Who: underground UK band who had killer singers in the past and who got a good reception opening up for Dream Theater awhile ago and requires ProgPower Europe attendees to use the rare earplugs.

Thoughts: Threshold is a veteran band with whom I’ve little experience. From what I have borrowed in the past, I am not discouraged. They’ve always been known to rock and prog in their brand of prog metal. But as tastes evolve and tons of bands doing similar things come out every year, I wanna rock in different ways than Threshold’s. Well, I feel like teetering in between enjoying and not enjoying their new album Hypothetical. A part of me wants to hear more of the prog, or whatever you call that easygoing stuff. The band has a good sense of catchy and appealing melody in the singing. It’s pretty. It’s undervalued and rare. I guess it’s my overall appreciation for pop music. And they are good at these nice and quiet “far out” parts too which I guess is typical of AOR symphonic prog stuff. (Damn labels) When Threshold goes off on their rough stuff - as in chunky guitar riffs - it then seems out of place as if this styling was added as last minute decoration. The riffs remind me of Angel Dust and Superior but these bands are all about this sound and uniquely better at it. It’s a sound ingrained in them. Probably they are metal bands deep inside even though they add some dainty stuff here and there. Sure Threshold has been doing the heavy riffs for awhile. But for unspectacular and outdated riffs I think they can distinguish themselves by trading off more to the pleasant things in life.

Recommendation: for InsideOut devotees and GenX metal fans who still feel underrepresented

Instant rating: a good listen once or twice or whenever I feel indignant to young people’s incessant brag

by Alzn, score 2.5 out of 5