How do diehard fans feel about DW?

[GhostofCain]

Hey I've been a casual fan of Threshold since i blindly picked up Hypothetical in 2002. I just yesterday noticed that Damien Wilson has been back with the band. The only reason i knew who he was is i blindly picked up the Star One DVD set a few years back. I remember being blown away by his performance during that live show. He is a very talented singer and with very unique, strong and consistent voice. Knowing that Mac had been in the band for a way longer than DW ever was, i was just curios to see how the Threshold deihards felt about it.

 

[BurningDownTheMiddle]

DW was obviously the first studio singer and so we have effectively returned to where we were. Any feelings any one had against him must surely be countered by his return, singing the songs from a sheet of paper at the early gigs and staying for a long time

Having seen him sing This Is Your Life live shows he is back where he belongs and he has tonnes of stage presence

I'm hoping we'll get some live releases with him and that he'll stay for a studio album, one that is written for his voice

I personally prefer the pitch of his voice - that isn't to say that I dislike Mac (I don't) and in fact I quite like Glynns too. But DW just has something that really appeals to me.

At the end of the day the rest of the band are obviously happy with DW and so should we be

 

[Ayreonaut]

Well since Damian is my fav vocalist i am quite content

 

[razoredge]

Both are awesome vocalists, but Im new to the band so I dont lean toward one that I heard first or any other reason. I just need MORE Threshold.

 

[Iris0367]

I wasn't happy when I heard that Mac had left the band but Damian is a great singer with an amazing voice and after having seen him perform live I just hope that he stays.

 

[forgottenglory]

I've always been a big fan of the first Threshold album - Wounded Land, on which Damien sings. So Damien coming back to Threshold after Mac left has never been a problem for me as I know what he is capable of on the strength of Wounded Land and also Extinct Instinct as well as his work on the Landmarq album The Vision Pit and his parts in Ayreon - Into The Electric Castle. Damien's voice exudes class: his voice always reminds me of those old English professors who know a lot of things!

Having never seen Threshold with Damien, it was an opportunity for me to catch up with history! This live performance is by far more energetic and engaging than Mac has ever been. So I'm pleased to have Damien back. Now only his vocal performance on the next Threshold album will determine how well he fits with the 'new' Threshold sound. Vocalwise, for Threshold, I would prefer that Damien sticks with the Prog Metal style of singing as opposed to how he sings on his solo projects.

 

[LavagesOfTime]

As for me, I prefer the kind of voice Mac and Glynn Morgan had. The same reason why I prefer Paul DiAnno to Bruce Dickinson or Andi Deris to Michael Kiske. Damian has the typical prog metal high pitch, so the other two added a bit of a twist to Threshold style.

With this said, I'm absolutely glad that when Mac left, Damian has returned, rather than having a fourth singer - that would have been a complete stranger to the band, probably.

So, to answer the original question, I think the die hard fans are more than happy for this, and of course I look foreward to see them live with this new line up.

 

[kyx]

As for me, I prefer the kind of voice Mac and Glynn Morgan had.

Same here.

The same reason why I prefer Paul DiAnno to Bruce Dickinson

mmmmmh... No

or Andi Deris to Michael Kiske.

Maybe...

I'm absolutely glad that when Mac left, Damian has returned, rather than having a fourth singer - that would have been a complete stranger to the band, probably.

Mac was a stranger when he arrives to sing in "Clone", but he made a great work. So a fourth singer may be or may be not a good choice, who knows.
The band has "only" to decide if an hypothetical )) new singer may fit Threshold sound (that now is a bit different than the '90s) better or worse than Damian.

 

[razoredge]

So how is the vocal performance on Extinct Instinct compared to Wounded Land... Mother Earth is as good a vocal performance as there has been. I think I'll get Extinct next because Im curious to see that evolution, still want Psychedelicatessen before I move on to the remain first three with Mac I dont have yet.

 

[batmura]

To me Glynn Morgan was their best singer followed by Mac. I think DW is great too, but I just like the darker and more aggressive singing of Morgan.

Most people consider Extinct Instinct the band's most progressive release. I'm not sure if I completely agree with that, but it certainly is a lot proggier than some of the Mac-era material.

With all that said, I think DR is the band's finest hour, along with Psychedelicatessen.

 

[BurningDownTheMiddle]

The level of progressiveness (new word?) depends on your definition of progressive.

I've posted before that my wife defines it as a sone with strange noises that you can fall asleep during on a car journey, wake up and it's still playing.

If that is a fair definition the EI is definitely the most progressive!

 

[LavagesOfTime]

I think that of course the level of, err, progressiveness should be compared to the rest of the threshold albums, and of course EI it's on top of the list along with Subsurface.

With this said, Extinct Instinct is a great albums that has a lot of hidden gems that demand lots of listenings to be discovered - and this, indeed, is what the "progressive" word means in music, doesn't it?

 

[forgottenglory]

Most people consider Extinct Instinct the band's most progressive release. I'm not sure if I completely agree with that.

What do you consider to be Threshold's most progressive release then?

 

[forgottenglory]

So how is the vocal performance on Extinct Instinct compared to Wounded Land... Mother Earth is as good a vocal performance as there has been. I think I'll get Extinct next because Im curious to see that evolution, still want Psychedelicatessen before I move on to the remain first three with Mac I dont have yet.

The vocals on EI are as good as on WL. However the record sounds 'bigger' and I found it more challenging to get into EI than WL. But once you 'get it' and you enter a new threshold!

 

[batmura]

What do you consider to be Threshold's most progressive release then?

Psychedelicatessen or Hypothetical. So are you going to challenge me on that?

 

[forgottenglory]

Psychedelicatessen or Hypothetical. So are you going to challenge me on that?

Calm down dear, it was only a question.

 

[BurningDownTheMiddle]

Psychedelicatessen or Hypothetical. So are you going to challenge me on that?

Ditto about calming down, but yes. For me EI is so much more progressive in so many ways.
I don't have words - I've just used my ears

Any other opinions???

 

[fishyboy]

Damian Wilson Rulez !

 

[Markoth]

Damian is great but Mac is THE Threshold vocalist for me. The first time I heard 'Critical Mass' I thought "Wow, the music is great but this singer dude is really unique!"

And I still think Damian's best performances can be found from Ayreon's 'Into The Electric Castle' and Star One's 'Space Metal' and especially 'Live On Earth' albums.

 

[forgottenglory]

And I still think Damian's best performances can be found from Ayreon's 'Into The Electric Castle' and Star One's 'Space Metal' and especially 'Live On Earth' albums.

Damian gives a stellar performance on the Threshold albums he sang on as well on the Landmarq album The Vision Pit (I haven't heard Solitary Witness so can't say anything about that). Although his performance on Electric Castle is absolutely fantastic, I would hardly consider it his best as he only sings a few lines as opposed to complete albums with Threshold and Landmarq.