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Threshold - Hypothetical

Artist:	Threshold
Title:	Hypothetical
Label:	InsideOutMusic IOMCD 073
Length(s):	56 minutes
Year(s) of release:	2000
Month of review:	[04/2001]

Line up

Andrew McDermott - vocals
Karl Groom - guitars
Nick Midson - guitars
Jon Jeary - bass
Richard West - keyboards
Johanne James - drums

Tracks

2)	Turn On Tune In	6.12
3)	The Ravages Of Time	10.19
5)	Oceanbound	6.37
7)	Keep My Head	4.01
8)	Narcissus	11.14

Summary

A change of drummer is what took Threshold from Clone to Hypothetical. Their Clone was well received (not as well by me, although the album does have its share of good songs), and I heard lots of positive noises about this one.

The music

Light And Space is a rather complex piece with plenty of rhythmic variation, based on a few terrific melodies. Also in that department this song has a lot going for it. The song is also quite heavy, something we have come to expect from this rhythm guitar dominated band. The progressive side is held up by Richard West doing his best to solo away on the keyboards. Taking some gas back the guitar solo is lined with acoustic guitar.

Turn On Tune In is a more driven track with driving rhythm guitars and meandering organ playing. This track is rather fast as well.

The Ravages Of Time shows Threshold in top form. Heavy pounding drums, going against the grain most of the time, dazzling keyboard riffs, slightly Arabic lines on the guitar and the telling vocals of McDermott. What especially strikes me so far are the good vocal melodies. In this track, Mac sings in a slightly mysterious, twisted fashion.

Sheltering Sky opens mysteriously, somberly with piano and acoustic guitar, a low slow bass and spooky keyboards in the back. The chorus is a great one, very memorable and very good as well.

Oceanbound is to me a rather wild track, in a very good way. The driving rhythm guitar returns in Long Way Home, with some great vocal melodies again (a bit in the style of Kansas, but with a firm hardrock basis).

Keep My Head is a ballad track. For some reason I am reminded of Robbie Williams here. A nice track, and not too sweet.

The final track is the epic of the album. Narcissus is at first a driving piece of rock the way we are by now used to. The chorus is repeated a bit too often, but we are saved by the vocoded part in the middle against a backdrop of swirling keyboards. Then the first part of the song returns.

Conclusion

The best Threshold album so far. By far. The songs all work out fine, are catchier and more memorable than on Clone, but never the melodies are great. The energy is there, the cohesion. Avoiding this record is at your own cost.