Everlasting Influence:

While Thergothon weren’t the only ones trending toward a slower style in the early 90’s, they sure became one of the biggest names to do so, and with good reason.
Stream From the Heavens wasn’t immediately tracked as a classic, but as the genre expanded it gained cult status as the first ever full length Funeral Doom Metal release. Nowadays it’s one of the most spoken entries in the genre… if you think of Funeral Doom, or atmosphere in general, you think of this album.

Many noteable influences are present through the album. There are many traces of Paradise Lost and Black Sabbath, at a slower pace and lower tuning of course, but there are also some odder non-metal influences with the involvement of that iconic “bee” synth and the insanely layered chorus/flanger effect on the guitars (you still don’t hear this much today…). All of this the result of a group of teenage minds pushing away from the very fast late 80’s/early 90’s trend of being as extreme and brutal as possible- Thergothon were to create something dark and depressing, atmospheric and absorbing in nature, more influenced by the works of something that puts the mind in trance than in a head-banging enragement. Many Funeral Doom Metal bands now miss that mark – where they sacrifice atmosphere and musical depth for mere heaviness or extremity, not a particularly bad thing in of itself, however in Funeral Doom extremity oftentimes becomes mind-numbingly boring at the speed and length of which it is. Thergothon knew exactly what they were doing when they settled for a production that carries the weight of the guitars without making extremity the focus of the music. We’re oftentimes transported from the Metal aspects of music entirely in longer sections of synth, clean vocals, and acoustics that fade in like waves, before reaching lead guitar melodies and harsh vocals that are so intricately integrated creating more intense moments among a relatively quiet production. It’s a perfect balance between doom and beauty, which fits the Lovecraftian themes of the band. And that artwork seals it all together… the beauty of watching the sun rise (or set?) over a desolate shadowy plain where the mystery of monolithic structures and other abyssal artifacts may lie. The imagery contained within this 40 minute album is unlike most.

Who Writes the Astral Wings:

Despite having such a massive impact some 30+ years down the line, why are there so little bands that have actually achieved what Thergothon has?

For starters, no one has come close to emulating the sound from Stream From the Heavens, and I think most would agree when I say “why should we?”. Trying to envision a second Thergothon album would be a spit in the face at what Thergothon had done beforehand. Had it been better if they kept releasing material instead of disbanding? Who’s to say. But the sole imprint they left behind with this one mysterious work can (and should) never be achieved again. It is a testament to pushing boundaries and going against the norms to create a singular instance of pure magic within music. Stream From the Heavens shouldn’t be looked at as a template, but as an inspiration to the many up and coming bands (not just in the realm of Funeral Doom) that the greatest artistic visions come from within, not from chasing trends or “doing what the last guy did but better”. If you truly care as an artist about making something impactful and meaningful, even with the most limited resources, putting yourself into your music and giving it a twist of your own is where the magic comes from. This is why Stream From the Heavens is solidly the greatest funeral doom album and one of the greatest metal albums in general, because not only does it serve as a monument to atmosphere and is all-around musically pleasing, but it is a staple of genuine, true music made by minds who offered up a creative vision and made something that is unique and untouchable to this day.

Conclusion/Rating:

Despite everything, there are many bands who will continue to follow the same old formulas, and maybe some who will try to make Thergothon’s “second album” and fail miserably. Stream From the Heavens offers so much in a relatively short runtime that could last me the rest of my life, and not a single listen would ever get old. Like I said, this album is like magic. I gave this review as much thought as I possibly could without going in-depth and picking apart little details about specific sections of the music, because it just deserves an appreciation as a whole entity. It’s an album that can’t be dissected, analyzing it musically is pointless. That being said I will always admire and respect the songwriting and creativity put into this record, and it is certainly inspirational to me. Final rating: 10/10.