|
This
is a fanclub release, but keep on reading, because it’s available for
everyone. Unlike most fanclub albums, you don’t have to subscribe to a
fanclub, but you can buy the album from the site of Threshold. (www.thresh.net
) It’s called a fanclub CD because the fans can fill in polls on the
site and choose what they want as next project for the band. The first
fanclub CD was “Decadent”, a collection of rarities, but that one’s sold
out and won’t be re-released. The second for the fans was “Concert in
Paris”, which is still available.
And
now there’s “Wireless – Acoustic Sessions”. The title should have been
“Threshold Light” or “Threshold Undistorted” as I wouldn’t call the
music Wireless, but it’s rather the songs in a cleaner version without
the distorted guitars. So if you don’t like progmetal, but you’re
curious how good the songs are behind all that noise, you just have to
listen to this one and you’ll hear the big secret.
It’s
already often said that heavy bands play the best ballads, so this means
they should have the best acoustic songs too. The quality of a song is
best heard if you play a clean version of it. And the songs of Threshold
stand the test.
Some
of the songs are better than the originals, for others it’s the other
way round and for some I like both versions.
For
example, I prefer the acoustic version of “Fragmentation” as if the song
was written to be played this way. I hope they use this version on the
DVD. “Falling Away” is missing some essential electric riffs, so I’d
rather hear them play the version from “Critical Mass”. “Sheltering Sky”
is a beautiful ballad on this album, but I also like the fantastic
electric guitar solo you can find on “Hypothetical”. “Narcissus” has
become a beautiful short track but I prefer the epic version on the
studio album. Everyone will have his preferences, I just wonder how
people react who don’t know the originals.
There
are also two previously unreleased tracks on this album. “Seventh Angel”
is a splendid, melodic ballad that should convince everyone. These two
tracks were written before Threshold even had a recording contract.
It’s
also a revelation to hear the voice of Mac so clearly and distinctive.
He proves once more what we already know, that he’s a marvellous singer
with a very special sound in his voice that gives every tune a melodic
touch.
This
album is a must for all the fans, but also to convince people that
progmetal songs are strong enough to be played this way. Although it’s
only a fanclub CD, it deserves its place amongst my other Threshold
CD’s.
|
