New Therion - "Les Fleurs Du Mal"

A new album apparently consisting of covers of French pop songs and named after a book of poems by Baudelaire. Full album here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTcavVNm8Hw

Yikes!

French pop tunes and a 19th century French poet. Sounds like a real party. Sign me up.

Yeah, after the Gothic Turd, I thought Therion might be getting back on track with Sitra Ahra because it had moments like their apex Lemuria/Sirius B. But then they drop this thing; this makes Gothic Turd sound great.

I was disappointed at the last one and read bad reviews about this new one, so I think I'll pass.

I actually liked Gothic Kabbalah. In fact, I thought it was real awesome. Bombastic opera metal with just a lot of stuff to digest.

I thought Kabbalah was too "retro". To me it was too "proggy"l it sounded more like Jethro Tull than Therion; it just wasn't what I want from Therion. But I rather liked Sitra Ahra. I think most people agree this new one is pretty bad though.

I saw them live, and 'Gothic Turd' sounds about right overall.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I saw them live, and 'Gothic Turd' sounds about right overall.

That's just become my term for that album everywhere I post because it followed up one of my favorite album(s) of all time, Lemuria/Sirius B.

I know, and it wasn't much better live.

Hmmm...I listened to samples from this new one, and it sounded good to me.

Yeah but you like everything.

tohostudios wrote:

Yeah but you like everything.

Not everything. I don't like the new Jeff Keith EP.

Yea the song they released a few weeks ago I thought was kind of cool. They said they were going to do something different and the record label didn't really want them to after they heard it so they bought back the album and are releasing it on their own.

I'm relatively still new to this band and this kind of stuff doesn't bother me. I listen to other bands that have done far worse for an album or 2. Also this band has changed so much since they began this really shouldn't come to a surprise.

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Yea the song they released a few weeks ago I thought was kind of cool. They said they were going to do something different and the record label didn't really want them to after they heard it so they bought back the album and are releasing it on their own.

I'm relatively still new to this band and this kind of stuff doesn't bother me. I listen to other bands that have done far worse for an album or 2. Also this band has changed so much since they began this really shouldn't come to a surprise.

But compare it to something like this and I think you can understand why people are disappointed:

I haven't kept up on Therion since Gothic, and I used to play their albums quite a bit up util that point. This new stuff is....blahhhh.

damn i haven't enjoyed a Therion album since Secret of the Runes. i've missed a few though, so perhaps it's not that dire. I haven't heard this one yet.

tohostudios wrote:

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Yea the song they released a few weeks ago I thought was kind of cool. They said they were going to do something different and the record label didn't really want them to after they heard it so they bought back the album and are releasing it on their own.

I'm relatively still new to this band and this kind of stuff doesn't bother me. I listen to other bands that have done far worse for an album or 2. Also this band has changed so much since they began this really shouldn't come to a surprise.

But compare it to something like this and I think you can understand why people are disappointed:

Of course I can see the disappointment but it seems like they always disappoint someone with every album they put out haha.

Has anyone had more time to simmer on "Les Fleurs...?" I got it almost as soon as it came out. I've been a fan since just before "Secret of the Runes" (my favorite) was released after some high school friends clued me in to there being a bigger musical world than Nirvana and Pink Floyd, but I have to agree that Gothic was sort of an odd sidestep. I don't HATE it, but it did feel rather uneven - even of "Son of the Staves of Time" is one of the most ass kicking tracks in existence.

"Les Fleurs..." is ok, but it almost veers into sounding like some new band taking after Therion rather than Therion itself.

I kind of suspect that Cristoffer (sp?) is a great arranger when he's working on his own stuff. If you look at the writing credits on Gothic and even, to a lesser extent, Sitra Ahra, the writing credits are all over the place, even if he's starting to reign it in a bit. I sort of wonder if that's not where the magic went - especially when you consider that most of the material on Sirius B/Lemuria and Secret of the Runes (I think ALL in the case of Secret) was written by him alone. Maybe that Therion style just doesn't translate well over anyone else's music.

Personal bias confession: I'm also really kind of spent on this whole steampunk, low rent Hot Topic goth thing they're going for now. The music is over-the-top and bombastic and that's great, but don't draw attention to how over-the-top your band is by acting like you're compensating for not being cast in the school play as a kid...

The genius behind Therion is Christofer Johnson. If he's not writing it, I don't want to listen!

MetalRob331 wrote:

The genius behind Therion is Christofer Johnson.  If he's not writing it, I don't want to listen!  

I can't tell you how often I've avoided mentalities like this as if they were on fire and trying to hug me... But in this case, I'm going to have to agree. Barring a few early tracks (Siren of the Woods), every great thing out of the band has been C.J. all around.

I'm actually really stoked to hear the opera that he's working on. I think it almost can't help but be awesome - not least of all when you consider that big chunks of Sirius B and Lemuria were originally FOR it. I vaguely recall that Secret of the Runes started life as this opera and then he decided to break it off into its own thing.

I'm a huge Therion fan, but they have released some real let downers lately.  Hopefully they get back to what they do best!

Sitra Ahra definitely gave me hope that there's plenty of gas in the tank. Land of Canaan is probably one of the most epic pieces they've ever done.

While I imagine there were legit reasons for it, it also really sucks that the Sirius B/Lemuria lineup folded. While Christofer may be the mastermind, that group was able to realize all of the band's songs perfectly. The Celebrators of Becoming live recording was testament to that. Mats Leven was also a tremendous boost to that lineup.

Ah well. All good things, right?

While I can appreciate the idea behind this album, I prefer the French pop originals. Therion is way too overblown for me.

MetalRob331 wrote:

I'm a huge Therion fan, but they have released some real let downers lately.  Hopefully they get back to what they do best!

I have to agree with this. The last one was decent, but I soon forgot about it. I know a lot of Therion fans didn't like it, but I liked Gothic, but it too was a let down after the double bill before it.

MetalRob331 wrote:

The genius behind Therion is Christofer Johnson.  If he's not writing it, I don't want to listen!  

Well, that's stupid, especially coming from someone who constantly talks about the songs being most important.

Eyesore wrote:

MetalRob331 wrote:

The genius behind Therion is Christofer Johnson.  If he's not writing it, I don't want to listen!  

Well, that's stupid, especially coming from someone who constantly talks about the songs being most important.

I've only got to side here because, for the most part, the best SONGS Therion has released were C.J. compositions.

I'm going to stand by my theory that his arrangement style sounds out of place and even at times kind of stupid on other peoples' music, but it works perfectly with his own. Ok, strong exceptions being some of their covers. Summernight City, anyone?