Thi-Thr

ThanatoSchizO (Portugal): Schizo Level (Misdeed MR 667, with digipak and booklet, CD, 2001)
Metal/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Patrícia Rodrigues (occasional vocals)
Schizo indeed: this experimental metal album ranges from doomdeath to gothic styles via psychedelia, sound effects, funky bass lines, symphonic keyboards, spoken word passages, electronics, jazzy horns and more. The result is a record that’s intermittently brilliant but also patchy and frustrating, with too much thrashy riffing and some quite irritating shrieking death vocals. GRADE: C+.
ThanatoSchizO (Portugal): Insomnious Night Lift (Rage Of Achilles ILIAD032, CD, UK, 2002)
Metal/Progressive
Patrícia Rodrigues (joint lead vocals)
Whilst not as creative as its predecessor, this is a much more mature and consistent album that’s listenable all through. Though there is some high-power riffing and some death vocals (much more restrained this time), this is a far more atmospheric LP, concentrating on haunting mid-paced material featuring some good use of acoustic guitar. Had they fused the best attributes of both albums, they could have come up with a classic; but this is still pretty good stuff. GRADE: B–.
ThanatoSchizO (Portugal): Turbulence (Misdeed MR013, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2004)
Metal/Progressive
Patrícia Rodrigues (joint lead vocals)
This has a powerful sound, with a nice balance of melody and edge on mostly mid-paced material. But the riffs are not matched by comparably memorable songs, and apart from a few mildly experimental touches towards the end they’re not pushing any boundaries – or even pushing themselves. GRADE: C+.
ThanatoSchizO (Portugal): Zoom Code (My Kingdom Music echo0333, CD, Italy, 2008)
Metal/Progressive
Patrícia Rodrigues (joint lead vocals)
Much more dynamic than its predecessor, this is something of a return to form. With well-integrated classical and ethnic elements, this is powerful and carefully judged music that consistently impresses. GRADE: B–.
ThanatoSchizO (Portugal): Origami (Major Label Industries MLI1019, CD, 2010)
Progressive
Patrícia Rodrigues (principal vocals)
Abandoning metal altogether on their final album, the band offer sophisticated modern progressive with a very understated feel. Incorporating quite a few influences from Portuguese musical traditions, this is a subtle but inventive record that eschews ostentiaton for melody and atmosphere. It’s a pity that they chose to disband after releasing this LP, as they were clearly continuing to evolve in interesting directions; however, given that each of their albums was released on a different label, their career had clearly been far from smooth. GRADE: B–.

Thanx To You (USA): Believe It Or Not (No label 409021, 1984)
Rock
G D’Agnolo (joint lead vocals, synthesiser)
From the front cover, this looks like a ‘real people’ monstrosity of the highest order: Rusty D’Agnolo has a spectacular ginger Afro whilst wife (I assume) G has a synthesiser slung around her neck like a guitar in fine eighties style. The actual music is quite professional, being slick AOR: most cuts have a hard rock base but they also have a foot in the synth-pop camp. I can’t imagine this being among anyone’s favourite albums, but it’s certainly one of the quirkier and more enjoyable eighties private pressings. GRADE: C+.

Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Theatre Of Tragedy (Massacre MASS CD 063, CD, Germany, 1995)
Metal/Progressive
Liv Kristine Espenaes (joint lead vocals)
It’s obvious from the packaging that this band are fairly pretentious: the musicians are listed under ‘dramatis personae’, lyrics are credited as ‘plays’ or ‘soliloquys’, and song titles include ‘A Hamlet For A Slothful Vassal’ and ‘To These Words I Beheld No Tongue’. However, there’s no denying their musical talent or their huge influence on a generation of gothic metal bands. Taking a doom metal base, they add lots of classical piano and violin and top it off with male death vocals and female soprano singing, managing to avoid sounding kitsch for the most part. In particular, ‘…A Distance There Is…’, which abandons all the metal elements, is quite sublime. GRADE: B–.
Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Velvet Darkness They Fear (Massacre MAS CD0107, CD, Germany, 1996)
Metal/Progressive
Liv Kristine Espenaes (joint lead vocals)
Album number two also has ‘dramatis personae’, ‘plays’, ‘soliloquys’ and a musical style very similar to their debut. Once again the music is beautifully crafted, but I don’t find this as inspiring as its predecessor, and of course there is little or no artistic progression. GRADE: C+.

Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Aégis (Swan Lake MAS CD0159, CD, Germany, 1998)
Metal/Progressive
Liv Kristine Espenaes (joint lead vocals)
Unlike Velvet Darkness They Fear, this is a significant step forward, dropping the death vocals and some of the more epic arrangements for a slightly more atmospheric sound. It’s still richly melodic, with some gorgeous melody lines and the same classical-influenced piano, and offers a set of extremely well-crafted original songs. GRADE: B–.
Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Musique (Nuclear Blast 37361 65682, CD, with digipak, booklet and sticker, 2000)
Metal/Techno/Progressive
Liv Kristine Espenaes
Completely different from their earlier work, this is a blend of metal and techno, with lots of synthesisers and electronically treated vocals. That’s not to say it’s dance music: though featuring strong pop tinges, the songs are very heavy, with plenty of crunchy riffing. They’re also extremely catchy and melodic, with the energetic ‘Commute’ probably being the best thing on offer. Overall, this is a remarkably bold and creative album given the very different records that had gone before. GRADE: B–.
Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Closure:Live (Massacre MAS DP0293, CD, with digipak, Germany, 2001)
Metal/Progressive
Liv Kristine Espenaes
Recorded before Musique, this sees the band focusing on its original epic gothic metal style. It’s a fine live album, with a good cross-section of early material. GRADE: B–.
Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Assembly (Nuclear Blast 27361 67112, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2002)
Metal/Techno
Liv Kristine Espenaes
This is in the same metal/techno/pop vein as its predecessor, so it lacks the same element of surprise. Musically it’s thoroughly enjoyable, but an album like this really hangs on the songwriting and this time around I find the material good rather than great. GRADE: C+.

Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Storm (AFM 117-2, CD, Germany, 2006)
Metal/Progressive
Nell Sigland
The band’s first album with new vocalist Nell Sigland (ex-the Crest) marks a return to a gothic metal style, though a few hints of Musique and Assembly can be heard (mainly in the rather robotic male vocals). As usual, the material is beautifully crafted and taken individually the songs are quite impressive, but there’s not much in the way of variety or adventure here. GRADE: C+.
Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Forever Is The World (AFM 212-9, black CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2009)
Metal/Progressive
Nell Sigland
Forever Is The World ‘combines the spirit of the Aégis and Storm albums’ according to the hype sticker, as though a band regurgitating its own back catalogue is a good thing. It’s probably a fair summation of the album, which is enjoyable and accomplished without breaking any new ground; the only real difference from their earlier work is that nearly all the vocals are female. The album was reissued the following year with a bonus disc Addenda EP, mixing new songs with remixes of material from the album. GRADE: C+.

Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Last Curtain Call (AFM AFM 344-7, DVD plus CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2011)
Metal/Progressive
Nell Sigland (joint lead vocals)
Commemorating the band’s final show, this set features an 18-song concert, backstage footage, interviews and a rehearsal, plus a bonus CD with ten of the songs. The extras are as uninteresting as you’d expect, but the actual gig is excellent. GRADE: B–.

Theatre Of Tragedy (Norway): Last Curtain Call (AFM AFM 344-3, double CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2011)
Metal/Progressive
Nell Sigland (joint lead vocals)
The CD version of the show (which oddly omits two songs) confirms that the band bowed out with an excellent performance, demonstrating all facets of their sound. GRADE: B–.
See also Atrocity, Cradle Of Filth, Crest, Genius, Leaves’ Eyes, Liv Kristine, Various ‘The Lotus Eaters – Tribute To Dead Can Dance’

Theatre West Four (UK): Songs From Wherefore West Four? (No label, 1969)
Pop/Rock
With its simple piano and drums backing, jaunty songs and amateurish vocals, this sounds like a school project LP, but Theatre West Four was (and still is) a drama and music group for adults. The stage show feel of the music here may put off some listeners, but it’s a pleasant enough period piece, with some nice female vocal songs. GRADE: C.
Theatre West Four (UK): Songs From Thirty-Three And A Third Revolutions (No label, 1970)
Rock
Cathy Willis (joint lead vocals), Janet Miller (backing vocals), Lesley Pritchard (backing vocals), Frances Smith (backing vocals), Vivienne Sedgley (backing vocals), Christine Silver (backing vocals), Margaret Taylor (backing vocals), Vanda Stevens (backing vocals), Jenny Langridge (backing vocals), Patsy Pepe (backing vocals), Doreen Kelly (backing vocals), Jennifer Thornton (backing vocals), Deborah Andrews (backing vocals), Jani Clements (backing vocals)
Their second album is not dissimilar from their first, though often more minimalist, with a number of tracks featuring backing only from piano. However, it also includes a couple of rock tracks with fuzz guitar, which should give it appeal to both ‘real people’ and basement psychedelia collectors, and again there are some lovely female vocal numbers. Both their albums are exceptionally rare. GRADE: C.

