Thresholds
Encyclopedia
Thresholds is the second full-length studio album from Florida
death metal
band Nocturnus
. It was released in 1992 by Earache Records
and follows the band's debut album The Key.
Thresholds continued the experimental sound created on the first album and the line-up was expanded to a six-piece with the addition of a vocalist – allowing Mike Browning to concentrate solely on drums. Lyrical topics range from opener "Climate Controller" (possibly a device that must control the earth's climate after global warming), "Aquatica" (about a race that has evolved in the ocean to overtake humans) and "Gridzone" (about an alternate planet capable of life).. "Tribal Vodoun" is about primitive religions and voodoo, while "Subterranean Infiltrator" is inspired by the Metal Gear
video game series.
The production of Thresholds is not considerably more polished than that of The Key. The music is also more complex and mature. The time signature
changes at least once in every song and there are numerous breakdowns and tempo changes in every song. The band's musicianship has also advanced. Guitarists Mike Davis
and Sean McNenney play longer, more melodic but even more technical solos (now often with a Jason Becker
-esque neo-classical
flair). Mike Browning
's drumming has become more technical and precise than it was on The Key, not to mention his drum tone has improved. Louis Panzer's keyboard lines are more complex and he even takes solos on a few songs. The bass (now played by Chris Anderson) is much more audible than on The Key and is also highly technical. Dan Izzo's vocals are much deeper and clearer than Mike Browning's, often compared to the vocals of Max Cavalera
of Sepultura
.
"Alter Reality" was released as a single and featured a music video that received substantial airplay on MTV
's Headbangers Ball
. "Arctic Crypt" and "Climate Controller" also became notable fan favorites.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
death metal
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....
band Nocturnus
Nocturnus
Nocturnus was an American progressive death metal band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1987 by drummer/vocalist Mike Browning . They were known for their science-fiction themed lyrics and use of keyboards, both of which were virtually unknown in extreme metal...
. It was released in 1992 by Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
and follows the band's debut album The Key.
Thresholds continued the experimental sound created on the first album and the line-up was expanded to a six-piece with the addition of a vocalist – allowing Mike Browning to concentrate solely on drums. Lyrical topics range from opener "Climate Controller" (possibly a device that must control the earth's climate after global warming), "Aquatica" (about a race that has evolved in the ocean to overtake humans) and "Gridzone" (about an alternate planet capable of life).. "Tribal Vodoun" is about primitive religions and voodoo, while "Subterranean Infiltrator" is inspired by the Metal Gear
Metal Gear (series)
is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
video game series.
The production of Thresholds is not considerably more polished than that of The Key. The music is also more complex and mature. The time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
changes at least once in every song and there are numerous breakdowns and tempo changes in every song. The band's musicianship has also advanced. Guitarists Mike Davis
Mike Davis (guitarist)
Mike Davis is an American metal guitarist. He is best known for his work in the progressive death metal band Nocturnus. He joined the band around 1988, and eventually became the bands' standout lead guitarist. He joined the band when he was just 18 years old and is widely regarded as an underrated...
and Sean McNenney play longer, more melodic but even more technical solos (now often with a Jason Becker
Jason Becker
Jason Eli Becker is an American virtuoso neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988...
-esque neo-classical
Neo-classical metal
Neo-classical metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that is heavily influenced by classical music. It refers to a very technical performanceExact quote from the french text: "L'arrivée du néoclassique remet au goût du jour la virtuosité et le travail de l'instrument", « Les secrets du metal-...
flair). Mike Browning
Mike Browning
Mike Browning is an American metal drummer and vocalist.-Career:He is perhaps best known for being the former drummer/vocalist for death metal pioneers Morbid Angel. He played in the band from 1984 to 1986 and made one official recording with them, the Abominations of Desolation album, which was...
's drumming has become more technical and precise than it was on The Key, not to mention his drum tone has improved. Louis Panzer's keyboard lines are more complex and he even takes solos on a few songs. The bass (now played by Chris Anderson) is much more audible than on The Key and is also highly technical. Dan Izzo's vocals are much deeper and clearer than Mike Browning's, often compared to the vocals of Max Cavalera
Max Cavalera
Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band Sepultura, before forming Soulfly in the late 1990s...
of Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
.
"Alter Reality" was released as a single and featured a music video that received substantial airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
. "Arctic Crypt" and "Climate Controller" also became notable fan favorites.
Track listing
- "Climate Controller" – 7:51
- "Tribal Vodoun" – 5:17
- "Nocturne in Bm" – 2:51
- "Arctic Crypt" – 4:18
- "Aquatica" – 7:17
- "Subterranean Infiltrator" – 5:35
- "Alter Reality" – 4:28
- "Gridzone" – 6:06
Credits
- Dan Izzo – vocals
- Mike DavisMike Davis (guitarist)Mike Davis is an American metal guitarist. He is best known for his work in the progressive death metal band Nocturnus. He joined the band around 1988, and eventually became the bands' standout lead guitarist. He joined the band when he was just 18 years old and is widely regarded as an underrated...
– guitar - Sean McNenney – guitar
- Chris Anderson – bass
- Mike BrowningMike BrowningMike Browning is an American metal drummer and vocalist.-Career:He is perhaps best known for being the former drummer/vocalist for death metal pioneers Morbid Angel. He played in the band from 1984 to 1986 and made one official recording with them, the Abominations of Desolation album, which was...
– drums - Louis Panzer – keyboards
- Recorded in December, 1991 at Morrisound RecordingMorrisound RecordingMorrisound Recording is an audio recording facility in Temple Terrace, Florida, owned and operated by brothers Jim and Tom Morris. Since its opening in 1981, Morrisound has been responsible for the popularization of genres such as heavy metal and death metal, but of course caters to every genre of...
, Tampa, FloridaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, USA - Produced by Tom Morris and Nocturnus