CD 1
01. The Blood of Kingu
02. The Ruler of Tamag
03. The Birth of Venus Illegitima
04. Tuonela
05. Twilight of the Gods
06. Mon Amour mon Ami
07. La Maritza
08. Via Nocturna
09. Asg\u00e5rd
10. Draconian Trilogy<\/p>\n
CD 2
01. Ginnungagap
02. Ten Courts of Diyu
03. Litany of the Fallen
04. Siren of the Woods
05. Son of the Staves of Time
06. Lemuria
07. Sitra Ahra
08. Quetzalcoatl
09. The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah
10. To Mega Therion<\/p>\n
Blu Ray\/DVD
01. The Blood of Kingu
02. The Ruler of Tamag
03. The Birth of Venus Illegitima
04. Tuonela
05. Twilight of the Gods
06. Mon Amour mon Ami
07. La Maritza
08. Via Nocturna
09. Asg\u00e5rd
10. Draconian Trilogy
11. Ginnungagap
12. Ten Courts of Diyu
13. Litany of the Fallen
14. Siren of the Woods
15. Son of the Staves of Time
16. Lemuria
17. Sitra Ahra
18. Quetzalcoatl
19. The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah
20. To Mega Therion
21. Bonus Material: Rehearsal<\/p>\n
Swedish symphonic metal stalwarts THERION have been swinging the axe for nearly 40 years, during which time they’ve released several live albums. Most notable of those live efforts was 2009’s “The Miskolc Experience”, which documented the band performing its own material as well as covers of classical works alongside a full choir and orchestra at a Hungarian opera festival two years prior. Nearly two decades later, in front of a sold-out crowd in Mexico City in 2024, the band embarked upon a similar endeavor. With “Con Orquesta”, THERION teamed up with the Orquesta Sinf\u00f3nica Nacional de M\u00e9xico, to reimagine their best work, taking the already ambitious and extravagant music to soaring, new heights.<\/p>\n
“Con Orquesta” is a winner because it is much more than a collection of THERION songs aided by a tacked-on orchestra that merely mimicked the core, underlying music. Founding member and main man Christofer Johnsson invited Mexican conductor Rodrigo Cadet and composer Bernardo Lorentze to reinterpret THERION songs, add intros, interludes and new arrangements through an orchestra’s lens. Given a long, loose leash and extensive creative license, the Orquesta Sinf\u00f3nica Nacional de M\u00e9xico’s cultural identity and character inevitably shines through, and its inherent passionate flair bounces back and forth with the energetic and interactive audience.<\/p>\n
The release also serves as a career-spanning “best of,” scraping across the Swedes’ catalogue including numerous “hits.” Amongst the album’s 20 tracks \u2014 never mind the additional, bonus rehearsal material \u2014 are favorites like “The Blood of Kingu”. The song opens as though it was the score of “The Mummy” before driving forward with traditional metal majesty that’s deliciously theatrical on all fronts, augmented especially with the operatic vocal talents of Thomas Vikstr\u00f6m, Rosalia Sairem and the seemingly inhuman Lori Lewis. Elsewhere, “Son of the Staves of Time” is an epic blend of orchestra with the most dramatic flavors of WHITESNAKE and SCORPIONS, and “Lemuria”, pulled from the 2004 album of the same name, subtly moves forward with a lulling, Latin-flavored bounce.<\/p>\n
The Swedes have come a long way since their early death metal days. Christofer Johnsson, who has worked with dozens of musicians under the THERION moniker, was long ago joined by members of ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER and CREMATORY. Now, evidenced on “Con Orquesta”, the band confidently crafts a diverse collage of heavy metal, symphonic metal, doom and so much more to the backdrop of elaborate stage sets, blinding lights and flames. This is essential and mandatory as a stand-alone release for longtime fans. THERION continues to age like a fine wine.<\/p>\n
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