Reviews of Sitra Ahra

[Lucy]

I have to say I...

Well, the evolution of my "relationship" to SA is something like this:

1 - Nah, what can they create after SotR? Leave me alone with that new album.

2 - I've heard much better ones already.

3 - Okay, there are some pretty good riffs here and there.

4 - This song is great.

5 - Listens to some choir part enchanted

6 - Cats begin to purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-rrrrr-rrrrr

7 - I started to be afraid where this evolution may lead me.

[TheOFFman]

I can't believe I am finally playing it!

[Markus]

Lucy, that's a great review! May I read from this that you're therionising your kittens?

OFFy, big congrats! So, how does it sound to you?

Cheers!

Markus

[TheOFFman]

OFFy, big congrats! So, how does it sound to you?

WOW!

[Markus]

I'm glad that it met your expectations, OFFy!

Sounds like your first listening was much like mine.

Cheers!

Markus

[TheOFFman]

I'm glad that it met your expectations, OFFy!

Sounds like your first listening was much like mine.

Seems so Markus, more info tomorrow! I am still playing it 

[Lucy]

Lucy, that's a great review! May I read from this that you're therionising your kittens?

Haha, I think they are re-Therionizing me.

[lavaniegosII]

I don´t know if you can feel this cold chill waves in the last song when the children choir starts singing. I felt very very rare electric waves in my skin, and i like it 

[Markus]

Hey folks,

my parents don't like it that much. Well, they're approaching their 70s but I gave them a copy so they know what I'm so excited about.

My mum told me there were two or three very beautiful songs (gotta find out which ones) but she's not fond of the rest because - there's too much soprano in it. Not a word about the music being too weird or too hard but it has too much operatic soprano for her taste.

I'm a bit scared of her now... 

Cheers!

Markus

[Lucy]

Maybe it was too sharp, high-pitched for her? The rest is more or less harmonic and melodious, even slow sometimes. It's great that they gave it a try!

Oh and the women usually like deep, velvety male-voice.

[TheOFFman]

I said I'll write something about the album but I still don't know what. At first play I was stunned but then I was undecided, I somehow got into every song so fast, it usually takes many plays for me to realize if I like an album or not. That's why I was scared I will get bored of it very soon and I had problems at college and was too busy so I didn't enjoy in playing it that much. What I can confirm is that there is no bad song on the album but that is of course not enough when talking about Therion.

Sitra Ahra - sounds great but I wish there are more parts like the one from 0:36
Kings of Edom - wow, amazing, whole sons, Thomas' vocals, guitars, changes, lyrics!!!
Unguentum Sabbati - wow again, 10 seconds from the beginning I said:"They have to play this one on tour!" Only bad is that Phantom of the Opera part at the end, at first it's ok but at the end it's just too much.
Land of Canaan - I played it's 152 times already and that says it all. I probably got so easy in other songs cause I had trouble with this one, had to play it 10 times until I realized that this is one of the best songs ever, just every part is awesome and nothing repeats. My favorite is probably that piano in the middle, just can't stop hearing it.
Hellequin - it seems I really hate Petter (he wrote it), I mean I hate his songs on Gothic Kabbalah and I think this one is the worst on the album but not bad like those from GK that I hate.  
2012 - yeah, Petter's vocals ruins it but really great choir, great melody
Cú Chulainn - second worst imo, still not bad but nothig special.
Kali Yuga Part 3 - I was so disappointed at first because of that "Om Krim Kali, Om Krim Kali, Om Krim Kali, Kali Ma" which Lori sings live and on the record its choir and imo Lori alone sounds so much better and Snowy at the beginning sounds much better live. Now I got used to the record version and I love it.
The Shells are Open - wow, the biggest surprise cause nobody was talking about this songs and it's just pure choir, just listen to that deep male voice, that's what I wanted to hear!
Din - I love this one, the choir is amazing, love the growling part but I still think Chris' growls would bee much better.
Children of the Stone: After the Inquisition - nothing special but nice ending

[Lucy]

Tell us, Xinyue, please, how do you like Sitra Ahra so far?

[Persephone]

I found out that I really adore Thomas' vocals on Sitra Ahra

[Monade]

Tell us, Xinyue, please, how do you like Sitra Ahra so far?

Reading your feeling above, I need to admit that new fan's feeling is quit another thing. Without a general view ( I wonder I can't feel the little disappointment some of you feel at the first indeed, and the surprise some you found later.), I have some knowledge of them, but all in all, Therion is brand new for me.
 Oh, I'm just jealous. 


1.Introduction/Sitra Ahra - 5:24
Fall in love with it at first sight. The orchestral music is such a surprise.
Chorus is brainwashing, it loop in my head for a few days.


