Therion - Lepaca Kliffoth Review

Ok, this is the third and final album of our Therion’s series of their least known albums that gave them the image and sonancy they have today and are being reissued via Hammerheart Records. This “Lepaca Kliffoth” is a very special because it is their fourth album and their unique style is almost shaped here and because I’m sure now it was he very first Therion album that I’ve ever heard and made me such an impression as I told in our first part of this series of reviews. To be more precise “Black” is the track I’m sure I heard back then. From where I’m standing and from everything I heard in those three albums this is exactly when Therion’s music acquires their definite sonancy. There are so many references to their forwarding albums that is alomost impossible to address all them. Vocals mixing harsh male vocals with female soprano combined with melodic guitar solos and many keyboards.

When compared to the previous album “Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas” I feel that there is still some hodgepodge of a band that is still looking for its personality. Some tracks are still kind of out of the context as if they weren’t to belong to the album. “Let the New Day Begin” is an example. The song is so very out the general context of the album. Even though the feeling here is smaller. “Lepaca Kliffoth” feels like a more cohesive effort with the band putting it all together to enter a new era. For the record, “Melez” showcases the now traditional Scorpions’ influence as it sounds very similar in intent to “The Riot of Your Time” with the Spanish driven guitar. Maybe it’s something from my mind but Therion were hugely influenced by Scorpions Uli Roth era. Now “Evocation of Vovin” is the song that sounds even closer to Therion’s today’s music with the strong guitars and the classical music influence in a twisted manner with the sound of the grandness of the trumpets and the female soprano singer contrast to the harsh male vocals. Contrasting to all the album we have “Enter the Voids” with its Punk Rock intent. One more song completely out of the context but with the keyboards that would be a stapler to the band. A musical hodgepodge with the main guitar riffing reminding a lot the Beatles’ “Drive My Car” with some bass lines near the 1980s Gothic.

From where I’m standing, “Lepaca Kliffoth” is the change of heart album. As a band’s tradition the album tittle comes from the Qliphoth the representation of evil or impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism, the polar opposites of the holy Sefirot. From then on the band will explore more the Symphonic elements and leave behind the musical hodgepodge that was a watermark of these two albums. I don’t know but maybe the change of line-up may have affected the band’s path in this beginning. Just maybe.

Ok, this is the final chapter of this series. I hope to have honered Therion the way it deserves. For the record, I loved to learn more from the band while listening to those least known albums. It was really a trip and I had the chance to finally recognize the band that inspired me so much in the past and put me right through to the next Metal era.

Therion “Lepaca Kliffoth” will be released on April 08th via Hammerheart Records.

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