Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas
Encyclopedia
Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas is the third studio album
released on April 1993 by Swedish
band Therion
. The album was remastered and re-released by Nuclear Blast
in 2000 as part of The Early Chapters of Revelation
box-set.
Ho Drakon Ho Megas means "The Great Dragon". Uttering Ho Drakon Ho Megas is typically used at the end of ceremonies and rituals when conjuring Draconian
force in a magical order Dragon Rouge, in which head of the band Christofer Johnsson
is a member.
, Therion's music label decided to scale down their operations and the band was switched to the new owners, Megarock Records
. The band was recording the album from December 1992 to January 1993 in The Montezuma Studio in Stockholm
, Sweden
, with the aid of engineer Rex Gisslén. Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas was released under changed line-up, only Christofer Johnsson
remained. During the playing Beyond Sanctorum
tour, band ran into a few personnel problems. Oskar Forss
decided to leave the band, Peter Hansson
quit the band after health problems. Piotr Wawrzeniuk
, from the band Carbonized
in which Johnsson also played, took up drumming duties. The guitar was taken up by Magnus Barthelsson
, an old school friend of Johnsson's, while Andreas Wahl took up the bass.
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The album is the band's departure from typical death metal
into experimentation with traditional doom metal
, goth rock, progressive rock
, jazz
, symphonic classical
, Persian traditional music, Arabic music, and 1980s heavy metal
inspired by Iron Maiden
and Judas Priest
. Lyrical themes had changed from societal and environmental, and now revolves around the Lovecraftian fantasy and concept of qliphoth
with occurrence of the mythological demon Lilith
and Abyss (Thelema)
.
The Japanese version released by Toy's Factory
label includes three bonus tracks—"Enter the Voids" and 1991 demo versions of "Beyond Sanctorum" and "Symphony of the Dead", both from Beyond Sanctorum
. A 2006 Therion's box-set Celebrators of Becoming
includes the following songs from the album—"Baal Reginon" (recorded in Zug, Switzerland, 1994), "Dark Princess Naamah" (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995), "A Black Rose" (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995), "Dawn of Perishness" (Huddinge, Sweden, 1993 and Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995).
The song "A Black Rose" has been included in a Nuclear Blast DVD compilation Death... Is Just the Beginning Classics released on March 25, 2002.
Song lyrics has been published officially for four songs only—"Baal Reginon", "Dark Princess Naamah", "Powerdance" and "Procreation of Eternity".
community being #473 in its 1993 ranking.
Production
Cover design
Audio samples
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
released on April 1993 by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
band Therion
Therion (band)
Therion is a Swedish symphonic metal band founded by Christofer Johnsson in 1987. The word "therion" comes from the Greek therion , meaning "Beast," i.e., that of the Christian Book of Revelation...
. The album was remastered and re-released by Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
in 2000 as part of The Early Chapters of Revelation
The Early Chapters of Revelation
The Early Chapters of Revelation is a 3 CDs box-set released by Swedish heavy metal band Therion in 2000. Box-set contains remastered and rereleased first three albums of the official Therion's discography: Of Darkness..., Beyond Sanctorum and Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas...
box-set.
Etymology
In Ancient GreekAncient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
Ho Drakon Ho Megas means "The Great Dragon". Uttering Ho Drakon Ho Megas is typically used at the end of ceremonies and rituals when conjuring Draconian
Draconian
Draconian is an adjective meaning great severity, that derives from Draco, an Athenian law scribe under whom small offences had heavy punishments .Draconian may also refer to:* Draconian , a Death/doom metal band from Sweden...
force in a magical order Dragon Rouge, in which head of the band Christofer Johnsson
Christofer Johnsson
Christofer Johnsson is a Swedish musician. He is a founding member and the guitar player for Therion and used to be in Carbonized, Liers in Wait, Messiah and Demonoid. He is a member of the magical order Dragon Rouge and founder of the defunct Dark Age Music label...
is a member.
Recording and production
Active RecordsActive Records
Active Records is a record sublabel of RCA. Label focuses mainly in heavy metal music.-Bands:* Atheist* Budgie* Candlemass* Therion* Destiny...
, Therion's music label decided to scale down their operations and the band was switched to the new owners, Megarock Records
Megarock Records
Megarock Records is a Swedish record label, which focus mainly on heavy metal music.-Bands:* Abstrakt Algebra* Ace's High* Alien* Backyard Babies* Bad Habit* Candlemass* Criss* Crossroad Jam* It's Alive* Jester* Landberk* Machine Gun Kelly...
