THERION — Crowning of Atlantis (review)

THERION — Crowning of Atlantis album cover

Album · 1999 · Symphonic Metal

3/5 · 2020-02-09
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The followup for “Vovin” was supposed to be an EP or at least that’s what Christofer Johnsson wanted it to be due to the lack of time for preparing new material after the Vovin Tour. Of course THERION’s record company Nuclear Blast had other plans and to capture the momentum of the band’s ascent into the big leagues of the metal universe, pushed them to crank out more material for a full album’s worth. The result was a rather haphazard attempt of covers, a remix and live performances from the tour and much like the album “A’arab Zaraq Lucid Dreaming” was basically a mixed grab bag of new material along with stuff that probably should have been held back as bonus tracks for later rereleases.

Despite the compilation type of feel, CROWNING OF ATLANTIS is still considered THERION’s eighth overall studio album but only contains three new tracks and a remix of “Clavicula Nox” from the previous “Vovin” album. The three live tracks include “To Mega Therion” from the “Theli” album, “Black Sun” from “Vovin” and “The Wings Of Hydra” from the “Lepaca Kliffoth” album. While there are only three new tracks and four if you count the remix, the cast of THERION is still quite a large group with an army of guest musicians, choir members along with the regular band and Indigo orchestra. The album’s content was basically salvaged from various recording sessions that spanned from 1997-99 so it’s no wonder that this one basically feels like a leftovers album.

The covers include “Crazy Nights” from Loudness, “Thor (The Powerhead)” from Manowar and “Seawinds” from Accept. Ralf Scheepers from Primal Fear is the guest vocalist on the first two and these covers are decently done in their original heavy metal splendor without any THERION styled orchestral or choir elements added. They are faithful to the originals but seem rather pointless really. Why bother unless you’re going to add some new life to them? There is more of a classic 80s metal feel even in the original as well. The new material beings with the opening title track which borrows the primary riff from Iron Maiden’s classic track “Powerslave” at least in the verses and then the choruses bust out the symphonic and orchestral splendor. While it’s all done well, the Maiden riff just makes me want to listen to the album of the same name.

“Mark Of Cain” is a decent track but sounds like a leftover from the “Vovin” album with heavy power chord guitar riffs, folk metal extras on guitar that crushes on mid-tempo. The focus of keeping things more metallic diminishes the role of the classical elements on this one. The “Clavicula Nox” remix is basically slows things down with a classical piano roll but then finds the male choir members busting out their operatic fine tuned baritone voices that alternate with the sopranos along with more chugga chug guitar work. The piano plays the role of butting in and crafting a softer sound that then gets sped up again by the guitar riffs. Decent but basically just mellows out the original. “From The Dionysian Days” starts with a hyperactive classical piano part with the divas singing their hearts out with the tenors following. This one is catchy and brings out the best of the THERION sound. IMHO the best track on this one.

One for the fans for sure. Material presented is definitely of decent quality even if much of it seems rather forced. Given the circumstances of the clash of will between artist and label, it’s no wonder this is not the phenomenal followup to “Vovin” that the fans were surely expecting. Good for what it is but certainly not the most essential chapter of the THERION canon. Luckily the band would refocus and release another string of high quality albums beginning with the following “Deggial.”