So apparently there is a new Therion album on the way.

Wait, scratch that... there is a new Therion album already out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JGfNarmk90
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6uLIN46AHE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68-W5JPaff4

It is for all intents and purposes a new regular album, but not in the way previous albums were - this was financed by Christofer Johnsson, not backed by Nuclear Blast.

The sound, judging by the three tracks I've listened to so far, is quite a change from previous albums. I think this will be a grower on me, like Sitra Ahra was (although I concede that SA was the weakest Therion studio album by far). For one, it is very, um... french. Not that there is anything bad about that, actually there are some vocals that remind me of Amesoeurs.

Furthermore, it seems to be a part of an art project the band is doing that will celebrate Therion's 25th anniversary. Therion, with the exception of Snowy Shaw, are working on this opera metal project that will take years to complete. It may be five or more years before we see a new Therion album proper, though there is no doubt that they'll be releasing more music - it just might be all tied in with this metal opera they are doing. But will this opera be entirely in french? Or is Les Fleurs du Mal just making up for Therion having little or no songs in french? (that I know of, if anyone begs to differ, point me to it )

http://megatherion.com/en/

You can only admire Johnsson's vision and courage to make this!

Also Baudelaire <3

What a bore, I didn't like any of those songs. Therion is just a joke with out the Niemann brothers it seems. I think you said it right, Met, Johnsson is a visionary. But sadly, I don't think think his musical expertise is up to par and the help he had from the Niemann brothers really shows.

Let's hope he'll make some justice to Baudelaire.

No wonder it doesn't fully sound like Therion... these songs are covers. I'm beginning to think that all of them might be a cover, many of the songs seem to be by artists that are themselves quite unknown. Leonie, Victoire Scott, Marie Laforêt... Also, it seems many of these songs were recorded in the 1960s.

I only had time to research a couple of songs, but what I'm finding is intriguing to say the least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_DRjJtHxNA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDCHOQSwN6w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo4qBA89nxk

I haven't liked much of anything Therion has done since Vovin. These new songs are terrible.

Interesting, I thought they sounded poppy/non-metal, that's why.

I'm not sure I like Therion's versions though. In fact the more I listen to the originals I find the originals way better.

Superb! Amazing! Chris strikes me again! I didn't except French cover songs but they are amazing especially because Lori Lewis sing 'em! Her voice is the most beautiful I've ever heard! Wow, Marie Laforêt is one of my favorite French singers and Therion did a cover!

Some of this sounds promising IMO. I'm Therion fanatic though, so I'm already a little partial to it haha but like most of their stuff I gotta listen to it more to really decide how I feel about it. Glad I ordered it from the band's webstore

I like the three tracks Goatfangs linked anyway. I'm certainly interested in getting the album, although I don't necessarily expect it to be a new classic or whatever. I just wish the official page would load so I can read about what is going on... It's all chanson covers I believe? Some dude on RYM listed the tracks and original artists:

1. Poupée de cire, poupée de son (reprise de France Gall) - 2. Une fleur dans le coeur (reprise de Victoire Scott) - 3. Initial B.B. (reprise de Serge Gainsbourg) - 4. Mon amour, mon ami (reprise de Marie Laforêt) - 5. Polichinelle (reprise de France Gall) - 6. La Maritza (reprise de Sylvie Vartan) - 7. Soeur angelique (reprise de Léo Marjane) - 8. Dis-moi poupée (reprise de Isabelle) - 9. Lilith - 10. En Alabama (reprise de Léonie) - 11. Wahala manitou - 12. Je n'ai besoin que de tendresse (reprise de Claire Dixon) - 13. La licorne d'or (reprise de Victoire Scott) - 14. J'ai le mal de toi (reprise de Betty Mars) - 15. Les sucettes (reprise de Serge Gainsbourg).

I believe that's one track short. We'll be able to get a better idea once the site starts working again anyway.

I didn't like the album at all. Therion has totally gone opera. The drums just don't go with the music at all for me. I don't know any band that has mixed opera and metal and created anything worth listening

Awesome!! Much, much better than Sitra Ahra and Gothic Kabbalah put together. He still has it after all

In other words, this has abso-fucking-lutely nothing to do with Charles Baudelaire's volume, except for the use of the French language. That's quite a narrow link to justify stealing his iconic work's title, especially when you consider these songs' trivial lyrical and musical themes (hints: "Initials BB" is about Gainsbourg fucking Brigitte Bardot, "Les Sucettes" is about Gainsbourg getting his dick sucked by France Gall, "Polichinelle" is a song for kids, much of the others are just plain love songs), compared to Baudelaire's very deep, dark poetry. A lot of Serge Gainsbourg covers, there (track 1 is also by him, written for France Gall just like track 15).

I dunno, it might have something of a novelty factor for non-French people, who have the double advantage of not knowing the original versions and not understanding the lyrics. For me this just comes across as comical.

I was at the concert and bought the CD. I must say: first, the songs sound a little weird (Therion is never conventional, are they?), but the more you play the songs, the more they grow into you. I had a nice time googling for the original songs, playing them and wondering what the hell would be a metal-opera version of it, and then discovering that, in fact, it can be fully therionized and sound great! It was a funny experience

At the concert, Christofer Johnsson was at the merchandising and talked with whoever approached him, for a lot of time before playing. The concert, by the was, was incredible: a lot of old and new songs, some of the longest and a few of the shortest ones... Lori and Vickström superb... And Linnéa, Vickström's daughter, definitively his father's daughter! They both have such a nice voice...

If you liked Therion previous releases, even a little, give a chance to "Les Fleurs du Mal". And if you have the chance to see them live, don't miss it. You won't have another chance for quite a while!