With defiant determination rarely found in a metal band, Therion has always and exclusively done what they deemed right. Never did they stick to a successful formula, never did they release the same album twice, never did they give in to fickle friends like expectations, commercial aspects, or trends. Which makes it all the more astounding that now, 35 years deep into their storied career, they actually do something every fan had hoped but never actually thought possible.
Enter Leviathan, enter a trilogy focusing on all the trademark elements Therion is beloved by countless metal fans around the globe. After the first part set hearts a flame in 2021, evoking goosebumps galore and reminiscing the glory days of the nineties, the symphonic metal grand-seigneurs continue their surprisingly fan-friendly path with their epic odyssey Leviathan II.
“We wanted to give fans what they want this time,” musical professor Christofer Johnsson informs us from his sunny new home in Gozo, Malta.
“We have been doing what we wanted for so long that we just thought it fair to turn the tables just this once.” Turning 50, you might misinterpret a move like this with a certain mellowing of age. You couldn’t be more wrong, of course: Johnsson is still the musical frontiersman, looking for new challenges and hero’s journey under every stone he turns. However, after having finished the insanely sophisticated, elaborate triple album rock musical Beloved Antichrist, even Christofer Johnsson felt he had reached a certain frontier here. “After Beloved Antichrist I was lacking direction because I had done everything I ever wanted to do or achieve.” He sat down with lead vocalist Thomas Vikström to ponder their next move when it quickly dawned on them: “The only thing we never did was give the fans exactly what they wanted,” he grins drily.
The tracklist for Leviathan II has now been revealed. Check it out below.
Tracklist:
"Aeon of Maat"
"Litany of the Fallen"
"Alchemy of the Soul"
"Lunar Coloured Fields"
"Lucifuge Rofocale"
"Marijin Min Nar"
"Hades and Elysium"
"Midnight Star"
"Cavern Cold as Ice"
"Codex Gigas"
"Pazuzu"
With over 100+ million streams and a tremendously successful album released just a year ago, symphonic metal titans, Therion, have not been idle and continue their epic Leviathan trilogy with striking new single, "Pazuzu". Listen here, and watch a music video below.
Christofer comments: "'Pazuzu' is a song originally written for another artist, but in lack of a positive answer on acceptance of the song, we decided to rewrite it for Therion instead. So style-wise it’s almost like a cover song on another artist - but still written by Therion. The song contains some powerful guest vocals from Eclipse singer Erik Mårtensson, in my mind the 'Blackie Lawless of AOR', definitely one of my fave singers from the last decade of new bands."
Pre-order the Leviathan II album here.
