Lost/Forgotten Album #10

Along with rock, I've always liked classical music as well. Hearing smatterings of classical music in rock music (see: Accept) has always made me smile. Don't know why, maybe it's because it makes it seem that some of the music I listen to isn't just noise like my parents claim cause there's some classical stuff in there, baby! Or maybe I'm just strange.

About 15 years ago I went on a major kick trying to find hard rock/heavy metal that mixed a lot of classical elements, could probably blame that on TSO/Savatage I suppose. So I went to the ultimate music site, www.allmusic.com and spent hours and hours trying to find groups that mixed classical with rock and found Therion from Sweden. Along with the classical element, they also had operatic choirs! How cool is that?

So I went to www.amazon.com and listened to some uts from a Therion album, got hooked and since then have picked up every Therion release, whether it be a studio or live (and I'm not a big fan of live albums). Hell, I even picked up a DVD set of them in concert, wanting to know how they looked on stage with an orchestra. Sadly, they were playing in small venues on this DVD set, so the orchestral parts were pre-taped. No big deal, they had the band and the singers so it was cool anyway. Luckily, last year they released a live album which included a DVD where they played with a full orchestra, so I was happy as a rabid clam.

Whew.

So this week, I've picked their 1997 release titled "Theli". It's deinitely not for all tastes, might take some a couple listens to get into, but after awhile they may find some wonderful surprises. I personally don't think this is their best album, but it's very good nevertheless.

What's really fun to do is make a playlist of songs, and throw some Therion in with the more mainstream music. It will definitely peak someone's interest as well as having someone look at you like you're some kind of freak. This I know as fact since I had some Therion blaring while working outside in the yard and the neighbors were looking at me as if I were from outer space. Fun times! Beats having to listen to them play that "Spider Pig" song from "The Simpsons Movie" over and over and over and over again during a block party (which, I'm happy to say, is the last one we were ever invited to.)

Give it a listen...if you don't like it, what do you know? If you do, you're one of my newest and bestest friends. (Those that may not like this, check out track #9 since it's a bit more "accessible")

And Cookie Monster does make an appearance!

Theli

1. Preludium*

2. To Mega Therion*

3. Cults Of The Shadows*

4. In The Desert Of Set*

5. Interludium*

6. Nightside Of Eden*

7. Opus Eclipse*

8. Invocation Of Naamah*

9. The Siren Of The Woods*

10. Grande Finale/Postludium*

Availability: In print, should be no problem finding.

MSoTW is easy this week. Thought last week's would be hard, but someone guessed within two hours, so we'll go with easy. Then, when nobody guesses, I can laugh.