LES FLEURS DU MAL

An art project by Therion this album consists entirely of old french folksy symphonic cover songs from the 1950s and 1960s. The album is most similar to the previous "Sitra Ahra" release and has the same line up as Sitra Ahra. In some ways it is better that Sitra Ahra, but unlike Sitra Ahra there isn't any metal in this album (not that there was much in SA but at least we come some heavy moments).

You have to get this album because of its originality. Nobody else has done an album like this. It is like a modern version of old style music that isn't made anymore.

The production is perfect. The performance of the band and singers is top notch. None of the songs suck, although some of them can get boring at times and almost put a rocker to sleep. A few songs stand out as being "hits" and are superb to anyone's ears. Some of them sound familiar as we've probably heard these melodies before (they are cover songs after all).

The songs all fit together. This is not a random assortment of songs like lemuria/sirius b or Gothic Kabbalah. There are no annoying 80s metal screams ruining the flow of an operatic song. It may take a few spins to realize it, but the instrumentals are complex and extremely well done. But you don't really notice the instruments. The guitars and drum beats are mostly in the background backing up the vocals. This whole album focuses on vocals and melodies.

I have to hold back five stars because the album is a little bit boring from a metal heads prospective. There are no noteable guitar solos or heavy moments. It is jazzed up. The songs do rock more than the original versions, but this album cannot be considered metal by any stretch of the imagination. It may have a little metal influence here and there from the "therionization" of the songs, but no the songs are not metal songs. What this is, is actually another rock opera masterpiece by Therion. Much like Secret of the Runes before it, this will bore the h*ll out of metal fans, while delightfully pleasing fans of opera or fans of old time music.