In the mid-90s, Therion’s Theli and that album’s operatic game-changer, “To Mega Therion,” entirely altered my perception of what extreme metal could be. And, in my opinion, the hits kept on coming: from the deeply nuanced Vovin to the Wagnerian Secret of the Runes and even the anthemic Lemuria/Sirius B double record, I was a Therion fan to the bone. I dug deep into the archives, appreciating the subtle hints at what the band would become sprinkled across Lepaca Kliffoth, Symphony Masses and even their 1991 death metal debut, Of Darkness. When they released Gothic Kabbalah in 2007, I celebrated their embrace of a more rock-oriented sound. I even sang the praises of 2012’s Les Fleurs du Mal ‘cover’ album of French pop songs (while fondly remembering their 2001 cover of Abba’s “Summernight C...