Théorie Des Cordes (France): Premières Vibrations (Muséa Parallèle MP 3211, CD, 2011)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Stéphanie Artaud (piano)
No prizes for guessing from the line-up (a guitarist, a pianist and a drummer, plus a guest on bass and saxophone) that this is jazz-fusion. With good musicianship, a few fairly intense moments and quite a bit of variety, it’s a solid album, but like a lot of music in the genre this isn’t particularly engaging or exciting. GRADE: C+.

Théorie Des Cordes (France): Singes Éléctriques (Vocation voc3921, double CD, 2013)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Stéphanie Artaud (piano)
This is a significant step up from their tepid first: the music here is powerful, dynamic and energetic, with squalling saxophone and assertive (and sometimes quite psychedelic) guitar. The eight long tracks are superbly structured, with very virtuosic musicianship, making it all the more surprising that this, like their first, was recorded live. Yet, impressive as this is, it’s also slightly detached and academic, similarly to Pierre Moerlen’s Gong (whom they occasionally resemble) and whilst there’s plenty of variety within tracks there’s less variety between them, meaning that many of the same tricks are repeatedly deployed over the 100-minute running time. That said, if you like lively jazz/rock, you’re bound to love this. GRADE: B–.

Therapy (UK): Almanac (CBS 69017, 1971)
Folk/Pop/Progressive
Fiona Simpson
This concept album, with each song relating to a different sign of the Zodiac, is broadly in the same baroque folk/pop vein as Tudor Lodge or to a lesser extent Prelude. However, the material here is much more intricate and cleverly arranged, drawing significantly from progressive music and also from American baroque pop of the late sixties. Whilst a highly intelligent and exceptionally well-crafted set, it’s signally lacking in anything sufficiently catchy to be a single, and as a consequence did not sell well. GRADE: C+.
Therapy (UK): One Night Stand (Indigo IRS 5124, 1973)
Folk/Rock
Fiona Simpson
It’s all change for their second album, released on a tiny private label. With no original compositions at all this time around, side one consists of covers of singer/songwriter material (‘Carey’, ‘Brand New Key’, ‘Someday Soon’, ‘Big Yellow Taxi’) with a mid-Atlantic feel, whilst side two is all traditional. I much prefer the second side, which includes some truly beautiful and haunting folk/rock; it’s a shame the whole LP isn’t in this vein or it would have been a minor classic. GRADE: C+.
Therapy (UK): Bringing The House Down (Magnum Production MAG 0009, 1975)
Folk
Fiona Simpson (principal vocals, guitar)
Unlike their first two, this is straightforward acoustic folk, with accompaniment from acoustic guitars and keyboards. Material as eclectic as ‘Black And White Rag’, ‘Killing Me Softly’, ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and even ‘I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate’ (not to mention several original and traditional songs) might lead you to expect a poor and unfocused album, but side one is consistently enjoyable; however, side two, mostly recorded live, is pretty disposable. GRADE: C.

Therapy (UK): Super Troupers (Therapy THERAPY 4, 1980)
Folk
Fiona Simpson (joint lead vocals, guitar)
This isn’t an Abba covers album, as the title might imply; in fact, they don’t cover Abba at all. Like its predecessor, this is all-acoustic, consisting of studio recordings on the first side and live numbers on the second. The studio side is lovely, comprising covers of everyone from Gallagher & Lyle to Fleetwood Mac, Chicago and Janis Ian. The live side (all originals, aside from a version of ‘Day Trip To Bangor’) is whimsical, humorous folk: the crowd appear to love it, but I don’t. GRADE: C.
Therapy (UK): Schizophrenia (Therapy THERAPY 5, double, 1981)
Folk
Fiona Simpson (principal vocals, guitar)
Their final album and magnum opus is aptly titled: side one is all covers, mainly recorded by the core duo; side two is musical comedy, recorded live; and sides three and four are mainly original compositions with electric band backing, with a style closer to symphonic pop than folk. As usual, the live side is the weak link, though it has to be noted that Dave Shannon is a genuinely witty and amusing raconteur. However, overall this is streets ahead of their other work, making it a pity that they stopped recording. GRADE: C+.