2.Kings of Edom - 8:51
(Maybe because I like Lori's performance on Live too much, I still can't get used with Therion's soprano in studio version. That was relievef later but has been still not with this song...)
I like the melody. I prefer the middle part most. Talk about the latter half, I was waved between "What'this?!" and "That's great!"
I can't decide, I need to play it again...


3.Unguentum Sabbati - 5:09
I like it! No explanation!


4.Land of Canaan - 10:32
A long song, I doubt if I can write as long as it is.
Some twists made me think the following is another song...But no, it better to be one song.
Thomas Karlsson's lyrics always make me congratulate myself on the knowledge of all kinds of religions at first, then feel my shortage - No, that's far from enough!

5.Hellequin - 5:18
There is omething difference from existed Therion's impression on me at the beginning part.
Both on lyrics and the music arrange are wonderful. I like it!


6.2012 - 4:16
I should say I like the feeling of hysteria Peter sang in this song very much.

7.Cú Chulainn - 4:16
The rhyme in beginning part is an echo with  Hellequin I think?

8.Kali Yuga Part 3 - 3:41
Remind me of some parts in Secret of Runes.
I hadn't listen to the part 1 and 2 yet(oh...)
I like it.

[The first sentence"Kali Ma, Queen of Aeons"
Wow in fact my English name is Aeon...(I'm serious! I mean, even I chose it as my English name for fun, I truly use this name in all kinds of applications! )
Maybe I should change my English name to Hail directly? ]

9.The Shells Are Open - 3:44
I love the rhyme soooooooooo much!
One of favorite songs in this album.


10.Din - 2:37
A little closed to death metal I think? I didn't listen to their early years songs yet.(I still have much to learn... I feel happy about that.)
Stoped too suddenly, but still a nice arrangement to connect later song.

11.Children of the Stone: After the Inquisition - 7:22
Another one of my favourite songs in this album. When lyrics which has a little cruel feel is sang by children's voice, I always feel trill.

"Walk upon, the fields
When you´re reborn
You are the Children of the Stone
You cannot live on bread alone
You need the spirit too
We bring the founding stone
<<<This part, a little...I don't know how to express it but this part like the OST in the late '90s Chinese TV series...The first time I heard that I burst into laugh...a bit of weird.
 
But ask about the whole song, I like it very much.

And, as I judge an album by if there are more than 4 songs I like very much. I like Sitra Ahra 

Wow,expressing these in English streessed me out, my Diamond Lady!
I even haven't written so much about music feeling in Chinese,
WOW!
So I'm sorry that I wrote a so looooooong post again!

[Lasse]

O, don't worry, the longer the better, hehe.

I still haven't made up my mind, but I'd say that I don't really like it apart from listening to Thomas in the studio, the only songs I find myself humming are Sitra Ahra and Kali Yuga III.

I don't like the new line-up either, the drumming is dead boring, and I miss the lovely guitar solos. Production-wise they made Lori sound thin and bad, I honestly don't know how they've done it. Yoy wouldn't be able to do a Miskolc show from such material... :/

[Monade]

O, don't worry, the longer the better, hehe.

And I think I need to post more in this About Therion section,(well, I has kept posting looong posts in off-topic forum Ooops! ) since there is NTSMS anyway

Since there seemed to be a lot of  albums I need to track back, and Sitra Ahra is still loop in my earphone, maybe I will plus additional feeling later.

And I must say, after I updating my audio I found how much different Therion's songs could be in different equalizer settings.  I tried to decide a more suitable setting but ended up feeling to do mix by myself 

Now I just wonder how Lennart Östlund and Christofer think the music should be

[The One]

Man... I still haven't listened to the new album

Ah, this summer inshallah....

[Lucy]

Thank you for your thoughts, Aeon! And never apologize for writing a long post. You're not that kind we are used to execute because of this.

Hail would be a nice name too, as for a male name. Somehow Aeon makes me think more of a female name.

[TheOFFman]

2.Kings of Edom - 8:51
(Maybe because I like Lori's performance on Live too much, I still can't get used with Therion's soprano in studio version.

But Lori is the soprano in studio version!

btw I am still playing Sitra Ahra every day, not whole albums but different songs, depends on my mood.

[Monade]

2.Kings of Edom - 8:51
(Maybe because I like Lori's performance on Live too much, I still can't get used with Therion's soprano in studio version.

But Lori is the soprano in studio version!

btw I am still playing Sitra Ahra every day, not whole albums but different songs, depends on my mood.

Yes I know, however it took me some time to recogniz it.
I meant the way Therion handling the soprano part in the post-production. Oh I must improve my expression...
I have been play Therion albums for some months, including Sitra Ahra and their past works. Many new feelings appeared I need post my whole review some time later