. The band was recording the album from December 1992 to January 1993 in The Montezuma Studio in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, with the aid of engineer Rex Gisslén. Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas was released under changed line-up, only Christofer Johnsson
Christofer Johnsson
Christofer Johnsson is a Swedish musician. He is a founding member and the guitar player for Therion and used to be in Carbonized, Liers in Wait, Messiah and Demonoid. He is a member of the magical order Dragon Rouge and founder of the defunct Dark Age Music label...
remained. During the playing Beyond Sanctorum
Beyond Sanctorum
Beyond Sanctorum is the second studio album released on January 1992 by Swedish band Therion. The album was re-released on November 27, 2000 under Nuclear Blast label as a part of The Early Chapters of Revelation box-set...
tour, band ran into a few personnel problems. Oskar Forss
Oskar Forss
Oskar Forss was a co-founder and during the years of 1987–1992 drummer of Swedish then-death metal band Therion.-Music career:Oskar Forss was a drummer of a pre-Therion band called Blitzkrieg. Due to personal problems with Forss, band decided to split up in ca. March 1988 but soon reformed having...
decided to leave the band, Peter Hansson
Peter Hansson
Peter Hansson is a co-founder and guitarist of Swedish metal band Therion.- References :...
quit the band after health problems. Piotr Wawrzeniuk
Piotr Wawrzeniuk
Piotr Wawrzeniuk is a Polish vocalist and drummer. Best known for membership in symphonic metal Therion, but also member of Serpent, Carbonized and The Robots.-Music career:...
, from the band Carbonized
Carbonized
Carbonized were a Swedish death metal band formed 1988 in Saltsjöbaden. The band was formed by Lars Rosenberg in 1988, with Dismember vocalist Matti Kärki...
in which Johnsson also played, took up drumming duties. The guitar was taken up by Magnus Barthelsson
Magnus Barthelsson
Magnus Barthelsson is a guitarist and former member of Therion , Grain, Feeble Lies, Conspiracy, Formicide.- References :...
, an old school friend of Johnsson's, while Andreas Wahl took up the bass.
Songs, lyrical themes and influences
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
into experimentation with traditional doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
, goth rock, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, symphonic classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, Persian traditional music, Arabic music, and 1980s heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
inspired by Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
. Lyrical themes had changed from societal and environmental, and now revolves around the Lovecraftian fantasy and concept of qliphoth
Qliphoth
Qliphoth/Qelippot, alternatively Klippot/Kellipot etc. refers to the representation of evil or impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism.In the Kabbalistic spiritual cosmology, the Kelipot are metaphorical "shells" surrounding holiness...
with occurrence of the mythological demon Lilith
Lilith
Lilith is a character in Jewish mythology, found earliest in the Babylonian Talmud, who is generally thought to be related to a class of female demons Līlīṯu in Mesopotamian texts. However, Lowell K. Handy notes, "Very little information has been found relating to the Akkadian and Babylonian view...
and Abyss (Thelema)
Abyss (Thelema)
Within the mystical system of Thelema, the Abyss is the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source.-Theory and Practice:...
.
The Japanese version released by Toy's Factory
Toy's Factory
is a Japanese record label founded in 1990 as a VAP subsidiary, based in Japan. It has since become an independent company.-Sub-Labels:* bellissima!* Carnage* Deep Blue* Idyllic* Kimi* Meme Tokyo* -Artists:*Aobozu*Armageddon*Bump of Chicken...
label includes three bonus tracks—"Enter the Voids" and 1991 demo versions of "Beyond Sanctorum" and "Symphony of the Dead", both from Beyond Sanctorum
Beyond Sanctorum
Beyond Sanctorum is the second studio album released on January 1992 by Swedish band Therion. The album was re-released on November 27, 2000 under Nuclear Blast label as a part of The Early Chapters of Revelation box-set...
. A 2006 Therion's box-set Celebrators of Becoming
Celebrators of Becoming
Celebrators of Becoming is a Therion box-set released on 5 May 2006. It contains 4 DVDs and 2 audio discs. It is available in two versions: The luxury digipak version in a slip case and the cheaper non-digipak version. Both versions contain all discs...
includes the following songs from the album—"Baal Reginon" (recorded in Zug, Switzerland, 1994), "Dark Princess Naamah" (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995), "A Black Rose" (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995), "Dawn of Perishness" (Huddinge, Sweden, 1993 and Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1995).
The song "A Black Rose" has been included in a Nuclear Blast DVD compilation Death... Is Just the Beginning Classics released on March 25, 2002.
Song lyrics has been published officially for four songs only—"Baal Reginon", "Dark Princess Naamah", "Powerdance" and "Procreation of Eternity".
Reception
Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas mostly gained very positive reviews. It has received 4 of 5 rating by Allmusic with songs "Dark Princess Naamah", "Dawn of Perishness" and "Ho Drakon Ho Megas: The Dragon Throne/Fire and Ecstacy" picked by its staff, and 3.47 of 5 by Rate Your MusicRate Your Music
Rate Your Music is a metadata database where musical albums, EPs, singles, videos, bootlegs, and movies are rated and reviewed by users. This data is then used to generate recommendations for users and to create rated lists of albums...
community being #473 in its 1993 ranking.
Track listing
All songs were written by Christoffer Johnsson.- "Baal Reginon" – 2:11
- "Dark Princess Naamah" – 4:18
- "A Black Rose (Covered with Tears, Blood and Ice)" – 4:01
- "Symphoni Drakonis Inferni" – 2:33
- "Dawn of Perishness" – 5:51
- "The Eye of Eclipse" – 5:01
- "The Ritual Dance of the Yezidis" – 2:08
- "Powerdance" – 3:06
- "Procreation of Eternity" – 4:05
- "Ho Drakon Ho Megas" – 4:19
- Act 1: "The Dragon Throne" – 1:26
- Act 2: "Fire and Ecstasy" – 2:53
Personnel
Therion- Christofer JohnssonChristofer JohnssonChristofer Johnsson is a Swedish musician. He is a founding member and the guitar player for Therion and used to be in Carbonized, Liers in Wait, Messiah and Demonoid. He is a member of the magical order Dragon Rouge and founder of the defunct Dark Age Music label...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Magnus BarthelssonMagnus BarthelssonMagnus Barthelsson is a guitarist and former member of Therion , Grain, Feeble Lies, Conspiracy, Formicide.- References :...
– guitar - Andreas Wallan WahlAndreas Wallan WahlAndreas Wallan Wahl is a bass guitarist, drummer and vocalist; a former member of the Swedish heavy metal bands Therion , Serpent, Formicide, Concrete Sleep and Hexenhaus.- References :...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Piotr WawrzeniukPiotr WawrzeniukPiotr Wawrzeniuk is a Polish vocalist and drummer. Best known for membership in symphonic metal Therion, but also member of Serpent, Carbonized and The Robots.-Music career:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- Rex Gisslén – engineer, producer
Cover design
- Kristian WåhlinKristian WåhlinKristian Wåhlin is a Swedish musician, graphic designer, and album cover artist for many bands in the extreme metal scene worldwide. He is often credited under his pseudonym, Necrolord....
– cover illustration - Mikael P. Eriksson – cover photographies and design
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
April 1993 | Megarock Megarock Records Megarock Records is a Swedish record label, which focus mainly on heavy metal music.-Bands:* Abstrakt Algebra* Ace's High* Alien* Backyard Babies* Bad Habit* Candlemass* Criss* Crossroad Jam* It's Alive* Jester* Landberk* Machine Gun Kelly... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
MRR 002 | |
| U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
January 24, 1994 | Pavement | CD, audio cassette | 76962-32203 | "Ho Drakon Ho Megas" song as a single track. |
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
December 21, 1995 | Toy's Factory Toy's Factory is a Japanese record label founded in 1990 as a VAP subsidiary, based in Japan. It has since become an independent company.-Sub-Labels:* bellissima!* Carnage* Deep Blue* Idyllic* Kimi* Meme Tokyo* -Artists:*Aobozu*Armageddon*Bump of Chicken... |
CD | FCK-88770 | "Ho Drakon Ho Megas" song as a single track. Three bonus tracks:
|
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
1997 | Collectors Picture Disc Series | vinyl Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... LP, picture disc Picture disc Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:... |
CPD 005 | Limited edition of 500 copies. The second part of "Ho Drakon Ho Megas" is missing. |
| Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
November 27, 2000 | Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic... Europe |
CD | NB 0579-2 | Remastered. 3rd of 3 disc of The Early Chapters of Revelation The Early Chapters of Revelation The Early Chapters of Revelation is a 3 CDs box-set released by Swedish heavy metal band Therion in 2000. Box-set contains remastered and rereleased first three albums of the official Therion's discography: Of Darkness..., Beyond Sanctorum and Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas... box-set. |
| Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
January 2001 | IROND IROND Records Ltd. IROND Records Ltd is the leading Russian metal music records label.IROND operates in several major fields:* It has secured license agreements for Russia and ex-USSR countries with more than 80 foreign metal and extreme music labels to re-publish their original material... |
CD | IROND CD 00-22 | |
| U.S. | April 17, 2001 | Nuclear Blast America | CD | NB 0579-2 | Remastered. 3rd of 3 disc of The Early Chapters of Revelation box-set. |
External links
- Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas at the official website
Audio samples
- Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas at Amazon.comAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...