 Threshold
- "Critical Mass" InsideOut / SPV 2002 There is no fear ("Phenomenon"); there are no coincidences ("Choices"). Our daily interactions are pure energy stealing that is collapsing into wars, and all possible sorts of intolerance, ignorance, so we are fading away, our society is decaying, because we forgot to love one another ("Falling Away"). Fear is blinding us. After every sin, we swear that we'll do it better next time, but we always fail in every similar situation that follows the sins we committed. Did you ever get an impression that your soul had been here before (reincarnation, "Round And Round")? Do you dare to believe this and set your soul free by losing your fear? And when you do, more and more like you ("Critical Mass") will lose their fear, this strong mind vibrations of the new mass will break this decaying presence "of living in the past under history pressures caught into serving to institutions". Who needs them at all? Spiritual awakening, revelation of the universal truth. This is also written in Celestian Prophecy. I don't know if the Threshold boys read that book, but they got very close to the core (for my ability of perception everything in lyrics was revealed by acts such as Uriah Heep or Dio). Threshold poetry is just meant to be, there are no coincidences. When you begin to look for answers (switch on your ratio) you lose the core. Without ratio you are able to feel the vibrations of universal revealing energy. You find your own God inside you - called love. There is no God out there watching over you. Those tales that they tell are bullshit. Everyone has it's own God in his mind, body and spirit. There is no time, no place; it is only eternity of universal wheels that goes around and around ("Fragmentation"). I hope that boys found their real inner Gods. This is more than just writing down the words into verses. Well, if you let yourselves to fall into deeper touch with the lyrics, they can change your life completely. Dig in and renew your souls. Remember, there is no fear. Just believe in yourselves, believe in love and set your souls free. I just wanted to add, that stealing of soul energy is the same thing as grabbing the material things that surround us, to make ourselves more comfortable, locked up safely in our private armageddon shells, never letting ourselves to live our "real" lives ("Avalon"). We are dealing with another "thing" that serves "non-ending" information. Let's finally analyze the "physical body" of this release. Chemistry is working. Unique vocals, covered with part-singing, especially in choruses; Mac sings very soulfully. Drum work is precise as the finest Swiss made clock. Guitars, sharp as a blade, are once again pure heavy power riffing drive. Hellishly alive! Aaaaaa, solos are crafted with great feeling. Blazing arpeggios! Especially in drama "Critical Mass" and it's second part. Fat bass line is melodic. Production went even better this time. Crystal clear and alive sound, perfectly balanced system. Keyboards are keeping the songs compact, never dealing with some kind of psycho breaks involvement, they are keeping the great atmosphere, which is increasing from intros to prechorus and finds it's peak inside epical choruses. Threshold can really shake your bones and dry all the tears out of you (mid-tempo songs as "Falling Away" or "Avalon"). All lines are so melancholic. "Critical Mass" is a new and different approach of the band. Threshold's uniqueness meets wider musical dimensions. Songs are more complexly composed yet compact and epic. Beauty of all beauties in Anno '02 progressive metal scene happening. I'm so impressed by this release that I just can't write a shorter review. It's the best thing I've heard out of progressive metal scene releases this year. Excuse me, but it is time for me to go back and listen to "Critical Mass" once again, and again, and again... this is eternity.
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