Lemuria/Sirius B

• Artist: Therion
• Rating:
• Release Date: June 01, 2004
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

Therion mastermind Christofer Johnsson has never recovered from hearing the choir come in at the end of Ozzy Osbourne's "Diary of a Madman." While 2002's Secret of the Runes, a conceptual work celebrating the nine different worlds of Norse mythology, was technically flawless and endlessly atmospheric, its orchestral and choral wall of sound seemed pasted on rather than successfully integrated into the electric onslaught. After a two-year hiatus, Therion return with not one but two records, the blistering, elegiac, and overall stunning Lemuria/Sirius B. This time around, the Scandinavian heavy metal equivalent of the Moody Blues eulogizing a Viking funeral have mastered their dark art and created the finest record of their career. Fans of the group's early, orchestra-free death metal period, as well as those converted by the band's forays into classical and opera, will find common ground here. The bombast of tracks like "Abraxas" -- its solemn trumpet intro sounds infinitely more Morricone than it does Metallica -- and "The Dreams of Swedenborg" is balanced by the brute force of more traditional power metal numbers like "Uthark Runa" and the electrifying "Sirius B." However, it takes a song like "Quetzalcoatl," which integrates these two worlds so effortlessly, for the listener to understand fully the scope of this polarizing band's vision. It takes balls to mix mandolins, Hammond organs, opera singers, and a full symphony with the testosterone-fueled slam of heavy metal, and it's even harder to do it without the slightest hint of irony, a feat Therion has more than achieved on Lemuria/Sirius B. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Typhon	Kristian Niemann	Therion	(4:36)
Uthark Runa	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(4:41)
Three Ships of Berik, Pt. 1: Calling to Arms and Fighting the Battle	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(3:19)
Three Ships of Berik, Pt. 2: Victory!	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(:44)
Lemuria	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(4:15)
Quetzalcoatl	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(3:47)
The Dreams of Swedenborg	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(4:58)
An Arrow from the Sun	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(5:54)
Abraxas	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(5:21)
Feuer Overtüre/Prometheus Entfesselt	Christofer Johnsson, Kristian Niemann	Therion	(4:39)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
The Blood of Kingu	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(5:45)
Son of the Sun	Kristian Niemann	Therion	(5:35)
The Khlysti Evangelist	Christofer Johnsson, Johan Niemann	Therion	(5:38)
Dark Venus Persephone	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(4:02)
Kaliyuga, Pt. 1	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(3:27)
Kaliyuga, Pt. 2	Kristian Niemann, Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(5:48)
The Wondrous World of Punt	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(7:19)
Melek Taus	Kristian Niemann, Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(5:31)
Call of Dagon	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(4:14)
Sirius B (Lyrics)	Christofer Johnsson	Therion	(3:43)
Voyage of Gurdjieff (The Fourth Way)	Christofer Johnsson, Kristian Niemann	Therion	(5:56)

