Customer Reviews

Subsurface (Spec)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A few years ago when I first started to get into the genre of music called progressive metal, I did most of my searching on Amazon looking for anything new I could sink my ears into. Today I consider myself most fortunate for the discovery of several European bands in this realm, mainly Arena, Royal Hunt, and Threshold. The talent, composition, and emotional tones that these bands have created throughout the years have made me wonder why anyone even listens to American radio anymore, where talent and a musical journey is second to image, money, and performers who choose to 'mystify' us with horrible voices and rhythms.

Threshold caught my attention immediately with their 'Hypothetical' album, full of unique lyrics and haunting melodies..And those vocals..

The experience of listening to this was like a wonderful discovery and enlightenment, so I continued my search for more of their material. I was hesitant at first to pick up "Subsurface" as some of the reviews did not overly excite me. However, when I downloaded "Mission Profile" off of their website, I found it difficult picking my jaw up from the floor. You can sense the maturity Threshold has reached with this release, and I believe it will be very difficult for them to make a better sounding record past this one.

Nowhere have I heard more intelligent lyrics, heartfelt singing, and immense and full instrumentation and compositions. Richard West's keyboards are more prominent and diversified than on previous releases, and this is a wonderful compliment as the listener is transported through each track willfully. Karl Groom's guitars soar (yes, each note means something in these songs, is never out of place, and belongs there to be there..not trying to impress us with a million notes in less than 10 seconds.. hmm, Dream Theater?) Another thing that continues to impress me about this band is that they are not overly preachy as many bands in this genre are, and you find yourself analyzing the lyrics and being pleased with their complexity. There is no filler on this remarkable album and favorites, well, I would have to say the grandiose, epic "Mission Profile" (which has an amazing chorus), "Opium" (a very interesting song with strong melodic structure), "Pressure" and "The Destruction of Words" (both very powerful and self-explanatory pieces of music). Again, the lyrics to all of these songs are very mysterious but definite, taking a position on many issues occurring in our world today, the declining relationships of the United States with other countries, the lack of communication amongst each other as humans, and the future of our world in general.

Thank you Threshold for letting us know that there is still someone out there that cares about letting others know what meaningful and emotional music actually is.. the songs that play in your head throughout your day, transporting you into journeys that you sometimes cannot take physically, and words that convey reality, perserverance, hope and the common bond we all share..

Threshold is a band from England that offers a unique take on the progressive metal genre. There is no power metal influence as there is on so many progressive metal albums these days. That means no lame fantasy lyrics either, which is awesome. The lyrics are mostly comments on society, which bring up good points about issues like political correctness. Not that this hasn't been done before, but it sounds so much better than, well, the "cheese" of some bands.

The album starts out with "Mission Profile." This is THE perfect progressive metal song and includes everything that a song from the genre should have. Beautiful, yet catchy vocals by singer Mac. Crunchy rhythm guitar with several good aggressive riffs. Keyboards that are tasteful and not overdone. The guitar solo could have been better, but this song is so good I don't care. Excellent drums and bass. Bands like Fates Warning should use this song for inspiration to get back on track to the greatness of their earlier days. Next comes "Ground Control," which has another powerful riff. The guitar solo here is much better as well. The chorus isn't as good here, but the rest of the song is amazing. "Pressure" has all of the good things mentioned for "Mission Profile," but to a smaller degree. This is also a worthwhile song. As for the rest of the album, there are a few by-the-numbers rockers, an 10 minute plus epic, and several songs that couldn't even be classified as progressive rock. It is better described as "art-rock" which is basically progressive-rock lite. This in and of itself is not a bad thing, but the vocals are overdone. The guitar is still there, but it doesn't have much of an impact. The epic is decent, but not good enough to keep my attention for the entire length of it. It's a shame that the rest of the tracks were so poor, because if the album had continued in the vein of the first three songs I mentioned, this could have been the greatest progessive-metal album of all time.

One thing that I won't complain about though is the produciton. Here, it is clear and perfect. All of the instruments sound great, as do Mac's vocals. Included on the special edition is a screensaver as well as a music video for "Pressure." The video isn't that good though, because while it is cool to see the band in action, the video is actually the radio edit, so the guitar solo is mostly gone. Still, fans of true progressive metal should pick this up, as opposed to prog-metal that is guitar and keyboard geniuses displaying endless solos. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy that stuff somewhat too, but threshold provides a refreshing take on the genre that should be enjoyable even to heavy metal and progressive rock fans as well.

A great collection as a follow up to Critical Mass. Wonderful melodies, driving passages, amazing vocals by Mac, and just a super album.

