With over 100+ million streams and a tremendously successful album released just a year ago, symphonic metal titans THERION have not been idle and continue their epic Leviathan trilogy with the striking new single “Marijin Min Nar“.
Christofer comments:
“When we did the songwriting for the Leviathan trilogy, it was basically me and Thomas Vikström that wrote everything. Nalle came up with one song and Christian Vidal came up with one too. But what they lacked in quantity, they made up with quality, as they both delivered a song that we thought was a good choice for a single.
Singles are usually the most commercial songs on an album, as the purpose of a single is not just to tease the fans, but also to throw out a hook to the general public and see if you catch some new listeners. ‘Marijin Min Nar’ is different in that regard, as it is not one of the more commercial songs. But instead, it is a ”regular” song that both ourselves, people at Nuclear Blast, and people we know who heard the album all found to be one of the most likable songs on the album. So we thought we’d have a go with this one as a single.“
With defiant determination rarely found in a metal band, THERION have always and exclusively done what they deemed right. They never stuck to a successful formula for the sake of it, they never released the same album twice, and they never gave in to fickle friends like expectation, commercial aspects or trends. Which makes it all the more astounding that now, 35 years deep into their storied career, they are doing something every fan had hoped for but never actually thought possible. Enter Leviathan, enter a trilogy focusing on all the trademark elements that THERION are beloved by countless metal fans around the globe for. After the first part set hearts aflame in 2021, evoking goosebumps and reminiscing around the glory days of the nineties, the symphonic metal grand-seigneurs continue their surprisingly fan-friendly path with their epic odyssey Leviathan II.
“We wanted to give fans what they want this time,” musical professor Christofer Johnssoninforms us from his sunny new home in Gozo, Malta.
“We have been doing what we wanted for so long that we just thought it fair to turn the tables just this once.” Turning 50, you might misinterpret a move like this with a certain mellowing of age. You couldn’t be more wrong, of course: Johnsson is still the musical frontiersman, looking for new challenges and a hero’s journey under every stone he turns. However, after having finished the insanely sophisticated, elaborate triple album rock musical Beloved Antichrist, even Christofer Johnsson felt he had reached a certain frontier here. “After Beloved Antichrist, I was lacking direction because I had done everything I ever wanted to do or achieve.” He sat down with lead vocalist Thomas Vikström to ponder their next move when it quickly dawned on them: “The only thing we never did was give the fans exactly what they wanted,” he grins drily.