Diogenes When you hear about a band wanting to “streamline” their sound, that’s usually not a good sign; at least, it isn’t good if that band has been making some of the most substantial progressive metal around for the last 15 years. Let’s face it: there was nothing wrong with the Threshold approach to prog metal before this album, so a slightly stripped-down formula might have been cause for concern among fans of the band. But once again, Threshold’s professionalism eliminates any doubt about their future, and when combined with a more modern sound, actually produces their best effort yet.

The excellent Slipstream makes for the perfect album opener in regards to Threshold’s little makeover. Everything that’s changed is all right here: heavier riffage, shorter songs, more basic song structures, and even some death growls (courtesy of Dan Swano). Even though they’ve always been known for making progressive metal accessible, the music on Dead Reckoning takes that to a whole new level; before, Dream Theater’s Awake would have been the first album I would show to someone new to the genre, but now I’m not so sure. There’s very little in the way of build-up or mood-setting in the tracks on here, making Dead Reckoning quite easy (for progressive metal, anyway) to jump right into.

The beauty of all of this is…it’s still Threshold! This means classy musicianship and inspiring lyrics. Andrew “Mac” McDermott gives arguably his best (and unfortunately, his last) offering on vocals, belting out vocal lines that that are both catchy and emotional. As usual, there are no wasted notes, as both Karl Groom and Richard West make full use of their instruments without overdoing it even once. Songs like Hollow, for instance, showcase the band’s impeccable ability to add tasteful melodies to things that would be quite standard otherwise. I’m talking about the “little things”: a guitar lick where most bands would just lay down power chords, a keyboard doodle here and some atmospheric effects there. The songwriting here is just amazingly coherent and solid. This holds true on the longer songs, too; I have a hard time finding a better 1-2 punch in the band’s discography than Pilot in the Sky of Dreams and Fighting for Breath. And just as Slipstream introduces the album in fine fashion, One Degree Down closes it out beautifully with one of the best outros you’ll ever hear. The whole album just seems so complete and well thought-out, and the fact that’s it’s performed by some of the best musicians around makes it that much more impressive.

If there’s anything to gripe about, it’s Swano’s growls, which are out of place and fairly useless when you compare them with the rest of the music. But aside from that, Dead Reckoning is an absolutely fantastic listen. Its remarkable combination of modern elements with the familiar Threshold style of play should make it enjoyable for almost anyone. Needless to say, it’s nice to see a band that’s able to make some changes and still keep faithful to what makes them so good in the first place.

Diogenes Progressive metal is an acquired taste for a lot of people. Those coming from a more extreme metal background might be put off by the long songs, instrumental interludes, and craploads of time changes (I CAN’T HEADBANG TO 7/8 GRRRR), and that’s all fine and good. However, the populace should at least be aware that not all prog bands these days are Dream Theater clones, and yet they still retain their progressive qualities. Yes, it’s possible, folks! Threshold are living proof of it.

What we have on Subsurface is an extremely accessible and polished progressive metal album. This is made apparent right off the bat with album opener Mission Profile, which has pretty much everything you’ll be hearing in the next hour: catchy guitar melodies, soaring leads and solos, excellent vocals dishing out some thoughtful lyrics, and some of the best keyboard work I’ve heard in a while. Oh, and the chorus. It’s freaking amazing, guys. Take what you thought was a memorable metal chorus and throw it out the window. It’s really really good!

Most of the songs on the album have more of the same. Although they all vary in structure and length (this is prog, after all), there’s a part in every one of them to get you hooked. The keyboard opener of Ground Control, the melodic lead of Opium…wherever you look, there’s a hook (mad rhymes!). There are guitar hooks. There are keyboard hooks. There are vocal hooks. This is the main aspect that separates Subsurface from most prog metal albums; it’s so catchy that you can’t help but listen to it, no matter how unorthodox the music is in theory. Even the 11-minute track, The Art of Reason, is a relatively easy listen, and ballads aren’t lame, either. As far as song consistency goes, there aren’t really any BAD ones, although in my humble opinion, the first half of the album is more memorable than the second half.

As for the lineup, well, vocalist Andrew “Mac” McDermott is a great singer. His voice is clean and ear-friendly, and he sings with plenty of emotion. The places where he really shines are the parts where his vocals are layered (no choirs here, thank you), increasing the catchiness factor once again. Unfortunately, this man is no longer in the band, but thanks to his performance here, I will definitely be checking out any future projects he is a part of. Likewise, lead guitarist Karl Groom does his job more than competently, crafting plenty of tasteful, melodic guitar leads; he can obviously shred your face off, but stick within the flow of the music, which is commendable. Still, the instrument that makes this album is the keyboard. Keyboard lovers pay attention, because the keys are an absolutely joy to listen to here. Richard West shows off a large array of effects, whether it be industrial humming, sparkling, or the occasional lead. And, once again, he never hogs the spotlight, despite being an integral part of the mix. In a world where there are countless keyboardists trying to become the next Rudess, West’s keyboards are a breath of fresh air.