To my ears, a great balance of metal, rock, progressive and orchestral influences, perfect keyboards, tasteful guitars from 2 great players, and super writing. Threshold is better than ever.

Each song is a festival, multi layered, and each listen reveals something new.

Threshold have achieved what I would have considered impossible after their last two outstanding releases: they exceeded themselves yet again!

Music so perfect and intense... it almost hurts.

These guys just never let you down when it comes to powerful melodies, catchy choruses, brilliant -yet never overboarding- musicianship, meaningful and thought-inspiring lyrics all interwoven into one great masterpiece of music. Divine!

They rock like Rush, master like Dream Theater, space like Floyd and yet create their own magical soundscape world that makes them stand out from other bands like a beacon in the night.

Something truly special & refreshing.

Highlight of the year 2004!

When I first put my headphones on (so as not to wake my sleeping wife...shhh!!!) and listened to Threshold's latest offering "Subsurface", I had no idea what I was in for! This is truly music for the new millenium and Threshold has taken a firm 'hold' on defining the genre for the coming years. This disc is the kind of emotional roller coaster that lyrically harkens back to the finest moments of Pink Floyd and musically was like hearing Stratovarius for the first time (I know...it has been a while though:-). I have not experienced chills when hearing a song for the very first time in a long while, but several on this masterpiece did just that! Including the opener "Mission Profile" and "The Art Of Reason"...WOW! Just unbelievable music! I'm not a big lyrics guy either, but I must say that Threshold's message is one I firmly believe in and stand for. All I can say is I can't wait to see (and hear!) what these guys will deliver next. For now however, I'm more than happy and content to play this cd until the thing-a-ma-bob-a-jigger whirlygig in my cd player quits spinning! 5 out of 5.

I've read all the reviews here and i appreciate all of them, both the positive and the negative. For reference, I own all of the Threshold recordings, including the live recordings and fan club stuff. I totally understand the critics who take issue with this album because it is "prog-metal lite" or "art rock", because Threshold have made a point on this recording to push the melodies forward a notch. And what a difference it makes! Instead of an average prog-metal album where you have to listen 5 times just to digest the tracks and decipher the melodies, on Subsurface you're instantly engaged in cinematic bliss from the first track. Proggers don't fret: there are still time changes, epic swells, keyboard flourishes, etc., but the hooks and melodies are the driving force here and every song is catchy and memorable. I'm so glad Threshold has evolved to this point. Subsurface is a successful blend of prog metal and pop songwriting.

Briefly put, if you don't know Threshold yet, this is the album to start with, as it is the most accessible so far and has the greatest percentage of strong melodies. Give it a listen!

All I can say from first listen to Threshold's Subsurface is that these guys have mastered the formulaic sound that's going to bring them from the subsurface to the mainstream of progressive metal powerhouse bands to be reckoned with!! Having wisely released a full mp3 of the album-opening epic "Mission Profile" (available for download at their website - http://www.thresh.net ) shortly before the 8/3 release of the album, they opened quite a few eyes to those unfamiliar with the band and provided somewhat of a preview of what to expect from the album. Upon listening to the whole thing, many of the themes carry throughout. There is definitely a heavier emphasis on harmonized vocals than on previous albums, heavy riffs so tasty they melt in your mouth, and lyrically, a thought-provoking, yet generally scathingly pessimistic view of the deterioration of society in general, the promulgation of freedom globally and starting problems "we can never end."

Bassist Steve Anderson, introduced as the hired gun for a burnt-out John Jeary on the Critical Energy DVD, has become the latest permanent member of the band with this album, adding creed to the phenomenal drumming of Johanne James, one of the most underrated drummers on the prog scene. The dual guitar assault of Karl Groom and Nick Midson sound as stunningly riffilicious as ever as do the majestic keyboards of Richard West and Andrew "Mac" MacDermott majestically furthers his reputation as one of the most melodic and recognizable voices in modern prog.

I highly recommend the special edition, which is loaded with extras for Thresh-heads. It includes the phenomenal Johanne James-penned bonus track "What About Me" as well as PC multimedia extras which include a video for the first single, "Pressure," and a link to a special section of their website where you can download the radio edit of "Pressure" as well as checking out pictures from the video shoot and the equipment each member used to make the album.

Musically, this is easily their best album since Hypothetical, which is my personal favorite and highly recommended for those who want to hear their more "balls & chunk" oriented material. While Subsurface is definitely heavier overall than their last studio album, Critical Mass, they don't quite reach the overall heaviness and groove of Hypothetical, but as mentioned previously, they have a heavier emphasis on vocal harmonization than on any other album and believe me, there are enough stellar riffs throughout to satisfy the metalhead in any listener, especially on "Mission Profile," "The Art of Reason," "Pressure," and "Opium."

