2022 - Death (early), Symphonic/Operatic (later) from Sweden
Detailed Description
Lemuria, one of the two twin albums that Therion released in 2004, is definitely one of the best in their career. "Lemuria" must rank up there with the best releases of the zero's decade: a landmark album. This album remains in high rotation and is one of only a handful of genre defining records released in a lifetime. Therion tone down the operatic quotient of earlier albums like "Voivin" and increasing the metallic elements to reach a perfect balance. Balance is probably the best way of describing Lemuria. It's paced perfectly, from the bombastic openers "Typhon", "Uthark Runa" and "Three Ships of Berik (I & II)" which all feature sharp guitar work and varied vocal styles. Also worth noting is the production which is also perfectly balanced so that no element of the music is overbearing, allowing the strength of song writing to shine. Creating something this multi-faceted and cohesive, utilising the entire tonal spectrum with more than 171 musicians is an achievement in itself.