Therion (Sweden): Theli (Nuclear Blast 27361 61792, CD, Germany, 1996)
Progressive/Metal
Anja Krenz (occasional vocals), Bettina Stumm (occasional vocals), Raphaela Mayhaus (occasional vocals)
Originally a common-or-garden death metal band, Therion had attracted no more than a cult following, so they decided to call it a day. Leader Christofer Johnsson chose to bow out with an epic album in a completely different vein: a massive conceptual work unifying classical, progressive and metal music, complete with choral vocals and orchestrations. Committing the last of his money to Theli, he expected it to be the last anyone would hear of Therion. In fact, the disc was rightly heralded as a progressive metal masterpiece and brought the sales breakthrough they had long awaited. As a result, Therion’s real career began here. GRADE: B+.
Therion (Sweden): A’ Arab Zaraq Lucid Dreaming (Nuclear Blast NB-27361 62492, CD, Germany, 1997)
Progressive/Metal
Bettina Stumm (occasional vocals), Raphaela Mayhaus (occasional vocals), Marie-Thérèse Kübel (occasional vocals)
Originally intended as a CD single featuring outtakes from Theli, this grew into an odds-and-sods collection celebrating the first ten years of the band’s existence. It comprises several new songs and cover versions (all with male vocals, all fairly straight metal and all good without being great), Christofer Johnsson’s soundtrack to the art-house film ‘The Golden Embrace’ (very good stuff with choral vocals and orchestral backing) and some re-recorded versions of the soundtrack score with Therion providing the backing (almost sounding like demos for Vovin). Overall this is interesting without being essential. GRADE: B–.
Therion (Sweden): Vovin (Nuclear Blast 27371 63172, CD, Germany, 1998)
Progressive/Metal
Martina Hornbacher (joint lead vocals), Sarah Jezebel Deva (joint lead vocals), Eileen Küpper (occasional vocals)
Therion takes Theli’s epic classical sound a step forward, with vast choirs and sweeping strings, and marries it to some truly inspired songwriting. The result is a progressive classic and one of the best albums made since prog’s seventies heyday. Picking individual cuts is difficult as everything works so well, but the ‘Draconian Trilogy’ is a particular highpoint, with some wonderful singing, riffs and orchestration. GRADE: A.
Therion (Sweden): Crowning Of Atlantis (Nuclear Blast 27361 6398-2, CD, with digipak, 1999)
Progressive/Metal
Sarah Jezebel Deva (joint lead vocals), Martina Hornbacher (joint lead vocals), Cinthia Acosta Vera (occasional vocals), Eileen Küpper (occasional vocals), Angelika März (occasional vocals)
Another stopgap album, this features three new songs, three cover versions, three live cuts from the Vovin tour and a remix of ‘Clavicula Nox’. Inevitably, it all feels a little scrappy, especially in comparison to its magnificent predecessor, but the music is mostly excellent.

