Beloved Antichrist
Beloved Antichrist is the sixteenth full-length album by Swedish symphonic metal band Therion. It is a triple album and was released on 9 February 2018 by Nuclear Blast Records.[1] The album has been described as a rock opera by the band, who are accompanied by a large orchestra and choir.[2] The album cover was created by Thomas Ewerhart.[3] It is the band's first collection of new material since Sitra Ahra in 2010, while group founder Christofer Johnsson had toyed with the idea of a rock opera for 15 years.[1]
| Beloved Antichrist | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 9 February 2018 | |||
| Genre | Symphonic metal | |||
| Length | 182:50 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
| Therion chronology | ||||
| ||||
Johnsson wrote the music with Per Albinsson as lyricist. The album consists of 46 songs and is based on "A Short Tale of the Antichrist" by Vladímir Soloviov.[1] Johnsson expanded the story to include 27 characters played by 15 vocalists.[4]
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Album of the Year | 80/100[5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Cutting Edge |   |
| Inferno |  |
| Laut.de | |
| Magazyn Gitarzysta | 5/10[9] |
| Metal Hammer | 7/7[10] |
| Plattentests.de | 7/10[11] |
| Powermetal.de | 10/10[12] |
| Rock Hard | 7/10[13] |
| Soundi | |
Beloved Antichrist has received generally favorable reviews. AllMusic said of the album: "taken as intended, as a whole, it is an exhausting, enthralling monolithic marvel."[2] Another reviewer described that the album would be a challenge for new Therion fans, but also described it as "Christofer Johnsson’s masterpiece" which "takes everything that Therion has done to this point to a completely different level."[15]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Turn from Heaven" | 3:06 |
| 2. | "Where Will You Go?" | 2:15 |
| 3. | "Through Dust, Through Rain" | 5:01 |
| 4. | "Signs are Here" | 4:21 |
| 5. | "Never Again" | 2:20 |
| 6. | "Bring Her Home" | 3:59 |
| 7. | "The Solid Black Beyond" | 3:47 |
| 8. | "The Crowning of Splendour" | 3:34 |
| 9. | "Morning Has Broken" | 6:39 |
| 10. | "Garden of Peace" | 3:25 |
| 11. | "Our Destiny" | 2:41 |
| 12. | "Anthem" | 4:18 |
| 13. | "The Palace Ball" | 5:20 |
| 14. | "Jewels from Afar" | 4:22 |
| 15. | "Hail Caesar!" | 5:10 |
| 16. | "What Is Wrong?" | 2:07 |
| 17. | "Nothing but My Name" | 2:02 |
| Total length: | 65:36 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 18. | "The Arrival of Apollonius" | 5:06 |
| 19. | "Pledging Loyalty" | 2:56 |
| 20. | "Night Reborn" | 3:57 |
| 21. | "Dagger of God" | 3:32 |
| 22. | "Temple of New Jerusalem" | 4:01 |
| 23. | "The Lions Roar" | 3:43 |
| 24. | "Bringing the Gospel" | 4:44 |
| 25. | "Laudate Dominum" | 5:00 |
| 26. | "Remaining Silent" | 2:56 |
| 27. | "Behold Antichrist" | 4:40 |
| 28. | "Cursed by the Fallen" | 2:00 |
| 29. | "Resurrection" | 3:41 |
| 30. | "To Where I Weep" | 5:57 |
| 31. | "Astral Sophia" | 5:42 |
| 32. | "Thy Will Be Done!" | 4:37 |
| Total length: | 62:41 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 33. | "Shoot Them Down!" | 3:49 |
| 34. | "Beneath the Starry Skies" | 4:26 |
| 35. | "Forgive Me" | 9:41 |
| 36. | "The Wasteland of My Heart" | 3:24 |
| 37. | "Burning the Palace" | 8:22 |
| 38. | "Prelude to War" | 0:38 |
| 39. | "Day of Wrath" | 4:13 |
| 40. | "Rise to War" | 3:47 |
| 41. | "Time Has Come/Final Battle" | 2:56 |
| 42. | "My Voyage Carries On" | 3:52 |
| 43. | "Striking Darkness" | 2:04 |
| 44. | "Seeds of Time" | 1:38 |
| 45. | "To Shine Forever" | 2:06 |
| 46. | "Theme of Antichrist" | 3:31 |
| Total length: | 54:34 | |
Personnel
- Christofer Johnsson - guitars, keyboards, programming, Hammond organ, orchestral arrangement
- Sami Karppinen - drums
- Thomas Vikström - lead vocals
- Nalle "Grizzly" Påhlsson - bass
- Christian Vidal - guitar
- Lori Lewis - vocals
- Chiara Malvestiti - vocals
References
- "Therion: Beloved Antichrist". Nuclear Blast America. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- Jurek, Thom. "Therion: Beloved Antichrist". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- "Therion: 'Beloved Antichrist' Artwork, Track Listing Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- Lysen, Lorraine (14 February 2018). "Therion: Beloved Antichrist". Ghost Cult Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/93924-therion-beloved-antichrist.php#critics
- http://www.cuttingedge.be/muziek/therion-beloved-antichrist
- https://www.inferno.fi/arviot/kokemus-mutta-ei-nautinto-arviossa-therion/
- https://www.laut.de/Therion/Alben/Beloved-Antichrist-108712
- https://magazyngitarzysta.pl/muzyka/recenzje/rock-i-punk/37416-beloved-antichrist
- https://www.metal-hammer.de/reviews/therion-beloved-antichrist/
- https://www.plattentests.de/rezi.php?show=14807
- https://powermetal.de/review/review-Therion/Beloved_Antichrist,32310.html
- https://www.rockhard.de/reviews/therion-beloved-antichrist_415284.html
- https://www.soundi.fi/levyarviot/levyarvio-kolme-cdta-46-biisia-oopperaa-metallia-ja-iso-annos-kunnianhimoa-therionin-uutuus-massiivinen-eepos/
- "Therion - Beloved Antichrist". Progressive Music Planet. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.