Therion
Of Darkness...

THE REVIEW

It's interesting to observe the musical and conceptual evolution of a band. Take Therion, for example. Now they create a sophisticated and very personal type of music, with themes ranging from esotericism to the Kabbalah, ending with philosophy. Once, their music, their lyrics were completely different. A pure and devastating death metal made of crushing and continuous riffs, seasoned with a deep growl. The lyrics, however, explored the most varied themes: multinationals, poverty, war, drugs, exploitation, and human rights. Themes that have little or nothing to do with the modern conception of death metal.

The band, composed of four members, features eighteen-year-old Christopher Johnsson on vocals. Of Darkness reflects the youthful age of the members: fairly linear compositions, far from what would be created later, simple lyrics. It is precisely in the music of the album that we find the strength but at the same time the weaknesses of the album: certainly valuable compositions with varied and absolutely heavy riffs but somewhat too similar to themselves. Songs quite similar to each other, despite a monstrous destructive attitude, with imperious drumming in the foreground.

Songs like the cavernous "A Suburb to Hell" or others like "Asphyxiate with Fear" and "Morbid Reality", although musically impeccable, give a sense of stasis that ends up becoming a lack of ideas. Of Darkness is thus a debut album somewhat of its own, completely out of the field compared to what one of the major bands in the global symphonic scene sounds like today.

Of darkness is excellent technique, powerful sounds, and abyssal growl. Nothing more, nothing less.

From here on, despite other works still partially decidedly linked to death (like the subsequent "Beyond Sanctorum" and to a lesser extent "Symphony Masses") Therion will evolve their music and in general their artistic proposal album after album, until they generate masterpieces of absolute beauty.

1. "The Return" (5:13)
2. "Asphyxiate With Fear" (4:00)
3. "Morbid Reality" (6:05)
4. "Megalomania" (4:10)
5. "A Suburb To Hell" (4:47)
6. "Genocidal Raids" (5:15)
7. "Time Shall Tell" (5:07)
8. "Dark Eternity" (4:49)