For some singled out descriptions, "Son of the Staves of Time" almost immediately recalls classic Therion, perhaps a bit too much, but with a Rock and Roll foundation instead of anything overtly Metal. "The Path to Arcady" employs a heavy riff and a repeating, intense clean guitar stanza that invokes Andy LaRocque masterful hand. "T.O.F. - The Trinity" even brings to mind the dearly departed Dimebag with its great guitar solos and insistent opening tone. To try to simplify things, flashes of heaviness and symphonic brilliance normally associated with Therion occasionally cut through the slick production and almost Pop sounds that tend to dominate the latest effort from these musical madmen. Gotta like the isolated bassoon that opens the epic and final song, "Adulruna Redivivia."

Overall female vocals play a massive role on the album and this may be the band's undoing, seeming to attempt to cash in on the success of such bands as Lacuna Coil while almost abandoning the band's former majesty. Not unlike switching horses in midstream, Therion seems to have forgotten who brought them to the dance. That doesn't mean this is an unsuccessful or unlistenable album. No, this is still better than so much of what passes for music these days, although by Therion's own high standards it simply falls short. With Gothic Kabbalah Christofer Johnsson seems to be explicitly mining areas of more accessibility. A little disappointed or dissatisfied, this writer awaits the "true" third component of the trilogy -- now "quadrilogy" -- started with Lemuria and Sirius B. It can't come too soon.

written by Tony Belcher

Playing time: 83.29