this live show is really one long energetic powerhouse of metal, with some symphonic's added by the keyboards. No bad songs on this album, and the quality of the songs only improve on each passing song. Fragmentation, Paradox, and sanity's End are the highlights for me, but songs like Narcissus (alternative version) Sunrise On Mars, and the Latent Gen, and all others actually are great versions of great songs.

The concert is also available on DVD format, including some background information/documentary, but haven't seen it in a while, so I will not comment on it now, just so you know.

A thrilling exciting metal show, the metal outweighs the progessiveness of the band, but surely a great critical energetic live album, a must for all Threshold fans. Recommended to fans of progressive metal.

PEACE OUT

Report this review (#39925)
Posted Thursday, July 21, 2005 | Review Permalink
Warthur
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars Whereas Threshold's live releases prior to this had been tight single-disc affairs (Livedelica was only 40-odd minutes long, and came from a tour which saw them as a support act), this two-disc live album offers a complete set from the Critical Mass tour, and was the most expansive live release the band had put out at the time. All of their prior studio albums are featured on the setlist, though of course Critical Mass and Hypothetical are well-represented; it's a particular pleasure to hear some cuts from Extinct Instinct on here, since I thought that was the best of the albums they put out when they were on Giant Electric Pea and no prior live release from them used material from that.

There's a strong slate of songs represented here, and Threshold give them excellent renditions here, so the only really question mark is whether nearly two hours of Threshold is too much for one listening session - but I'd say it's just right, the band selecting a setlist which stays energetic whilst taking in the entire scope of their sound. Brilliant stuff.

Report this review (#2987362)
Posted Wednesday, January 31, 2024 | Review Permalink

THRESHOLD Critical Energy ratings only


chronological order | showing rating only

Post a review of THRESHOLD Critical Energy


You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.