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 ‘Litany of the Fallen’.
Cristofer comments: ”Litany of the Fallen” is a song that could have been on any of the three parts of the Leviathan trilogy. It’s a song that binds them all together.”
THERION live: 15.11.22 PT-Lisbon, Cineteatro Capitólio 16.11.22 ES-Madrid, Mon 17.11.22 ES-Barcelona, Salamandra 18.11.22 FR-Paris, Trabendo 19.11.22 FR-Grenoble, L´Ilyade 20.11.22 CH-Pratteln, Z7 21.11.22 DE-Munich, Backstage 22.11.22 HU-Budapest, Dürer Kert 24.11.22 SK-Bratislava, Majestic Music Club 25.11.22 CZ-Zlin, Masters Of Rock Café 26.11.22 DE-Aschaffenburg, Colossaal 27.11.22 DE-Nijmegen, Doornroosje 29.11.22 PL-Krakow, Studio 30.11.22 PL-Warsaw, Progresja 02.12.22 RO-Cluj, Form Space 03.12.22 RO-Bucharest, Quantic Club 04.12.22 BG-Sofia, Mixtape 5 06.12.22 TR-Istanbul, Kucuk Ciftlik Park 07.12.22 TR-Ankara, Jolly Joker 08.12.22 TR-Izmir, Sold Out Performance Hall 10.12.22 GR-Athens, Club Piraeus Academy
Since their early days – THERION originally formed as a death metal band back in the late 80’s – mastermind Christofer Johnsson has come a long way, defining and developing a perfect combination of orchestral, symphonic, gothic and incredibly catchy metal that is second to none. Supported on the road with THERION’s first full European tour since several years in November and December 2022, “Leviathan II” will add another exciting chapter to THERION’s history.
Swedish symphonic metal pioneers THERION are proud to announce that they will embark on an extensive European tour named “Leviathan II” in November/December 2022. Besides some classics fans can expect songs from THERION’s highly acclaimed latest album “Leviathan” and probably also brand new material from its immediate successor, which will be released later this year. Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming new THERION studio album!
The ticket pre-sale for the tour starts on Tuesday, March 1st, at 12.00pm CET!
15.11.22 PT-Lisbon, Cineteatro Capitólio 16.11.22 ES-Madrid, Mon 17.11.22 ES-Barcelona, Salamandra 18.11.22 FR-Paris, Trabendo 19.11.22 FR-Grenoble, L´Ilyade 20.11.22 CH-Pratteln, Z7 21.11.22 DE-Munich, Backstage 22.11.22 HU-Budapest, Dürer Kert 24.11.22 SK-Bratislava, Majestic Music Club 25.11.22 CZ-Zlin, Masters Of Rock Café 26.11.22 DE-Aschaffenburg, Colossaal 27.11.22 DE-Nijmegen, Doornroosje 29.11.22 PL-Krakow, Studio 30.11.22 PL-Warsaw, Progresja 02.12.22 RO-Cluj, Form Space 03.12.22 RO-Bucharest, Quantic Club 04.12.22 BG-Sofia, Mixtape 5 06.12.22 TR-Istanbul, Kucuk Ciftlik Park 07.12.22 TR-Ankara, Jolly Joker 08.12.22 TR-Izmir, Sold Out Performance Hall 10.12.22 GR-Athens, Club Piraeus Academy
Swedish symphonic metal pioneers THERION have released their seventeenth Studio album, “Leviathan,” earlier this year, and it proved to be another big success. It has entered world-wide album sales charts peaking at #8 (Rock & Metal) in the UK, at #11 in Germany and #14 (physical) in Sweden, only to name a few. Today, THERION are releasing yet another dark and haunting music video for a song from “Leviathan” called “Nocturnal Light“, which you can watch below:
THERION‘s Christofer Johnsson comments: “This is a very epic song with Middle Eastern influences written by Thomas Vikström. The lyrics deal with the Sumerian goddess Inanna. It was one of his first contributions to the Leviathan writing sessions.”
THERION‘s seventeenth Studio album, “Leviathan,” was released on January 22nd, 2021, and proved to be another big success for the symphonic metal pioneers. It has entered world-wide album sales charts peaking at #8 (Rock & Metal) in the UK, at #11 in Germany and #14 (physical) in Sweden, only to name a few. Today, THERION are proud to release another music video for a track taken off of “Leviathan” called “Eye Of Algol“. It refers to the ‘demon star’ Algol (“al-ġūl” means “the demon” in Arabic), a multiple star consisting of 3 separate stars that has an ominous connotation in astrology and is also referenced in the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The video features performances by both the female and the male lead singers whose voices can be heard in the song, Rosalía Sairem & Thomas Vikström, as well as mythical creatures, blood, fire & swordfights, picking up where its predecessors, “Tuonela” and “Die Wellen der Zeit,” left off.
Today sees the release of THERION‘s 17th studio album Leviathan! The album was met with widespread praise and critical acclaim, and the Swedish Symphonic Metal forerunners are proud to celebrate its release day with yet another magnificent music video for the song “Tuonela“. You can expect demons, swordplay, fire, blood, drama & basically anything else that’s epic crammed into one video! Enjoy!
As a guest, former NIGHTWISH singer and bassist Marko Hietala lends his voice to the song.
THERION mastermind Christofer Johnsson comments:”Like everyone else I’m very sad and was also surprised to read that Marko is leaving Nightwish. But I understand the meaning of his reasons and there are many that are frustrated about the same things. But Marko has been active as a professional recording artist with various quality bands since the mid 80s, so I am absolutely sure we will see his return to the scene in time. He is simply too good to not be involved with music. But right now I hope he will take a good amount of time to just find himself and get the full energy and inspiration back on track.”
Sweden’s Symphonic Metal pioneers THERION are proud to unveil “Die Wellen der Zeit“, another single from their upcoming 17th studio album Leviathan, which drops on January 22nd, 2021, via NUCLEAR BLAST.
You can watch the epic music video for the new single “Die Wellen der Zeit” here:
Band leader Christofer Johnsson comments: “Once again we worked with Carlos Toro and Abyss Production in Chile. Carlos has done the previous 7 videos for us over the past 10 years and this may be the best one yet! The lyrics deal with the ancient Germanic worship of Nerthus and you will get some interpretations of the good old times in the clip.“
1. The Leaf on the Oak of Far 2. Tuonela 3. Leviathan 4. Die Wellen der Zeit 5. Aži Dahāka 6. Eye of Algol 7. Nocturnal Light 8. Great Marquis of Hell 9. Psalm of Retribution 10. El Primer Sol 11. Ten Courts of Diyu
THERION have always been a band that have challenged themselves to explore new paths, while remaining true to their musical core values. For their 17th studio album, Leviathan, mastermind Christofer Johnsson and his collaborator ThomasVikström have created something that has been previously unthinkable to the guitarist and the singer. “We have done the only thing that was left of all the different angles to explore“, explains Christofer. “We have decided to give the people what they kept asking for. Leviathan is the first album that we have deliberately packed with THERION hit songs.”
When THERION came into being in 1988 by changing name from the already existing band BLITZKRIEG, which was founded a year earlier, Christofer had rather taken inspiration from SLAYER‘s Reign In Bloodamong other classic metal albums. At the beginning, the Swedes were firmly rooted in death metal, a genre which they helped to define, as witnessed by their debut album Of Darkness…. (1991). Yet even back then, there were hints of “something else” lurking beneath the rough surface.
The use of female vocals is another core ingredient of THERION today, which developed gradually. CELTIC FROST had basically introduced the female element to extreme metal on To Mega Therionin 1985. THERION began with both a female and male vocalist emulating a church like choir already in their sophomore full-length Beyond Sanctorum(1992). With Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas (1993) and Lepaca Kliffoth (1995), Christofer continued to developed his trademark sound by gradually drifting towards cleaner vocals and more keyboards. With Theli, the Swedes had firmly established a reputation of pushing the boundaries of metal in the 90s – among such acts as their compatriots TIAMAT, THE GATHERING, and MOONSPELL that were often referred to as “gothic metal” at the time.
THERION continued to break new ground leaving inspiration for others to follow in their wake: On A’arab Zaraq – Lucid Dreaming(1997), Christofer further explored the use of Near Eastern music in metal which he had already begun in 1992, while Secret Of The Runes (2001) dared to have Swedish lyrics in some songs. While critics were left confused and fans challenged, THERION were often ahead of their times and vindicated in hindsight. Even the band’s 25th anniversary excursion Les Fleurs Du Mal has by now overcome the initial shock the album caused and is only beaten in terms of streaming by the classic Vovin (1998).
When Christofer faced the question of where to go next after the dramatic Beloved Antichrist (2018) had finally fulfilled his musical mission, his answer is Leviathan named after a giant sea monster from Judeo-Christian myth that has roots in Babylonic lore: THERION have created a giant hit album – and for the first time in the history of the Swedes, their fans are not asked to explore something new, but simply to lean back and enjoy the best from their band!