European Journey

THRESHOLD

»European Journey«

OUT: November, 13th 2015

THRESHOLDissue a new double-disc digipakconcertrecording, »European Journey«, via Nuclear Blast in November. The UK-based band was responsibleforoneofthemostremarkablestatements in rock musicof last year. Hailedbyfansandreviewersalike, »For The Journey« -theirtenthstudiorelease -providesthecentrepieceofthe material featured on thisnew double-set and will bethesubjectofseveral in-its-entirety-basedperformances in January 2016.

»European Journey«contains 15 live trackspreservedforposterityasthesix-piece band renderedaudiencesspellbound at variouscontinental European venuesduringthepromotionof»For The Journey«in November of ’14. DespitethepopularityofthedownloadcultureTHRESHOLD still verymuchbelieve in thealbumas an artisticstatement, also retainingaffectionfortheformatof a double-live release.

THRESHOLDhavereleased live albums in thepast, but »European Journey«istheirfirsttoshowcasethemajesticvoiceofDamian Wilson, whore-joined in 2007 followingthedepartureofpredecessorAndrew “Mac” McDermotttobegin a thirdspellwiththegroup.

The album’sproduction, courtesyofRichard WestandguitaristKarl Groom -thelatterofwhomhasbeenemployedbyDRAGONFORCE, TRIGGERTHE BLOODSHED, PENDRAGONandYES-ispristine. Close youreyesandyou’rethere in thefifthrow back anddead-centreofthestage.

“That’swhatwehopedfor, I feltit was missed on ‘Critical Energy’ all thoseyearsago,”admitsRichard. “This time wewantedittosound like a concert, asopposedto a studioalbum.”

The set-list goes all theway back to 1997 with'Part Of The Chaos'fromthegroup’sthirdstudioalbum, »Extinct Instinct«, but its thrust is provided by more contemporary material from the most recent three records, all cut during a tenure with Nuclear Blast -»Dead Reckoning« (2007), »March Of Progress« (2012) and »For The Journey«(2014).

Fullofenterprising, excitingsongsthatchallengedthelazytag of“progressive-metal” so oftenfoisted upon thegroup, »For The Journey« was thesubjectofconsistentcriticalacclaim. “Damn, thisiscatchy,”observedClassic Rock, adding: “What an entertainingride.” The UK’sMetal Hammer was in agreement: “This is not an albumthatseeksrefuge in thepast. Itreeksofthe modern era.”

Andthechartpositionsbackedthingsup: #33 in Germany, #19 in Switzerland, #82 in theNetherlands, #118 in France, #116 in the UK, #33 in Finland and #71 in Austria.

As has so oftenbeenthecasewith double-live recordings, »European Journey«closesanotherchapter in thestoryofTHRESHOLDandpreparestowriteanother.

“A lothaschangedsince ‘Critical Mass’, which was recordedshortlybefore Jon Jeary [bassist] lefttheband,”Westconsiders. “Jon, whowrotewith Karl, was a verykeyelementofoursound. Sincethen Karl andmyselfhavebeenthepredominantwriters in THRESHOLDandwehavevery different approaches. Though I hesitatetousetheword, sometimesmy style is a bitpoppyfor a band that’srooted in rock, metal orprog. Weweren’tdoingsongs like ‘Lost In Your Memory’ back in the 1990s.”

Indeed, veryfewbandsarecapableofgracingthestageof a leather ‘n’ studsgathering such asBloodstock, asTHRESHOLDdid in 2004, orconverselythehardrock all-dayertheFirefest, at whichtheyplayedthreeyearslater. Theirmusicis eloquent anddeeplymelodicwithoutrelying upon theusualgratuitouslevelsof power and repetitive twiddlybits.

Listen todisctwoof»European Journey«, whichincludestheaforementioned ‘Lost In Your Memory’andthetwoweightierpieces, ‘Pilot In The Sky Of Dreams’and‘The Box’, andthelistenerachieves a perfect handle upon whereTHRESHOLDstands in 2015. Nosurprise, then, aswellasnurturingthediehardsTHRESHOLD’smusicis also attracting a youngeraudience.

“It’s a goodsignthat 19-year-olds arestartingtoappear at ourgigs,”Wilsonchuckles, “thoughitdoesfeel a littleunusualbecauseI’musedtolooking out at hallsfullofmiddle-agedmenwithbeards.”

Andwhatofthefuture, youmayask? Well, look out forthoseJanuary 2016 dates in whichTHRESHOLD will perform»For The Journey«from front to back. It’salreadybeenperformedonce in Germany last summer, to an ecstaticresponse. “Wecan’twaitto do itagain,”Wilsoncomments, “thesongsrun so welltogether, there’s a real sense offlow.”

The tour datesfortheband’s»For The Journey«-basedshowsareasfollows:

13.01.NLWeert- Bosuil

14.01.DKöln - Underground

15.01.DHamburg - Markthalle

16.01.DBerlin - K17

17.01.DMarkneukirchen - Warwick Music Hall

19.01.DMünchen - Backstage

20.01.CHAarau - Kiff

21.01.DAschaffenburg - Colos-Saal

22.01.DEssen - Turock

23.01.NLZoetermeer - Boerderij

24.01.UKLondon - o2 Islington Academy

Promotional contacts:

Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Spain & Rest:

Australia: | BeNeLux:

Finland: | France:

Sweden:

Switzerland: | UK:

USA: I Poland: