The live release with vocalist Andrew "Mac" McDermott from one of the premiere English progressive metal bands, Threshold, was long-awaited. After four albums with Mac on the mic it finally arrived in 2004, after 'Critical Mass' album tour was over.

The main event was recorded in June 2003 at De Boerderij in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. It's almost two hours of live Threshold with 18 songs. It also features the new bass player Steve Anderson who replaced the original bassist/vocalist Jon Jeary. Mr. Anderson felt right at home here.

The set list is hefty. The three pre-Mac albums are featured by two or three songs each. It's nice that the band did not forget them. He had a voice that I always thought was a bit like a mixture of previous singers Damien Wilson and Glynn Morgan. Mac's voice was soft yet biting when needed (sadly, he succumbed to death due to a short illness in 2011). Threshold have always written songs with "tune first, technicality then" in mind. There are interesting tempo changes for sure, but they are never a necessity. 'Sunseeker' is closest to Metallica the band went, but they also carry pop music infectiousness at times (probably due to keyboard player Richard West). 'Life Flow' gets a full (well, the song's about half of the original) acoustic treatment after 'Clear'. 'Narcissus' contains some acoustic guitar by Karl Groom, but he swaps it to the electric one after a minute and a half. There is no unnecessary song on the set list, and the pacing is fine, even though the band felt a bit shy during the first few songs. All of the six guys look like they enjoyed this from the bottom of their hearts, really, and Mac gets more humorous as the show goes on.

Filmed with several cameras, most of the shots are close ones. The audience was more about watching than moshing anyway. Fantastic drummer Johanne James handles his rather small kit (if you know how to drum, you do not need 30 drums, really) with vigour. Some if it sways so much it would make some seasick! Thanks to a camera in lighting rig, there are some great shots of him. I highly enjoy guitar solos by Nick Midson and especially by Mr. Groom who carries strong melodic touch in vein of David Gilmour (legendary Pink Floyd musician).

The picture quality is not hot. 4:3 aspect ratio looks ancient. There's also some film grain, probably due to low lighting, especially during red and blue lights. While not so good on the picture front, the sound is awesome. Everything is heard, thanks to good balancing. There's also a live album with this gig done.

The bonus material includes 3 live songs from ProgPower USA 2002 with Jeary on the bass guitar. He also gets to sing a little. Filmed with several cameras, it is a good treat for the band's fans. However, only 'The Ravages of Time' is not seen in the main catering. "Critical Moments" tour documentary is a short glimpse at the band activities, including some interviews.

As a whole, this is a gem for the Threshold fans. The band have released a few cuts on their Youtube page, so check them out. Just remember that this came out twenty years ago.

Rating: 9 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
12/10/2024 10:32