Therion "Leviathan (EU, Nuclear Blast, NB 27361 50600)"

Leviathan is the seventeenth studio album by Swedish symphonic metal band Therion. It was released on 22 January 2021 by Nuclear Blast Records. It is the first part in the planned Leviathan trilogy, its sequels Leviathan II and Leviathan III were released on 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Two music videos were released for the album: Die Wellen der Zeit and Tuonela; also a lyric video was released for the song Leviathan. A few months after the release of the album, a third music video was made for Eye of Algol.

Vocalist Thomas Vikström confirmed that the band indeed aimed to make a more "normal" album again. Christofer Johnsson has described the Leviathan trilogy as "hit albums" deliberately drawing influence from the most popular and beloved elements of their back catalog, with Leviathan I being bombastic and catchy.

As with most Therion albums, all songs are based on various mythologies. All lyrics are written by Per Albinsson except "Psalm of Retribution", which was written by Christofer Johnsson.

• The Leaf on the Oak of Far is about Camulus, a Gaulish god of war.
• Tuonela is the underworld of dead in Finnish mythology.
• Leviathan is the enormous sea serpent from the Old Testament.
• Die Wellen der Zeit ("The Waves of Time" in German) is about Nerthus, Germanic goddess of peace and prosperity.
• Aži Dahāka is a monstrous snake-man in Iranian mythology.
• Eye of Algol is about a star in the Perseus constellation. In Greek mythology it is associated with the head of Medusa the Gorgon.
• Nocturnal Light is about Inanna (known better by some as Ishtar), Sumerian goddess of love, similar to Venus.
• Great Marquis of Hell is about demon Aamon, a Marquis of Hell in Ars Goetia.
• Psalm of Retribution is based on Kaballah and references A'arab Zaraq and qlippoth.
• El Primer Sol ("The first Sun" in Spanish) is about creator god Tezcatlipoca, as well as the Five Suns Myth in Aztec mythology.
• Ten Courts of Diyu is about the afterworld judgement in Chinese mythology.

Critical reception of Leviathan was mostly positive; many critics compared the album to Therion's albums of 2000s and considered it a band's "return" after two softer and more complex concept albums.

Tracklist:

1. The Leaf on the Oak of Far 03:38
2. Tuonela 04:37   
3. Leviathan 04:01  
4. Die Wellen der Zeit 03:46
5. Aži Dahāka 03:06   
6. Eye of Algol 04:03
7. Nocturnal Light 05:37  
8. Great Marquis of Hell 02:36
9. Psalm of Retribution 05:03  
10. El primer sol 03:37  
11. Ten Courts of Diyu 05:29   
12. Eye Of Algol (Alternative Vocals Version) 04:04  
13. Tuonela (Full Marco Vocals Version) 04:40  
14. Tuonela (Alternative Vocals Version) 04:40  
15. Tuonela (Instrumental Version) 04:40  
16. Tuonela (Orchestral Version) 04:32  

Time:  01:08:09

Subtitled "Producer's Edition".

Recording information:

Snowy's drums were recorded at Wunderwurls, Gothenburg Sweden, in January 2020.

Björn Höglund's were drums recorded at Studio 306, Östersund Sweden.

Bass was recorded at Curtsson Studio Stockholm, Sweden from February-July 2020.

Guitars were recorded at Leviathan studios, Ghajnsielem, Malta in February 2020 and at Vidal Recordings Buenos Aires, Argentina from May-July 2020.

Vidal recordings guitars re-amped at Mass Destruction Production.

Hammond organ was recorded at Studio Tan in July 2020.

Orchestra programming was done from June-July 2020 at Linden Sound Studio, London, United Kingdom.

Thomas Vikström and Rosalia Sairem's vocals were recorded at Estudio Sacramento, Alicante in June-July 2020.

Marco Hietala's vocals were recorded at Note On Studio, in June 2020.

Taida Nazraić's vocals were recorded at Studio Riva, in Munich, Germany.

Lori Lewis's vocals were recorded at Jackpot Studios, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Chiara Malvestiti's vocals were recorded at Linden Sound Studio, London, United Kingdom.

Choir recorded at Bardo Studio, Tel Aviv, Israel, in July 2020.

Mixed by at Mass Destruction Production from July-Aug 2020.