While the band has not radically changed their musical style very much since the addition of Mac on vocals with the Clone album, they certainly have their own unique individual style and they've continued to tweak the elements that they do best (harmony and hooks) with every subsequent album and that perfection truly shines throughout this album. Subsurface is already easily among my top two picks for 2004. Whether new to the band or a longtime Thresh-head, this album is an absolute must have if you're seeking a band that persistently furthers its reputation as one of the top melodic prog metal bands on the planet. If you find yourself hooked, spread the word. These guys are one of the best kept secrets on the modern prog scene and more than deserve to be discovered by a wider audience!!

Threshold demonstrates that rock music can be progressive and intelligent, while at the same time powerful and galvanizing. This is a strong, very consistent CD, featuring Threshold's trademark sound. This band has evolved a technique of blending heavy rhythm guitars and keyboards to create a dense musical backdrop. The melodic ideas, although complex at times, are always interesting. The lead guitar includes some catchy riffs and engaging solos. The lyrics are articulate, thoughtful, and often socially conscious. The main contrast between this and Threshold's earlier CDs is that the band has chosen to emphasize their strengths, and translate this into more accessible songs. There are some faster tracks here, like the notable opener, Mission Profile. An exceptionally fine CD -- highly recommended.

What a great album!The fact that the band is so unknown is beyond me!

Hypothetical have some songs in it that are very well thought out: passages and changes in mood, great dynamics(the first song, the third one and Narcissus).This blows out of the water those dynamics and they give every song a great number of unexpected harmonies and melodies while preserving heavyness and fast riffs in several sections of almost all the songs.The structures are very original sounding and beautiful in a manner that i was hugely surprised and happy about it.The band sure know how to write some unique songs!The band also has a very tasteful knowledge about progressive metal notions and never a song sounds mechanical and weird in its changes of tempo, on the contrary, they follow a fluid transition(even though is unexpected), which is great.Their sense of beautiful melodies is sharper than ever, sorrounding every song.

The album is filled with excellent songs, although by the time the album ends, the climax has been reached long ago with the song Pressure.Speaking of that song: bands can take a lesson or two from Threshold in how to write a hyper-catchy song, hook-filled and yet remain heavy and not pop-metal in any way!

One can only hope that Threshold could maintain the momentum achieved in this album through the next ones.

The limited content is in my humble opinion, lackluster.And i haven`t heard the bonus track yet..just saw the videos and the internet stuff.I felt the urge to write this review so bad!

This album has the merit of being listened to it more than once right after i bought it, and i almost never do that.Bottom line: buy it!If you never heard them, begin with this.I will take the blame!But surely i will recieve your gratitude!!

I'm relatively new to Threshold, but I did hear Hypothetical and Critical Mass before I checked out Subsurface. I was intrigued by Hypothetical, but CM didn't do much for me - I found it comparatively flat and uninteresting. I was hesitant to check out Subsurface because of some negative reviews I had read. Thankfully, this record blew those preconceptions to pieces!

Subsurface is a very tasteful, very mature work of progressive rock/metal art. The balance of musical influences is usually a perfect blend - it rocks hard, it's soft and subtle exactly where it needs to be, and it's just prog-enough to keep you on your toes. This latest release from Threshold is immediately accessible, and yet, the album models a fine wine, offering more flavor over time.

I'd have to say that my favorite thing about this record is the musical variety packed into almost every song. Threshold has the rare ability to smoothly (and I mean VERY smoothly) transition from major-metal to minor-melancholy to prog-pop to whatevertheywant, and it always sounds completely natural. The maturity in songwriting and execution is outstanding - it's a shame that this level of musicianship is rarely found in today's music, be it mainstream or underground.

One of the great things about this band (and there are several) is that they actually sound like a BAND instead of a group of highly talented artists who simply take turns tastelessly demonstrating how they've mastered their instruments. Threshold's focus is clearly on the quality of the song as a whole, always utilizing solos and technicality with uncommon subtlety and grace. The performance is cohesive, their songwriting is top-notch, and the crystal-clear production quality compliments all that the band has to offer.

I've heard that Threshold's next offering will be a bit darker and heavier. If that means a return to the ways of Critical Mass, I think they'll be limiting their capacity to create intelligent and colorful progressive metal. Let's hope that Dead Reckoning is a heavy AND natural step in the right direction!