Credits

Mats Levén (Vocals), Petra Cermáková (Horn), Karel Zochr (Bass (Vocal)), Ruzena Pelcova (Blocks), Kristian Niemann (Assistant Engineer), Ladislava Michálková (Violin), Frantisek Fejgi (Trombone (Alto)), Frantisek Fejgi (Trombone (Tenor)), Piotr Wawrzeniuk (Vocals), Vlastimil Zeman (Violin), Jirí Lisý (Tuba), Zdenek Vykopal (Tenor (Vocal)), Miroslav Kubícek (Horn), Vladimár Nacházel (Tenor (Vocal)), Anna Maria Krawe (Soprano (Vocal)), Eva Walterova (Blocks), Petr Duda (Horn), Lubos Klancík (Bass (Vocal)), Kristian Niemann (Guitar (Acoustic)), Bohumil Kotmel (Violin), Jirí Hannsmann (Bass (Vocal)), Petr Stajner (Violin), Sami Karppinen (Engineer), Véra Binarová (Viola), Marketa Lajnerova (Soprano (Vocal)), Dana Mikulejská (Blocks), Jirí Jimunek (Drums (Snare)), Lars H. Nissen (Producer), Jan Dramota (Violin), Robin Marek (Double Bass), Martin Císar (Double Bass), Ivan Diblík (Tenor (Vocal)), Michael Hradisky (Assistant), Zdenék Masek (Tenor (Vocal)), Frantise Silar (Violin), Eva Kroftova (Blocks), Lars Sømod Jensen (Organ), Tomás Cerný (Tenor (Vocal)), Johan Niemann (Mandolin), Jolana Mazalová (Violin), David Havelík (Cello), Marie Jakoubkova (Blocks), Roman Konecný (Violin), Ruzena Hejná (Soprano (Vocal)), Miroslav Stepan (Violin), Milan Dobiás (Bass (Vocal)), Jaroslava Eliasova (Harpsichord), Hana Cervenková (Soprano (Vocal)), Christofer Johnsson (Mandolin), Petr Malísek (Cello), Rickard Evensand (Gong), Rudolf Andrs (Double Bass), Slavena Drasilova (Soprano (Vocal)), Kristian Niemann (Soloist), Jan Holzner (Engineer), Petr Jindra (Tenor (Vocal)), Jaroslav Imramovský (Tympani [Timpani]), Petra Cermáková (Soloist), Václav Benda (Viola), Tomás Barinka (Violin), Klas Petr (Viola), Lubomír Krystlík (Horn), Bára Kubátová (Soprano (Vocal)), Kristian Niemann (Group Member), Jan Moravel (Bass (Vocal)), Blanka Léblová (Soprano (Vocal)), Rickard Evensand (Drums), Olga Bílková (Cello), Petra Erlebachová (Soprano (Vocal)), Richard Valasek (Violin), Lars H. Nissen (Engineer), Ludmila Mracková (Violin), Ivana Francanova (Blocks), Zdenka Gailová (Blocks), Jan Kratina (Bass (Vocal)), Marina Martincova (Viola), Christofer Johnsson (Group Member), Lukás Korínek (Bassoon), Pavel Kutman (Violin), Emanuel Ranny (Violin), Milena Holecková (Soprano (Vocal)), Jirí Císar (Double Bass), Jan Kratina (Viola), Ivan Loula (Tenor (Vocal)), Miroslav Kubícek (Tuba), Therion (Producer), Christofer Johnsson (Arranger), Johan Niemann (Fretless Bass), Danniela Filova (Blocks), Jaromir Belor (Bass (Vocal)), Martin Kalista (Violin), Frantisek Krupala (Bass (Vocal)), Kristian Niemann (Mandolin), Svatopluk Cech (Bassoon), Marek Vorlicek (Tenor (Vocal)), Michael Mergl (Bass (Vocal)), Jaroslava Eliasova (Piano), Mats Levén (Voices), Thomas Ewerhard (Cover Art), Markéta Kohoutová (Violin), Kristian Niemann (Guitar (Rhythm)), Dana Langerová (Soprano (Vocal)), Martin Stolbenko (Bass (Vocal)), Frantisek Mizervosky (Bass (Vocal)), Jitka Hurtikova (Soprano (Vocal)), Jirí Lisý (Horn), Christofer Johnsson (Keyboards), Milan Kottas (Bass (Vocal)), Pavel Mesany (Bass (Vocal)), Marie Dolezalová (Blocks), Peter Mossman (Narrator), Mario Klemens (Conductor), Tomas Mikulecky (Tenor (Vocal)), Christofer Johnsson (Vocals), Kavi Björkqvist (Balalaika), Johan Niemann (Bass), Jan Kejmarml (Drums (Snare)), Jana Drábková (Blocks), Sárka Drancáková (Violin), Jirí Kohoutek (Violin), Jirí Dolejsí (Tenor (Vocal)), Pavel Krzanovský (Violin), Jirí Los (Tenor (Vocal)), Lars H. Nissen (Mixing), Jan Dudek (Violin), Miroslava Dámlová (Soprano (Vocal)), Zbynek Valenta (Tenor (Vocal)), Anton Mikulka (Drums (Snare)), Marie Duorská (Violin), Zdenka Fiserová (Blocks), Thomas Ewerhard (Layout Design), Filip Himmer (Violin), Jan Dudek (Double Bass), Libor Kanka (Violin), Lenka Kucelová (Blocks), Jana Bínová Koucká (Soprano (Vocal)), Rudolf Hesvadba (Bass (Vocal)), Andreas Hviid (Assistant Engineer), Frantisek Fejgi (Trombone (Bass)), Johan Niemann (Group Member), Steen Rasmussen (Organ (Hammond)), Sven Lindblad (Balalaika), Adam Klemens (Conductor)