Label: Art Gates Records
Date: December 18th, 2020
Here’s yet another new name for the power metal encyclopedia. Seems as if the sound long passed its golden era still has new, young representatives across the globe. Though with a name you can easily tie with some doom, gothic or black metal, these five Spaniards are actually treading a much lighter side of the metal spectrum.
Theragon debuts with a full length record, put out on their home based label Art Gates. And since the genre has already been mentioned, you should be warned. If you’re a seasoned fan of the genre, you will hear nothing new on “Where the Stories Begin”. Be it due to inexperience or simple lack of desire to contribute to the genre, the quintet offers a tried and tested version of epic power metal.
I find it somewhere in between the old, primal German style of Helloween (though not quite the early, original, even if it bears some resemblance) and the Italian, overly epic soundscape. Even some of those symphonic, Nightwish moments, appear occasionally. That is pretty much all you can find on the record. Some slighter “thefts” from “abroad” do not make a bigger impact on the overall sound. Apart of “Drunk Dwarf Inn” that houses some folk influences, mixed with Boney M’s “Rasputin” feel.
Now, Theragon does lack a more innovative approach, but “Where the Stories Begin” is still quite an impressive debut. A variety of catchy melodies are abundant. Be they performed on guitars or keyboards, they show enough of a creative force to satisfy even the pickiest fans of the genre. The choruses, with solo or choir voices, will have you sing (scream) along in no time. Not to mention raise your thunderous sword to the sky and hail the victorious dead. Yes, cliché, but those are abundant too. All the way to a ten minute closing track.
Well, closing track is actually a Rick Astley cover, but you get the point.
I have declared Theragon’s debut impressive already. However, the thing is that it is impressive for a debut. There’s still work to be done. The band is on the right track, no doubt about that. Perhaps a couple of decades late to actually make headlines around the metal world, but still worthy of checking out. And keeping an ear for the next outputs.
