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Therion - Announce New Rock Opera And Tour For 2018


The last Therion news piece was quite concerning as mastermind Christofer Johnsson was dealing with two spinal disc herniations in his neck and could've ended up never being able to play on stage again. Fortunately, the band has good news to share now. According to their latest update, Johnsson is doing much better now. In fact, they have been recording a new album, titled Beloved Antichrist, which consists of 3 full-length CDs and shall be released in 2018.

The label wrote: "When 15 year old prodigy Christofer Johnsson founded Therion as a death metal band in 1987, little did he know that exactly 30 years later he would put the final touches to a project that will go down in history as symphonic metal's most ambitious release. While 'metal operas' are no longer an unusual creation, this term will forever receive a new meaning on January 26th, 2018, when the curtain opens for Johnsson's lifelong creation: Beloved Antichrist is the title of his spectacular brainchild, consisting of 3 full-length CDs and is more than just a concept album, but a complete rock opera with multiple chapters, unveiling a sweeping story partly based on and inspired by Vladímir Soloviov "A Short Tale Of The Antichrist".

"With an incredible total of 29 different roles and characters, who all required a unique voice, Therion hired not only a big choir, but also 29 vocalists to bring the epic story to life. With long-time collaborators like Thomas Vikström, Lori Lewis and Chiara Malvestiti, fans will hear the classical Therion vibe but also be able to drown in a magical maelstrom of many new as well as familiar voices. Divided into several chapters, the opera reaches a full length of 3 and a half hours and Therion are currently working on the possibility of bringing the entire production to the stage. And while this monumental undertaking still simmers away in the Swedish production halls, the band has announced a pan-European tour where they will perform some of their new masterpieces live in a classical concert setting. Support comes from Russia's symphonic metallists Imperial Age and Germany's Null Positiv.

"Don't miss this new milestone in the history of symphonic metal and witness this dramatic staging of the apocalypse and all those brave, sinister and fascinating characters heading towards the end of it all."

Upcoming shows:

2018-02-01 - Essen (Turock) DE
2018-02-02 - Amsterdam (Melkweg) NL
2018-02-04 - Manchester (Rebellion) GB
2018-02-09 - Sheffield (Corporation) GB
2018-02-10 - Belfast (Limelight) GB
2018-02-11 - Dublin (Tivoli) IE
2018-02-14 - Bristol (Bierkeller) GB
2018-02-16 - Paris (Trabendo) FR
2018-02-20 - Bilbao (Santana 27) ES
2018-02-21 - Porto (Hard Club) PT
2018-02-22 - Lisbon (Lisboa Oa Vivo) PT
2018-02-23 - Seville (Sala Custom) ES
2018-02-24 - Madrid (Sala But 2) ES
2018-02-25 - Barcelona (Razzmatazz 2) ES
2018-03-01 - Brescia (Circolo Colony) IT
2018-03-02 - Rome (Orion) IT
2018-03-03 - Bologna (Zona Roveri) IT
2018-03-04 - Ljubljana (Kino Siska) SI
2018-03-05 - Zagreb (Tvornica) HR
2018-03-06 - Belgrade (Dom Obladine) RS
2018-03-08 - Thessaloniki (Principal Club Theater) GR
2018-03-09 - Athens (Poraeus 117 Academy) GR
2018-03-10 - Sofia (Weekender Club) BG
2018-03-11 - Bucharest (Arenele Romane) RO
2018-03-13 - Budapest (Barba Negra) HU
2018-03-14 - Bratislava (Majestic Music Club) SK
2018-03-15 - Prague (Meetfactory) CZ
2018-03-16 - Wroclaw (A2) PL
2018-03-17 - Warsaw (Pfogresja) PL
2018-03-18 - Gdansk (B90) PL
2018-03-20 - Vilnius (Rock River Club) LT
2018-03-21 - Riga (Melna Piektdiena) LV
2018-03-29 - Bremen (Tivoli) DE
2018-04-03 - Munich (Backstage) DE
2018-04-05 - Jena (F Haus) DE
2018-04-07 - Tilburg (013) NL
2018-04-10 - Tel Aviv (TBA) IL




Source: nuclearblast.de
Band profile: Therion
Posted: 17.08.2017 by BloodTears


Comments

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Comments: 11   Visited by: 156 users
17.08.2017 - 19:07
Wiseman's Fear

I'm hoping for the best but 29 singers seems a bit too much and the most recent albums (Sitra Ahra and Les Fleurs Du Mal) didn't convince me, so I remain sceptical until I've heard it.
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17.08.2017 - 19:13
Kais

If it'll be like anything from Secret Of The Runes and onwards, I'm a happy man. Bring on Beloved Antichrist!
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17.08.2017 - 20:06
BloodTears
ANA-thema
I'm thinking 3 albums might be a bit too much... Maybe they'll release it in three parts to make it easier? =P
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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17.08.2017 - 23:12
Netzach
Planewalker
This could go either way. Will either be really great or really bad. Fingers crossed for the return of Gothic Kabbalah's proggy aesthetics...
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17.08.2017 - 23:18
Opethian

Written by Wiseman's Fear on 17.08.2017 at 19:07

I'm hoping for the best but 29 singers seems a bit too much and the most recent albums (Sitra Ahra and Les Fleurs Du Mal) didn't convince me, so I remain sceptical until I've heard it.


My exact thoughts and concerns! Best wishes regardless. Is Christofer Johnson doing better health wise? Read sometime ago he went through neck a surgery.
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18.08.2017 - 13:32
Ellinor

Good thing they are modest.
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18.08.2017 - 14:10
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Opethian on 17.08.2017 at 23:18


My exact thoughts and concerns! Best wishes regardless. Is Christofer Johnson doing better health wise? Read sometime ago he went through neck a surgery.


You obviously didn't read the first paragraph... He is better.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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18.08.2017 - 20:04
Moriboe

Well over a decade ago he said he was working on an opera, this must be it. It is a normal length then. An infusion of the "Secret of the Runes" style of the day would be nice but I have no hopes. I was disappointed in how the impressive list of musicians was mostly squandered on Lemuria/Sirius B and how there was no prog in the supposedly progressive double album that followed. I see this going the same way but it will probably appeal to plenty of fans.
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19.08.2017 - 00:03
Dark Forever
Ruído Sonoro
Written by Opethian on 17.08.2017 at 23:18

My exact thoughts and concerns! Best wishes regardless. Is Christofer Johnson doing better health wise? Read sometime ago he went through neck a surgery.


Well, he joined Therion live last week in concert (even if only for a couple of songs), and gave a speech about how he was happy to be back on stage.
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Taste the DARK...
... and you'll live FOREVER!
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19.08.2017 - 00:09
fandango68

Written by Moriboe on 18.08.2017 at 20:04

Well over a decade ago he said he was working on an opera, this must be it. It is a normal length then.


well, normal length if you're Wagner or Berlioz...
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First gig was Manowar (loincloths 'n' all), Bristol Colston Hall in March 1983, on the 'Hail to England' tour. Tickets were £3.75, 300 in the audience, Mercyful Fate never showed, but my hearing still got seriously trashed..
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19.08.2017 - 03:54
Opethian

Written by BloodTears on 18.08.2017 at 14:10

Written by Opethian on 17.08.2017 at 23:18


My exact thoughts and concerns! Best wishes regardless. Is Christofer Johnson doing better health wise? Read sometime ago he went through neck a surgery.


You obviously didn't read the first paragraph... He is better.


Apparently. I just read the headline.
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