One thing I found while listening to Subsurface is how good the lyrics are. In a word, they’re phenomenal. Usually, you’d expect more mature lyrics themes from a prog band, and this album is example 1A. Issues with the world and humanity in general are what Mac sings about, and frankly, it’s hard to disagree with him. Go over the lyrics to Opium, and you’ll think twice before you waste your whole day in front of the tube. Check it:

“Our lifeless generation is going to the wall A languid demonstration of daze before a fall A preconceived condition imagined long ago But will we ever know all that lies below”

Those are some very powerful words right there. I’m not even kidding. You don’t see this every day in metal. I know, I know, if you want poetry, then go read a book. But I really appreciate lyrics like these.

If I had to pick a word to describe Subsurface, it would be “professional”. You just get the idea that these guys are professional musicians, wanting nothing more than to write professional music (especially including the excellent lyrics). No wankery. No wasted notes. Just solid progressive metal. This, in my humble opinion, is how progressive metal should be done: metal that is progressive. Wow, no shit, you say! I couldn’t word it any better than that…my apologies. If this help any, here’s what Subsurface isn’t: jazz-metal-fusion, progressive rock with metal tendencies, Liquid Tension Experiment with vocals, a metal band with a few time changes saying “HEY LOOK WE’RE PROG!” or any of that. Let me tell you, if Subsurface was everyone’s first exposure to the progressive metal genre, I think a lot of people would have different opinions on it. Most, if not all, of the prog stereotypes are shot down here. You don’t like stereotypes, do you? No, of course not. Threshold do progressive metal right, and you need to look no further than Subsurface to get an idea of what it’s all about.

Pelata Kudos to Inside Out for snatching these guys up because they are very good! I say this without the benefit of hearing the band’s past albums (obviously), but this CD definitely makes me want to hear the others.

I truly enjoy this disc. It’s chock full of heavy guitars, textured keyboards, intricate changes, and memorable melodies. Guitarists Karl Groom and Nick Midson have thick, heavy rhythm tones. The leads are not credited, but they are top-notch with melodic bends, competent shredding, and smooth tones. Keymeister Richard West pulls a few hat tricks of his own in the lead department, while also adding a full, omnipresent feel to the songs. The rhythm section, comprised of Jon Jeary (bass) and Johanne James (drums) are on top of their game as well and it shows in the deep grooves and airtight changes. Vocalist Mac has a high register tone, but resists overloading the ears with pointless wails. He sounds as if he could sing for a progressive rock band as well and a progressive metal band. His tone is hard to pinpoint in terms of comparisons, so suffice it to say he does his job well with strong presence and good melody lines.

The melodic approach of the songs on Hypothetical is more in the modernized vein, as opposed to having any power metal influences, which will no doubt bring instant comparisons to Dream Theater. While this is not entirely untrue, quick assumptions like that could sell this band short. Threshold draws from prog influences old and new here. “Turn On Tune In” has a great chorus, almost reminiscent of a heavier Yes, or Spock’s Beard. This song also sports a killer, syncopated groove with nice keyboard swells on the intro. “Sheltering Sky” has a haunting clean guitar and ambient vocal melody on the verse. It’s broken up with a nice piano/acoustic guitar lick. The dramatic chorus here is a grabber as well spiced up by emotional guitar lead work. “Narcissus”, at just over 11 minutes, is the longest tune on the disc and it’s a killer! It’s full of great melody, impressive lead work, and excellent mood shifts going from heavy crunch to moody clean tones effortlessly. It’s also home to another epic, dramatic chorus with cool harmonies and a killer Yes meets Queen feel on the bridge.

“Keep My Head” is a bit of a puzzler, as it has this 70s ballad feel to it. Very different from the rest of the album, but still quite good. Also of quick note is the instrumental break in “Light and Space”, which is outstanding! Oh, and I can’t forget yet another great chorus, this time layered with acoustic guitar strumming and superb vocal harmonies! The lyrics here are well written and clever, like in “Turn On Tune In”, which speaks of being brainwashed by the television media, “…buy into the merchandise and then it becomes real, palpable and plastic packaged neatly on the reel…” While not exactly innovative or breathtakingly original, there is a lot to like about this record. Prog metal fans everywhere should find this to be a worthy purchase.

arcane-beautiful Being a bit of a fan of these guys a while, I had no actual albums of theirs, so natuarly I had to get one (well my brother did, I forget about them as usual), so I decided to get this one. These guys are ugly as hell, if you look at them, but their is a rule with British bands, the uglier they are, the better their music is (look at Darwins Radio).

This album suprised me, as it turned out better than I thought. I do feel that the 2nd half of the album is nothing compared to the first half, mainly the first 3 songs.

This is Progressive Metal at it's best really. And it is very rare to see an English progressive metal band (and I mean real progressive metal, not extreme metal with a jazzy twist).