GRADE: B–.
Therion (Sweden/Finland): Deggial (Nuclear Blast 27361 64422, CD, Germany, 2000)
Progressive/Metal
Eileen Küpper (joint lead vocals)
This new concept work is a lot more cohesive than Crowning Of Atlantis but doesn’t really move the band forward from Vovin. Certainly, their sound is impressive, with its epic choirs, lavish orchestration and powerful, understated rock backing, but there’s nothing that really challenges or startles here. That said, the two closing cuts (‘Via Nocturna’ and their interpretation of ‘O Fortuna’) are quite outstanding. GRADE: B–.
Therion (Sweden/Norway): Secret Of The Runes (Nuclear Blast 27361 66252, CD, with digipak, booklet and insert, Germany, 2001)
Progressive/Metal
Marika Schönberg (joint lead vocals), Erika Andersson (joint lead vocals)
In parts, this is slightly heavier than their last few albums, but mostly it’s business as usual – beautifully assembled, epic symphonic metal that never threatens to break any new ground. GRADE: B–.
Therion (Sweden/Norway): Live In Midgård (Nuclear Blast 27361 10332, double CD, Germany, 2002)
Progressive/Metal
Sarah Jezebel Deva (joint lead vocals)
This powerful live set doesn’t equal the subtlety of their studio albums, but it’s every bit as epic. There’s also a fine cross-section of material, from their early death metal era through to the recent concept albums via the best of Vovin and their impressive Abba and Accept covers. GRADE: B–.
Therion (Sweden): Sirius B/Lemuria (Nuclear Blast 27361 12950, double CD, with digipak, booklets and slipcase, Germany, 2004)
Progressive/Metal
Anna-Maria Krawe (joint lead vocals), Jana Bínová-Koucká (joint lead vocals)
Easily the band’s best work since Vovin, this lengthy double album continues in their usual epic style, but with a more direct, energetic and riff-driven approach. The result is a revelation, showing Therion revitalised – for once, they don’t sound like they’re simply repeating themselves. The double CD was a limited edition, after which the albums were sold separately. (To these ears, Sirius B has the edge over Lemuria, but both are fine pieces of work.) GRADE: B.
Therion (Sweden): Celebrators Of Becoming (Nuclear Blast NB 27361 16770, quadruple DVD and double CD, with digipak, booklet and slipcase, Germany, 2006, recorded 1992 to 2005)
Progressive/Metal
Karin Fjellander (joint lead vocals), Cyntia Acosta Vera (occasional vocals), Sarah Jezebel Deva (occasional vocals), Martina Hornbacher (occasional vocals), Johanna Mårlöv (occasional vocals), Camilla (occasional vocals), Ann-Sofie (occasional vocals), Kimberly Goss (keyboards, backing vocals)
This gargantuan set is an amazing live retrospective, comprising a 23-song set from Mexico in 2004 (both as a DVD and double CD), an eight-song set from 2001, a 34-song historical compilation dating back to their beginnings in the late eighties, a lengthy documentary including segments from 30 songs (and featuring the band onstage with Trail Of Tears and Tristania), seven video clips, the art house film ‘The Golden Embrace’ and a ‘making-of’ report on the Sirius B/Lemuria album. In fact, the whole thing runs to some twelve hours: ten hours of video and an additional two hours of audio. Not all of the music is brilliant (whilst the later stuff is outstanding, Therion began life as a thoroughly unremarkable all-male black metal band) and the video quality varies too, but this has to be among the best and most comprehensive DVD packages ever released by any band. GRADE: A.
Therion (Sweden): Gothic Kabbalah (Nuclear Blast 27361 17800, double CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2007)
Progressive/Metal
Katarina Lilja (joint lead vocals), Hannah Holgersson (joint lead vocals), Anna Nyhlin (occasional vocals), Karin Fjellander (backing vocals)
Whilst this is as epic as any of Therion’s albums, the orchestral arrangements are a little more buried than usual in order to focus on the metal guitars. Varied, richly powerful and beautifully crafted, this is another outstanding album – and excellently packaged too, with its striking gold digipak. GRADE: B.
Therion (Sweden): Live Gothic (Nuclear Blast 27361 21180, DVD plus double CD, with book sleeve and slipcase, 2008)
Progressive/Metal
Lori Lewis (joint lead vocals), Katarina Lilja (joint lead vocals)
Like the studio set that preceded it, this has a slightly more stripped-down and direct sound than much of the band’s earlier work. With an excellent cross-section, it’s a fine live set, and possibly more visually impressive than any of the concerts featured in the Celebrators Of Becoming package. GRADE: B.
Therion (Sweden/USA): The Miskolc Experience (Nuclear Blast 2353-2, DVD plus double CD, with booklet, Germany, 2009)
Progressive/Metal
Lori Lewis (joint lead vocals), Judit V Molnar (joint lead vocals)
Slightly different from their previous live albums, this features two separate sets: one with the band reinterpreting classical pieces and the other offering an overview of their most popular songs. With a full orchestra and choir participating, it’s impressively epic stuff, but these sorts of classical/rock crossovers can tend to come across as kitsch and it’s definitely the band’s own material that really shines. GRADE: B.
Therion (Sweden/USA): Sitra Ahra (Nuclear Blast 27361 23130, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2010)
Progressive/Metal
Lori Lewis (joint lead vocals)
Like its predecessor Gothic Kabbalah, this has comparatively stripped-down, guitar-based arrangements, although the choral singing is as epic as ever. This doesn’t take them into any new ground, but as with almost everything the band has done it’s superbly crafted and almost breathtaking in its execution. GRADE: B.
Therion (Sweden/USA): Les Fleurs Du Mal (End Of The Light EOL022, CD, with digipak, Canada, 2012)
Progressive/Metal
Lori Lewis (joint lead vocals), Johanna Naila (occasional vocals), Mari Paul (occasional vocals)
Therion’s oddest album to date, this sees them reinterpreting a selection of French chansons in their usual gothic classical-cum-operatic metal style. The opening ‘Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son’, with its helium-pitched singing and galloping tempo, is dreadful, but the rest is beautifully done, even if I find the underlying concept baffling. GRADE: B–.

