Vovin

I'll tell you the truth – I hate opera. I can't get myself to go to an opera night, just sitting in a chair and watching singers sing this kind of stuff. You know what? Scrap that. Let's say I hate opera, most of the time. Opera, just like death-metal vocals, can be very impressive if done tastefully. Thankfully, Therion does just that. Their music, taking its influences from classic heavy metal and classical composers such as Richard Wagner, is dramatic, melodic and mysterious. There's a hidden charm to Therion's creation, one whose reasons are very hard to point out. Yes, Therion did use to do death metal, but, honestly, they couldn't have made a better choice moving away from this genre and into the realms of symphonic metal.

Theli was a very impressive record, and it caught many fans and other metalheads off guard. The dramatic, orchestrated sound was sensational, and it mixed the orchestral, the metallic and the operatic together for a very atmospheric record. The band-reinventing effort's follower, Vovin, takes this to a whole other level. Vovin is a spectacular record, rich with atmosphere, darkness and beauty, and what's even better is how each of its songs is distinguishable enough to warrant attention. None of the songs can be considered in any way filler content, and that's very respectable. Now, let's move onto the songs themselves.

Opener "The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah" starts the album on a very dramatic note thanks to very rhythmic, intimidating, violins. I never thought violins could be heavy. Then, a power chord ensues, and in comes the song's Arabian theme. The riffs are simple and very catchy, and they give the songs their metal-ness, but the fact is they're there to compliment the totally mind-blowing orchestration. The strings on this song are simply stunning. The operatic singing compliments the song and prepares the listener to almost an hour of pure class. Yes, many metal bands use classic instruments today, but none actually reach the actual class that Therion has, and this song is a perfect example of that.

The Birth of Venus Illegitima. Well, wow. This song doesn't have speed, it's just a lot of truly impressive, sometimes downright moving melodies. This song is actually more guitar-oriented than Sodom and Gomorrah, with some great dual harmonies and passages, yet the opera remains. The combination is immaculate. Once again, the song creates a very impressive blend of classic (and classy) music and heavy metal, and the solid nature of the song establishes Vovin as an exceptional album right from the get-go. The last minute of the songs is simply breathtaking thanks to wonderful violins and ends the song perfectly.

These two songs are fairly laid-back, and just when you think you're going to lose interest, Therion hits you in the face with Wine of Aluqah. Everything you expect to hear in a Therion song is here – violins, opera, great melodies and… thrashy riffs. Yes, this song will make you happy. It seems like I can't stress out enough just how impressive the contrast is between the classic influences and the heavy metal, but in this song it's even more apparent – the high-society concept of opera and classic music against the "dirtiness" of thrash metal. Sounds interesting? Wait until you hear the fantastic composition full force. Even the toughest metalhead will have to try hard to resist headbanging to this asskicker. The song ends with a surprising, very melodic segment of guitars and opera and a build-up of violins accompanied by the distorted guitars, leading to what could have been lifted straight out of your typical philharmonic evenings with a Tox and some… wine.

Next up is Clavicula Nox, returning to the soothing and insanely melodic. The simple guitar strums are rhythmic and weird, helped by just the right effects to compliment the song's fairly-mysterious tone, which becomes especially apparent after the chorus. The guitar passages after each chorus, containing a bit of an ominous riff, are followed by a pretty heavy part that displays some dramatic opera, good palm-muted rhythm guitar and an interesting guitar harmony. The song is the longest on the album, clocking in at 8:50, but that's not a repetitive, tedious 8:50. However, it's at the song's fifth minute that things go from impressive sounding to interesting-impressive-sounding. The acoustic and classical guitars come in, with a very melodic acoustic solo. What's interesting is how great the solo sounds with the heavy riff in the background. The violins that follow are also excellent, and the guitars fading this song out are great. Another piece ends on a very high note.

A bass note sounds, and another thrashy riff begins. The Wild Hunt is even thashier and more intense than Wine of Aluqah, and between the dramatic choirs and catchy riff comes Ralf Scheepers with a catchy chorus. The song is pretty short, but its great energies carry on through and through. Particularly immersive is the choir passage in the middle before they go into the second verse. The guitar work is particularly impressive, with a great solo from Mr. Erisson ending the song.

Eye of Shiva is very relaxed and even sinister-sounding. There isn't much to say about this song except that it's yet another impressive tune on an already-impressive album. As noticeable and individually impressive as it is, it doesn't stand out much against the other pieces on the album. It's not bad. It's actually very good, but it's also probably the weakest song on the record.

Sadly, Black Sun isn't that much better. The cello/violin/piano intro is ominous, yet the song itself begins abruptly and isn't as heavy as the intro suggests. Some would say this makes for a good surprise, but to me, its cuts the album's flow a bit. Thankfully the song, while different from its intro, is pretty good. It has a good rhythm and some good melodies, yet I just can't get over the sudden change the song takes at the beginning. Had this song had a better intro, it would've ranked higher on my scale.

The next three songs form the Draconian trilogy, and they connect to each other, naturally forming one progressive song. However, each song is distinguishable from the others. The first is almost entirely instrumental, but the best of them is definitely the middle-part, Morning Star. It's heavy and scary, sometimes even trippy. The bass-heavy male singing may contrast the soothing female vocals of the chorus, but that's not a pace-breaking contrast like the one in Black Sun. The song eventually builds up and goes into Black Diamonds. It's another nice piece that actually continues the melodies in Black Sun but manages to differentiate itself. The ending piano-violin passage is almost Jewish-sounding, transmitting a sense of tragedy.

Next up and last for the evening is Raven of Dispersion. This is one of the best songs on the album, right up there with The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah and the insane Wine of Aluqah. It's the perfect conclusion to the album, mainly because it's very different. There aren't a lot of classical instruments most of the time - it's just guitars, bass, drums and some excellent singers. The singing on the trippy chorus is simply stunning – the female vocals are so beautiful they will make your chest hurt. Only on the last minute of the song do the violins come in, yet the song remains dominated by the "conventional" instruments, and the guitar harmony ending the song also ends the album on a very high note, leaving the listener (in that case, me) thinking about the masterpiece they just heard.

To tell you the truth, Therion's lyrics have never caught my interest, but what's so great about them, and I mentioned that quite a lot in this review, is their trademark combination of metal and classical music. There isn't any band out there that sounds quite like Therion, and it's that uniqueness that gives them an edge. They're a metal band, you know, two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer. And a choir. And a string orchestra. The combination is spectacular. Those with a mind open enough will find a moving, emotional experience that transmits such powerful feelings and atmosphere that it's almost impossible to absorb in one listen, at least until you've had at least six or seven full listens. The orchestration throughout the album is incredible, and the operatic singing, as strange as it may sound, is complimented with respect and class by the metal sound. A unique experience that's not to be missed.