Gothic Kabbalah

Album by Therion

Gothic Kabbalah

Studio album by

Therion

Released| 12 January 2007
Recorded| July–September 2006
Stockholm, Sweden
Genre| Symphonic gothic metal, progressive metal[1]
Length| 83:29
Label| Nuclear Blast
NB 1780-0
Producer| Stefan Glaumann
Therion chronology
| Celebrators of Becoming
(2006)  | Gothic Kabbalah
(2007)  | Live Gothic
(2008)

|
|

Gothic Kabbalah is the thirteenth studio album by Swedish symphonic metal band Therion. It was released in Europe on 12 January 2007. The album was mixed by Stefan Glaumann, who also contributed to bands such as Rammstein, Evergrey, Europe and Def Leppard. The main line-up has been slightly changed since previous studio albums (Lemuria and Sirius B): Petter Karlsson returned to play drums, having already played with the band during Lemuria / Sirius B tour during the period of 2004–2006. Since Christofer Johnsson announced in 2006 he is retiring from singing,[2] vocals on Gothic Kabbalah were performed by Mats Levén, as well as Snowy Shaw and three female singers: Katarina Lilja, Anna Nyhlin and Hannah Holgersson.

The album is based on concepts from the life of 17th-century esoteric scholar Johannes Bureus.

## Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics by Thomas Karlsson. Music as indicated:

Disc oneNo.| Title| Music| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Der Mitternachtslöwe"| Christofer Johnsson, Mats Levén| 5:38
2.| "Gothic Kabbalah"| Petter Karlsson| 4:33
3.| "The Perennial Sophia"| Johan Niemann, Levén, P. Karlsson| 4:54
4.| "Wisdom and the Cage"| Kristian Niemann, P. Karlsson| 5:01
5.| "Son of the Staves of Time"| Levén| 4:47
6.| "Tuna 1613"| P. Karlsson, Snowy Shaw| 4:23
7.| "Trul"| P. Karlsson| 5:11
8.| "Close Up the Streams"| Johnsson, Levén| 3:55

Disc twoNo.| Title| Music| Length

|
|
|

1.| "The Wand of Abaris"| Johnsson, K. Niemann| 5:51
2.| "Three Treasures"| Johnsson| 5:20
3.| "Path to Arcady"| K. Niemann, P. Karlsson| 3:54
4.| "TOF – The Trinity"| K. Niemann, Levén, P. Karlsson| 6:18
5.| "Chain of Minerva"| J. Niemann, Levén, P. Karlsson| 5:21
6.| "The Falling Stone"| P. Karlsson| 4:46
7.| "Adulruna Rediviva"| Johnsson, K. Niemann| 13:37
8.| "Seven Secrets Of The Sphinx (Live)" (Bonus Track)|  | 3:48
9.| "To Mega Therion (Live)" (Bonus Track)|  | 6:45

## Vinyl release

[edit]

Gothic Kabbalah has been also released as limited edition double LP vinyl (180 gram; 33⅓ rpm). It features colored vinyl, gatefold cover and it has been released in 1000 hand-numbered copies.

Vinyl release track listing

Side A

1. "Der Mitternachtslöwe"
2. "Gothic Kabbalah"
3. "The Perennial Sophia"
4. "Wisdom and the Cage"

Side B

1. "Son of the Staves of Time"
2. "Tuna 1613"
3. "Trul"
4. "Close Up the Streams"

Side C

1. "The Wand of Abaris"
2. "Three Treasures"
3. "Path to Arcady"
4. "TOF – The Trinity"

Side D

1. "Chain of Minerva"
2. "The Falling Stone"
3. "Adulruna Rediviva"

|

## Reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
Allmusic|  link
PopMatters|  link
Chronicles of Chaos|  link
Metal Invader|  link

The album has received generally good reviews from critics, including Chronicles of Chaos[3] and Allmusic hailing it as "the first truly great rock opera of the 21st century".[1]

The album was the band's first to enter the Swedish Albums Chart.[4]

## Chart positions

[edit]

Chart (2007)  | Peak
position

|

Greece[5] | 5
Poland[5] | 21
Sweden[6] | 26
Netherlands[5] | 55
France[7] | 58
Germany[5] | 59
Switzerland[8] | 73
Hungary[5] | 74
Belgium[5] | 84
IndieHQ Independent Sales Chart[9] | 156

## Personnel

[edit]

