Do you ever get bored about the mention of Dream Theater when you're reading about some band playing prog metal? Yep, me too! I've read MANY reviews about Threshold albums, where their work has been compared and even said that this English band is aping Dream Theater's music. Threshold are probably the most well-known English prog metal band, and there's a very, very good reason for it.

'Wounded Land' does not sound like Dream Theater. There you got it! Threshold were determined that the mixture of heavy metal and progressive rock would sound good, and guess what?! It does, even after all these years since this was released. Heavy riffing (remember, we're in prog metal world now), atmospheric elements, good synthesizer work and hard-hitting rhythm section is what 'Wounded Land' is about. Cream on the crop is Damian Wilson, the vocalist extraordinary, the prog version of Flotsam And Jetsam singer Eric A.K. (a huge thanks go to Arjen Lucassen who introduced Mr. Wilson on his Star One album in 2002, and because of that I got my first Threshold album, 'Critical Mass'. And while that album does not feature Damian, I was introduced to Threshold; that's how it works...).

Musically, 'Wounded Land' is pretty straightforward for a prog album. It's the diversified synth work, occasional tempo transformations and Damian's unique voice (soft, yet breaching and strong), that are the most prog of all the particles of this album. Oh, plus some Mid-Eastern melodies, of course. The solos, both the guitar and keyboard ones, are composed, and aren't like them fast Sonata Arctica style showing off how fast one can move fingers on fretboard and keyboards. While 'Wounded Land' isn't anything too unique in style, there's slight insinuations towards more individual, Threshold's trademark delivery. Long songs, not that much variety in them, but in all the music does flow well. But, with a couple of exceptions; On from 'Siege of Baghdad', the album loses its momentum, even though still remains listenable. 'Siege...' is overlong and semi-acoustic 'Keep It with Mine' is a nice ballad, but not much more, and definitely feels out of place on the album.

The Colin Lucas artwork is a fine piece, as is the rest of the booklet. Some of the lyrics are based on the book "The Wounded Land" by Stephen Donaldson, which reminds of Earth and how human has treated it to the brink of... Well, destruction? Other stories are about drugs and Iraqi war, so everything is still "the daily news". Sound-wise, everything is clear and nicely balanced, and surely pretty heavy and powerful for an album this old. Of course the sound is dated, but nothing bad.

One for prog metal and melodic metal fans, who like it heavy. Definitely one my favourite Threshold releases, easily. Probably because there's no instrumental porn. Well, at least not very hardcore stuff, anyway.

Rating: 9- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/26/2007 22:55