It's been more than 7 years since Therion has released an album if we put aside "Les Fleurs du Mal" and its covers of yé-yé songs which has not been well understood. Christofer Johnsson has been sick and took the time to compose his dream. The idea of this rock opera was born a long time ago and has been maturing quietly since the end of 2012 in parallel with other projects. The wait is over and "Beloved Antichrist" is here.
And it is monumental! By its duration, more than three hours, its 46 titles and its 29 singers, we have here a work out of the ordinary from a commercial point of view. Before listening to it, we must above all forget what we know about metal operas. Johnsson wrote a three-act opera based on Vladimir Soloviev's book "A Short Tale About The Antichrist", written in 1899, which sees a young man receiving the spirit of the Antichrist and trying to unify religions. It takes a certain attention and a real love of lyrical and symphonic metal to immerse oneself in this work and understand it. Listening to it in one go would be a mistake and could probably disgust even the most hardened amateurs.
The story is discovered act by act, just as one discovers a work of art, far from the classical musical standards. The care given to the whole is remarkable, one can only appreciate the fluidity and variety of the songs, the strength of the music and this strong feeling of plunging into this story. It would be pointless to bring out this or that title. Each act is experienced as a block with twists, surprises and a rise in power with a remarkable sense of tragedy and suspense. Musically, the marriage of styles is perfectly done with a discreet metallic side but knowing how to accompany stronger moments of the story.
Listening to this record, you realise that it is made to be watched with all the characters, a set and a staging. In the face of such excessiveness, "Beloved Antichrist" could become a cursed and misunderstood album but it would be a blatant injustice in view of its quality and emotional strength.