And so to Threshold’s fourth studio album, and consequently the fourth with a different line-up. Damian sang on the debut, then left only to return to sing on the third, but by this time had departed again. None of us expected to see him fronting the band ever again but he did return in 2007 and has been there ever since. But, with this album we are back in 1998 and Threshold had a new frontman in Andrew ‘Mac’ McDermott. Now, I am a Damian fan through and through, but I would be the first to stand up and say that Mac more than filled the shoes and dominates on this album. It was during this period that I saw the band in concert more than any other, and playing this album after a break of a few years is like coming back to old friends. The songs are familiar, but only because I played this album to death when I first heard it, so it is really hard to be objective about it all.
Here is the perfect mix of guitars, keyboards and drums in a melodic metallic progtastic environment with a singer who knows exactly what he is about and then the whole package is wrapped up by the engineering and production skills of Karl Groom. Who on earth could wish for any more? This is not going to be suited to everyone’s taste, as metalheads may argue that there is too much prog going on while the progheads will state that it is too metallic and there isn’t enough noodling and self contemplation to make it worthwhile.
Me? I love it, from “Freaks” through to “Sunrise On Mars” I love it. Listen to “Change” to see what I mean. Here is a song that is controlled and slow in pace, yet there is passion in abundance and the guitar break is stunning but what makes it such an epic is the way that everyone plays their part and it all fits together so very well indeed. No-one could imagine that this is Mac’s first album with the rest of the guys as he seems very much at home indeed. Yet again this is an essential release from the guys, now available again as a ‘definitive edition’ from Nuclear Blast with bonus songs.
