Critical mass

They Say...

Review by François Couture, All Music Guide

Critical Mass finally marked a period of stability for the U.K. progressive metal group Threshold. For once, it released a new studio album within two years of the previous one, with the same lineup and on the same label. How did it translate into the music? By growth in the group's musical strengths, and maybe just a step backward in the writing. Lead vocalist Mac sounds more assured, if possible, delivering a performance that should inspire others to follow his example. Ditching over-theatrical clichés, he focuses on staying on the note and keeping a pleasant tone, instead of faking emotion by screaming at the top of his lungs. The rhythm section of Jon Jeary and Johanne James (the longest-running in the group's history) is rock-solid and efficient, if not sometimes a bit too fancy-free. As for the writing, a few songs sound a little too catchy for their own good, with the seams of the solos and bridge sections showing. Two noteworthy exceptions are "Echoes of Life," an impressive take on the soft-hard-soft epic, and the closing 14-minute title track (which includes the only acoustic guitar segment on the whole album). "Phenomenon" and "Fragmentation" are supported by their catchy melodies and crunchy riffs, but they remain rather plain. On the other hand, "Round and Round" features a very ingenuous chorus. Critical Mass will not rewrite the laws of progressive metal, but they sure caters to the fans. A limited-deluxe edition includes an extra CD-single (with two non-album tracks), and multimedia goods. [The limited edition of Critical Mass features an extra disc with two bonus tracks, "Do Unto Them" and "New Beginning," as well as a different edit of "Phenomenon."]