Review THEM “Psychedelic Enigma”

Them is the brainchild of singer Troy Norr, who started the group to express his passion for the music of Mercyful Fate and King Diamond. The debut album reflects this passion very clearly and brought the band their first attention. Since then, Them has evolved into a power metal band, with the falsetto singing having disappeared completely.

What remained was the conceptual approach to albums, and the new release, “Psychedelic Enigma”, continues this tradition. Lyrically connected to previous releases, the new album showcases Them’s musical maturity gained over time. Three years after launching “Fear City”, the band broadened their spectrum with songs like “Remember to Die”. It is the heaviest track I have heard from the band so far, with thrash metal references adding an extra level of intensity to the song.

The starting point, though, is a short intro called “Ad Rem” which sets the scene for “Catatonia”. It is a throbbing opener. “EvilDeed” is another hard-hitting metal track, as is the furious “Silent Room”, which is anything but silent. It’s a roaring headbanger with a melodic chorus and a blistering guitar solo.

Alongside these spot-on metal blasts, the album also features some epic songs. One of these is the six-minute epic “Reverie” which comes early on while others are placed at the end of the album. At seven minutes long, “Electric Church” is one of the longer tracks on the album and showcases a cinematic approach to songwriting. Alternating calmer sections and mid-tempo blasts also return in “Troubled Mind” The combination of Them’s storytelling approach and music that acts as an intensifier creates some versatile moments on the album. “Troubled Mind” is one such instance, in which the band showcases the full spectrum of their musical repertoire.

Them launch their fifth studio album, “Psychedelic Enigma”, and what the band delivers is of high quality. Each song is a well-crafted piece of heavy metal with a dramatic vibe that remains consistent from start to finish, and this new record solidifies Them’s position within the genre.