1. Mission Control - What an opener. Fantastic chorus and amazing vocals from Mac. Just overall one heck of a song. 10/10

2. Ground Control - As usual, a great chorus and some flawless instrumental work. 10/10

3. Opium - One of my favourite songs on the album. Love the beauty of the piano intro. This song does have some quite werid and wonderful twists and turns. 10/10

4. Stop Dead - A nice soothing Threshold ballad. 8/10

5. The Art Of Reason - Love the anger of Macs vocals. This song is a wonderfull porgressive metal epic. 10/10

6. Pressure - I wouldn't have picked this as the "single", but meh, I can't win em all. 9/10

7. Flags & Footprints - Another ballad, but with quite a dark twist. 9/10

8. Static - I would have chose this as the single, becasue it is quite short and has a catchier chorus. 10/10

9. The Destruction Of Words - A great epic end to the album. 9/10

CONCLUSION: If you haven't heard of these guys, I strongly advise you check them out. Their signature sound is to die for.

SouthSideoftheSky “Yes, we can make a few tweaks – yes, we will create some freaks”

Threshold once again lost Damian Wilson who left the band for the second time after their last album Extinct Instinct. In my view, the two albums Wilson sings on, Wounded Land and Extinct Instinct, are Threshold's best with the latter being my #1 favourite. But Clone is another strong album that introduced new singer Andrew McDermott (or Mac as he is often called?) which was the band's third singer in four albums. Like Glynn Morgan who sang on Psychedelicatessen, McDermott has a strong voice but hardly as distinctive as that of Damian Wilson. Overall, the musical direction of Clone is perhaps closer to that of Psychedelicatessen than to the other two I have mentioned. I find this one a bit less progressive and also slightly less diverse compared to the three previous albums. The sound is also less dynamic with keyboards playing a somewhat lesser role here. But, on the other hand, it is filled with strong riffs and melodies flawlessly performed and recorded.

Like the debut, Wounded Land, Clone too is a concept album. This time they want to tell us about the supposed dangers of genetic engineering. While the lyrics are certainly less naïve and “preachy” here compared to the debut, the ideological view presented is, again, a bit questionable in my view. Personally, I think that those who are overly sceptical of the abilities of genetic engineering are often not very well educated about the science and tend to greatly exaggerate the risks involved. But the lyrics do not distract me here in the way they did on Wounded Land. Anyway, this is an enjoyable set of moderately progressive Heavy Metal songs revolving around this theme. Black Sabbath-like guitar riffs and highly melodic verses and choruses are still the backbone of Threshold's sound. And it works well!

Clone is one of Threshold’s better albums, but not up to the standard set by the previous Extinct Instinct which constituted the band's peak in my opinion

rdtprog This DVD show the band in top form with some close shots that give you the impression of being there in this small venue. The music is excellent because it's a band that play a very melodic and emotional prog metal just on the border of power metal but with a original sound. Mac the vocalist has a great voice. Here he challenges the fans between some songs with a kind of self-confident look that is funny to watch. The other musicians are also interesting to watch especially the guitar work of Karl Groom and the drums of the athletic Johanne James. If the picture is not that great the 5.1 surround sound is full, well balanced between the front and the rear speakers.

In conclusion, a show that you have to see, great performance, by a great band that plays some of their best songs from their catalogue.

SouthSideoftheSky Live flow

This impressive live DVD captures Threshold performing a career-spanning set of songs in front of an appreciative Dutch audience. Every studio album up to and including Critical Mass is represented here and they have very wisely chosen not to let any particular album dominate the set list. Two songs are taken from the classic debut, Wounded Land; two from Psychedelicatessen; three from Extinct Instinct; three from Clone; four from Hypothetical and four from Critical Mass. My favourite Threshold albums are the early ones, especially those two with Damian Wilson on lead vocals, but Andrew McDermott, or "Mac" as he is called, handles the songs originally sung by Wilson and also those by originally sung Glynn Morgan very well.

All the selections here are very good but one of several highlights for me is the short acoustic section in the middle of the set that makes the show varied and lets the viewer catch his breath before another Prog Metal onslaught. The acoustic songs played are Clear and Life Flow, both originally from the Extinct Instinct album. Another highlight is Paradox from the debut on which both the audience and the band are on fire.

The band is in top form throughout with the drummer in particular ponding the drums like a madman! And he never seems to get tired either. Karl Groom may not be much of a show man, but he is a fantastic guitarist and he seems to enjoy himself a lot on stage. Mac is, on the other hand, a show man who moves around a lot on stage and interacts with the audience. He has a strange sense of humour though, telling the audience to shut up and go home and similar rude things! But that's the way he is, I guess.

Overall, I think that the set list is very well balanced and that the band performs their songs with impeccable skill and enthusiasm. There might be some overdubs in the vocals, but not very noticeable. The sound is great. The DVD includes a few extras such as a tour documentary which is interesting to watch once or twice perhaps.

A great live document by a great band!