I've been absorbed in the symphonic metal genre for a few years now, and Therion was one of those bands that kept popping up as a recommendation. Somehow it took me ages to hear them, and when I finally did, it was completely accidental. Therion's video for their ABBA cover "Summernight City" was featured on a DVD compilation of metal music videos that I'd gotten. Lo and behold, I watched that video clip repeatedly -- I found it uniquely humorous and loved the song. Its steady rhythms just make you want to stamp your feet, and I mean that in the least 'bluegrass' way possible. Therion's vocalists didn't stand out to me as excellent, but the simple, crunchy music was so captivating that I couldn't help but watch it over and over.

I was well aware that one impression of a band was not necessarily meaningful, especially since "Summernight City" was not composed by Therion. For all I knew, Therion could be entirely different from the one cover song I'd been enjoying. But eventually, something led me to purchase Secret of the Runes, a move I (thankfully) didn't end up regretting.

Despite all of the audible glee it has brought me, I must confess that Secret of the Runes is a bit strange. There's not really a lead vocalist in the band. It's more just wild instrumentation and almost constant choirs, with only the occasional solo singing passage, which is typically not too impressive. The emphasis is on the astounding violins, epic format, and loud, crisp guitars. "Ginnungagap," the first of many songs with a pronunciation that never fails to embarrass me when I attempt to discuss it with other Therion fans, introduces all of this in a very grandiose fashion. Bombastic as can be, "Ginnungagap" is all about dramatic drumming and ominous chants from the choir. It's quite an exciting listen.

"Midgard" is considerably slower than its predecessor, with a bizarre, folky symphonic feel. There's a definite sense of fist-pumping victory in this anthemic song, though I would enjoy it more if it would stick more to the male choirs. The all-female choir passages are much weaker and detract from the song's initial strengths. Things then speed up a bit with "Asgaro," which pairs a classic heavy metal vibe (think Iron Maiden) with the typical symphonic Therion sound. This particular song would be a great one to introduce potential fans of Therion, as it contains a number of the 'usual' Therion elements.

One of the most entertaining moments on Secret of the Runes comes in the form of "Vanaheim," a four-minute masterpiece with a frantic violin opening that have a movie-score feel. The weeping violins even bring to mind Titanic, but don't wince yet, this is no sapfest. The violins soon melt into swaying, melodic guitars and empowering chants courtesy of the male choir.

And if a band like Epica can't convince a metal lover of the pure 'metal-ness' of chanting choirs, I'm fairly certain Therion just may be able to. Don't get me wrong, I love Epica exponentially more than Therion, but the way this Swedish band masterfully incorporates choirs into their music is nothing short of dazzling.

Secret of the Runes initiated my journey into Therion's music, and though I've come to a bit of a standstill at this point after sampling some less-than-stellar songs from other Therion albums, I imagine that I'll get back on track soon. Until then, I'm content just listening to this. It's nice to listen to while driving, as its heaviness and complexity is somehow soothing. Anyone up for a pleasant combination of violins, cellos, choirs, and pure metal would do good to try Secret of the Runes. I have no doubt that it takes some time to grow on the listener, as I've experienced just that myself, but ultimately, it's worth the purchase.







Recommended: Yes