Threshold - Subsurface
Inside Out

file under prog / sympho metal

Evil Dr. Smith: How long is it possible for a band to improve or to renovate itself? In at least 99 per cent of the bands it’s NOT possible. After three, four, maybe five albums there’s no progress anymore and either the band will repeat itself or will fall apart. Just a very, very few percentage of the bands out there are able to inspire themselves for at least an equal artistic consolidation (like Opeth, Neurosis, Mike Patton, Tool). It’s a rare thing that a group or an artist is capable of a constant flow of top quality music. Even in the highest ranks of the musical rock history – Frank Zappa, Queen, Dream Theater, Miles Davis, Metallica, The Beatles etc. – it’s no exception that every one of them has produced one or more failures. It might sound strange that I use these Big Names in this review of Threshold, but I don’t see any reason why I have to use less historic important artists as comparison material for Threshold. You got it right: here’s a long-time fan speaking.

With this seventh studio album of Threshold – the fourth with singer Mac, whose vocal growth has made him indissoluble connected with the grandeur sound of Threshold: who’s Damian? – it seemed that it was the same thing with Threshold: the band is repeating itself. The riffs were a little less venomous, the melody lines less gripping and the whole atmosphere of the album was a little more timid and hold back as it’s gigantic majestic predecessor ‘Critical Mass’. A slight disappointment was my share. But not for long, because I underestimated the expressiveness of Threshold’s material… luckily!

So Theshold is doing it again: making a superb metal album! At first it seemed they do it with less majestic riffs than before, but the melodic power of the songs are growing and growing and growing. Immediately with the openings track ‘Mission Profile’ they’ll teach you – once again – what you can do with complex structures, ingenious guitar solo’s and excellent drum work, and tie it up in gripping melodies without losing any musical power. Especially the phenomenal choruses in this song are among the highlights in Threshold’s oeuvre, which is imposing anyway. Also the other eight tracks are filled with the typical Threshold ingredients, with this little difference that the melody lines are more subtle woven in the song structures, so that it could take a little longer to fully appreciate the greatness of this new album. But when you got them, the melodies won’t get out of your head ever. That’s a good thing, because then you’re able to sing-a-long with Threshold when they’re touring with Dead Soul Tribe across Europe in September: already the best progmetal-bill this year!

For years now they’re speaking about Threshold as the best progmetal band from England. I think it’s now bloody well time to leave out that ‘England’-part. Mike, James, Jordan, John and John: it’s your move!

Evil Dr. Smith diagnoses: 90/100 (details)

http://www.threshold.net