Therion (Sweden/USA): Beloved Antichrist (Nuclear Blast 27361 39330, triple CD, with book sleeve, Germany, 2018)
Metal/Progressive
Chiara Malvestiti (joint lead vocals), Lori Lewis (joint lead vocals), Melissa Ferlaak (occasional vocals), Ulrika Skarby (occasional vocals), Lydia Kjellberg (occasional vocals), Matilda Wahlund (occasional vocals), Karin Fjellander (occasional vocals), Linnéa Vikström (occasional vocals)
Nobody does excess quite like Therion, and this three hour progressive metal opera is their most ambitious studio album yet. In parts it’s breathtaking – not just in its scope and scale, but in the quality of the riffs, melodies and singing. But like most operas, the storyline predominates and the music lacks the room to breathe, making me hope they’ll scale back the bombast next time (or at least include some lengthier instrumental sections). GRADE: B–.

Therion (Sweden): Leviathan (Nuclear Blast 27361 50600, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2021)
Metal/Progressive
Roasalia Sairem (joint lead vocals), Chiara Malvestiti (joint lead vocals), Taida Nazraić (joint lead vocals), Lori Lewis (occasional vocals)
Therion’s last couple of albums showed them starting to become too bombastic and overblown for their own good – and accusing Therion of being too bombastic or overblown is like accusing Abba or Blondie of being too catchy. Thankfully, they dial it down a touch here, and at times sound like they’re taking inspiration from parallel project the Luciferian Light Orchestra. Nonetheless, it’s all relative and this still features orchestration, choirs and classically-influenced vocals throughout, so you’ll still need a taste for the bombastic to enjoy it. Nonetheless, it’s a very good set indeed – no Vovin, but certainly more digestible than their last two. As a footnote, the limited digipak version of the CD features five alternate versions (four of them of the same song) as bonuses. GRADE: B–.

Therion (Sweden): Leviathan II (Nuclear Blast 61240, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2022)
Metal/Progressive
Taida Nazraić (joint lead vocals), Rosalia Sairem (joint lead vocals), Noa Gruman (occasional vocals)
The title says it all – this is more of the same, specifically regarding Leviathan rather than Therion as a whole, although a cynic might also assert the latter. But whilst the band will never again demonstrate the sheer audacity of its nineties incarnation, this is a good-to-great symphonic metal album, with their most overblown tendencies (just about) kept in check. GRADE: B–.
See also Aesma Daeva, Alas, Ancient, Angtoria, Covenant, Cradle Of Filth, Sarah Jezebel Deva, Dreams Of Sanity, Korova, Sinergy, Various ‘A Tribute To Abba’, Various ‘The Lotus Eaters – Tribute To Dead Can Dance’, Beto Vazquez Infinity

These Trails (USA): These Trails (Synergia 4059, with inner, 1973)
Folk/Psychedelic
Margaret Morgan (principal vocals, guitar, dulcimer)
This is generally considered one of the best American psychedelic folk albums, but I find the first three tracks (all under two minutes, all somewhat fragmentary) rather underwhelming. Things quickly improve, and at its best this is a remarkable LP, blending strong influences from the band’s native Hawaii with all kinds of avant-garde touches including plenty of synthesiser. At times, it reminds me a less freaky and sinister Tony, Caro & John, whilst other critics have compared it to Linda Perhacs; this makes less sense to me, as These Trails are far weirder and much less rooted in mainstream singer/songwriter music. GRADE: B–.