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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Threshold simply never disappoints, May 6, 2007
Threshold is still the best progressive metal band from England and Dead Reckoning marks their debut with major label Nuclear Blast, which seemed a somewhat confusing match-up at first, but repeat listens to the album have attested that the band still have full artistic control over their music, and there is no sign of regression or stagnation in form and style whatsoever.
Assessing the Mac-era albums, I have always considered Clone to be their transition to a more vocal-harmony-friendly style of prog, reaching its stylistic peak on albums like Hypothetical and its heavier logical continuation Critical Mass. The previous album Subsurface saw their entrance into yet another territory, blending the melodic signature of their earlier works with more elaborate instrumental sections defined by huge production values. The new album embarks on a similar stylistic drive. Therefore, it shouldn't be wrong to claim that Dead Reckoning, rather than breaking new ground completely, encapsulates the most consistent parts of its predecessor, adding in a bit more crunch and catchiness factor, particularly in the use of Andrew McDermott's vocals. It is clear the songs on this album have especially been tailored for him to demonstrate his vocal skills fully, exerting convincing authority over melodically enhanced harmonies.
On the other hand, while the similarities to Subsurface can in no way be denied, there are also new elements introduced on some of the songs, most notably on the album opener "Slipstream", which sees them instantly gluing an addictive chorus to the listener's mind, amidst an onslaught of crunch-filled rhythm guitars backed by Richard West's ethereal synth patch and drummer Johanne James' easily identifiable playing. James is among the hardest hitting skinsman in the business, which is why most Threshold songs are graced with a convincing slam through and through. Truth be told, it was his playing that got all my attention during the first couple of spins. The song also has the amazing Dan Swano guesting with his unique death growls briefly behind Mac; and the use of Queen-like counterpoint at the very end is something they had never experimented with before.
Dan Swano also appears on "Elusive". His growls on this one are more brutal sounding, providing a strong sense of contrast to Mac's crystalline vocals. The instrumental part of this song ranks among the album's best: it is filled with a killer unison solo by Karl Groom and Richard West, each player upping the calibre of the already mesmerizing song; and Mac's vocal part that follows Karl Groom's solo part is arguably the album's high point vocal-wise. The choice to feature Swano is a huge asset to these songs, as the subject matter of both "Slipstream" and "Elusive" are dark and menacing: the former addresses anxiety whilst the latter deals with the individual's desperation and completely lost state of mind.
Four of the songs, including the ten-minute epic, on the CD were written by keyboard player Richard West. It is no coincidence that songs by West also have a futuristic side to them, as they are mostly infused with brief but easily noticable sound effects, such as the intro of "This Is Your Life"; the string arrangement of the moody cut "Disappear"; and the slightly 80's-tinged "Hollow" in its use of synths that disappear under Groom's chunky guitar solo. I have always drawn comparisons between Richard West and Kevin Moore, as both of them know perfectly how to insert an atmospheric undercurrent into the otherwise rhythm-heavy compositions. On "Pilot in the Sky of Dreams", originally intended to be the album title, Threshold move through several moods, starting out with a ballad-like piano bit and then delving into a strong bass groove by Steve Anderson (who other than this serves more like a second guitarist on the album) and superb vintage keys. It is interesting to note that even Mac sounds like Genesis-era Collins, not tonally but in the way his enunciation comes through.
On the heavier front, "Fighting for Breath" is epic in its intro, growing from a single riff to a progressive metal rocker a la some songs from their back catalog; while "One Degree Down" is propelled by fierce rhythm guitars but it also has a cool unison part, and a terrific guitar outro by Groom. Being more compositionally driven, the guitar and keyboard solos are not as abundant here as on their earlier works, but fear not, the duo still lay down some terrific solos blowing the mind away.
Given Karl Groom's resume with countless bands as a producer, it would be daft to discuss the album from a production standpoint. The mix is clear as always, the recording quality alive, and the mastering brimming with power. Dead Reckoning is yet another great entry into Threshold's consistently impressive body of work.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Album Of The Year, April 21, 2007
The best album so far, from this incredible UK Progmetal band. I has awesome lyrics, nice riffs, guitar solos and the vocals couldn't be any better. The first single Pilot In The Sky Of Dream (Available as digital download) is one of the greatest song of this album, reaching at number one in Nuclear Blast download page. This album will be a very important addition to any Progressive Collection.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another great Threshold album, June 27, 2007
Threshold seems to be one of those bands (Vanden Plas is another) that are perpetually on the well, threshold (sorry) of reaching a wider audience. You know that if just half, or even a quarter of those who bought Dream Theater's latest album checked out Threshold, they would have the fanbase their music deserves. I didn't discover them until I saw them perform at ProgPower USA III in 2002 (which is captured on the Threshold - Critical Energy DVD), but once I did I was hooked.
With 2007's Dead Reckoning, Threshold continues their run of high quality melodic progressive metal albums. Threshold is probably the best band in the genre when it comes to balancing great melodies with technical proficiency. As proggy as the music may get, there are still plenty of great guitar hooks and songs that stick in your head and make you sing along. They also manage to keep your attention throughout the entire album, whether it's through aggressive pacing or avoiding the kind of self-indulgent instrumental passages that are all too common in the genre. These guys are all obviously very talented musicians, but they have the good sense to realize that the song is more important than the solo. I think having such a unique and competent vocalist in Mac helps in that respect.
My only real complaint about this album (and pretty much all of their albums since Hypothetical) is that the band hasn't really done much to progress their style. To be sure, they've improved their skills with each release, but the basic formula is largely unchanged. It's a minor complaint when you consider just how good each album is, but still, you expect some evolution from a progressive metal band. The brief inclusion of death metal-style vocals on Elusive (courtesy of Nightingale mainman Dan Swano) was a nice touch, and showed that the band is willing to experiment a bit.
If you're a Threshold fan, I doubt you'll be disappointed in Dead Reckoning. If you're a progressive rock/metal fan just now discovering the band, then kudos to you! You're now in on a (too) well-kept secret.
NOTE: There is a limited edition version of Dead Reckoning that comes in a nifty digipack with a foil cover and includes one bonus track - a very unexpected cover of the Muse single Supermassive Black Hole. It's about the same price as the regular version, so it's well worth searching for.
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