Album title: For the Journey
Artiste: Threshold
Year: 2014
Nationality: British
Genre: Progressive Metal
Rank: High Priest
10
I've been a fan of British progressive metal band Threshold since I first heard
Subsurface, and quickly set about buying the rest of their discography. I can honestly say I've yet to hear a bad, or even substandard album from this band. They're not guys to rush out releases though: their album before this was out two years prior, and three years elapsed between the release of that and their 2007 album. So when you get a new Threshold album, you're pretty certain it's going to be an event.
1. Watchtower on the moon: A big heavy guitar from Karl Groom to get us underway, underscored by wailing keyboards from Richard West as Threshold lay down their signature sound, Damien Wilson in fine form on vocals, and the vocal harmonies are as usual spot-on. Some vocoders and then a really nice group vocal in the middle before the guitar picks up again with another fine solo from Groom, ably assisted by Pete Morten. Great start.
2. Unforgiven: Slower with some nice acoustic guitar and a dramatic keyboard line. Great passion in Wilson's voice; he always throws himself fully into every song.
3. The box: Every Threshold album has an epic, and this is twelve minutes long. Opens on a beautiful piano and synthy line with a soft vocal, then it starts to get a bit more intense, faster, with someone yelling about a machine in the background (may be taken from a movie or something) as the guitar kicks in around the third minute with organ overlaying the melody. A cautionary tale, it would appear, about ... um ... I don't know. Losing control? Handing it to others? Forest for the trees? Don't really get the reference, but that's one hell of a keyboard solo just now. Those great vocal harmonies are used to fine effect here. Back to the piano from the opener as we come towards the end of the song, and a big powerful instrumental outro. Class.
4. Turned to dust: Good uptempo track, guitar-driven with a great hook. Another scorching solo from Groom.
5. Lost in your memory: West's piano drives this one though, which feels as if it may be the ballad. Sort of reminds me of “Keep my head” from
Hypothetical. Very progressive metal guitar groove and again there's a fine hook in the melody. You could almost hear this playing on the radio.
6. Autumn red: Great driving keyboard line opening the song. Again I have not the first idea what it's about. Very uptempo and sharp though. Love the building line in the fourth minute which brings in the vocal harmonies.
7. The mystery show: A very reflective, ominous guitar with phased vocals; a much slower song, feeling of paranoia and terror clutching at you. Love the chorus. Another really progressive guitar solo from Karl Groom
8. Siren sky: Atmospheric intro that gives way to powerful guitar. A very Yes-style melody in parts, a very optimistic message:
”Instead of walking around all negatively, allowing that to affect your entire outlook on life, why not choose to live thankfully?” Really orchestral-like keyboard ending and a passionate vocal to bring the song, and the album, to a triumphant close.
Conclusion: Another fine album from the band who never disappoint. They may make us wait for their albums, but they're always worth waiting for. Criminally underrated band.
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