* Christofer Johnsson – keyboards, programming, guitar
* Kristian Niemann – lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards
* Johan Niemann – bass guitar, guitar, acoustic guitar
* Petter Karlsson – drums, guitar, keyboards, solo ("Chain of Minerva", "T.O.F. - The Trinity") and choral vocals, percussion
* Mats Levén – lead vocals ("Der Mitternachtslöwe" (choir), "Gothic Kabbalah", "Perennial Sophia", "Son of the Staves of Time", "Close up the Streams", "Three Treasures", "T.O.F. - Trinity", "Adulruna Rediviva"), guitar

### Guest musicians

[edit]

* Snowy Shaw – lead vocals ("Der Mitternachtslöwe" (choir), "Perennial Sophia" (choir), "Wisdom and the Cage", "Tuna 1613", "Trul" (choir), "Close up the Streams" (choir), "Wand of Abaris", "Three Treasures", "Adulruna Rediviva")
* Katarina Lilja – vocals ("Gothic Kabbalah", "Perennial Sophia", "Trul", "Close up the Streams", "The Falling Stone", "Chain of Minerva")
* Hannah Holgersson – vocals, soprano ("Der Mitternachtslöwe", "Wisdom and the Cage", "Son of the Staves of Time", "Trul" (choir), "Wand of Abaris" (choir), "T.O.F. - Trinity", "Chain of Minerva", "Adulruna Rediviva")
* Jonas Samuelsson–Nerbe – tenor ("Tuna 1613", "Path to Arcady", "Adulruna Rediviva")
* Anna Nyhlin – solo soprano on "The Falling Stone" and "Path to Arcady"
* Karin Fjellander – choral soprano
* Ken Hensley – Hammond organ
* Joakim Svalberg – Hammond organ
* Rolf Pilotti – solo flute on "Gothic Kabbalah" and "Trul"
* Stefan Glaumann – tambourine

### Others

[edit]

* Sanken Sandqvist – engineering
* Thomas Ewerhard – design

## Singles

[edit]

Wand of Abaris

* Released: 15 December 2006
* Label: Nuclear Blast
* Tracks:

1. "The Wand of Abaris"
2. "Path to Arcady"
3. "TOF – The Trinity"

The Wand of Abaris / Path to Arcady

* Released: 2007
* Label: Nuclear Blast
* Tracks:

1. "The Wand of Abaris"
2. "Path to Arcady"

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "Allmusic: Gothic Kabbalah Review". Retrieved 2007-03-17.
2. ^ Johnsson, Christofer (2006-03-21). "My vocals + Metal Mania and ProgPower UK festivals". Archived from the original on 2010-05-16. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
3. ^ Smit, Jackie (2007-01-07). "Chronicles of Chaos : Therion - Gothic Kabbalah : Review". Retrieved 2007-03-17.
4. ^ "swedishcharts.com - Discography Therion". Retrieved 2007-03-17.
5. ^ a b c d e f "Therion discography". MusicMight. Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
6. ^ "swedishcharts.com - Therion - Gothic Kabbalah". Retrieved 2007-03-17.
7. ^ "lescharts.com - Therion - Gothic Kabbalah". Retrieved 2007-03-17.
8. ^ "Therion - Gothic Kabbalah - hitparade.ch" (in German). Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
9. ^ "IndieHQ Independent Sales Chart 2-14-07". 2007-02-14. Archived from the original on 2007-02-19. Retrieved 2007-03-17.

## External links

[edit]

* Information about album at the official website
* Ecard at Nuclear Blast USA
* Stream previews at Nuclear Blast Europe
* Gothic Kabbalah at Discogs
* Gothic Kabbalah at MusicBrainz: disc one, disc two

* v
* t
* e

Therion

* Christofer Johnsson
* Thomas Vikström
* Johan Koleberg
* Nalle Påhlsson
* Christian Vidal
* Lori Lewis

Studio albums|

* Of Darkness...
* Beyond Sanctorum
* Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas
* Lepaca Kliffoth
* Theli
* A'arab Zaraq - Lucid Dreaming
* Vovin
* Crowning of Atlantis
* Deggial
* Secret of the Runes
* Lemuria
* Sirius B
* Gothic Kabbalah
* Sitra Ahra
* Les Fleurs du Mal
* Beloved Antichrist
* Leviathan
* Leviathan II
* Leviathan III

Live albums|

* Live in Midgård
* Celebrators of Becoming
* Live Gothic
* The Miskolc Experience

Compilations|

* The Early Chapters of Revelation
* Bells of Doom
* Atlantis Lucid Dreaming
* Cover Songs 1993-2007

Singles|

* "The Beauty in Black"
* "The Siren of the Woods"

Box sets|

* The Early Chapters of Revelation
* Celebrators of Becoming

Related articles|

* Demos
* Discography
* Members

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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