Brisbane prog metallers, Therein recently re-released their debut album “Nobelium.” Guitarist, singer and mandolinist Cameron Whelan answered our questions.

How did you guys come together in Therein?

I moved to Brisbane to recruit people for Therein, and I was introduced to Kned (drums) through a mutual friend. Then I met our old bassist Krishan at uni. Shortly after, Ryan (guitar) joined as he happened to be studying with Kned and was keen on some Prog. It all came together rather easily come to think of it.

Your debut album is titled “Nobelium.” What does its name mean, and how does it reflect on the material?

It’s sort of a silly title, but it stuck. Nobelium is a synthetic element, and it’s chemical properties are not entirely known yet. But it definitely exists. It also sounds like an imaginary place. I’m not sure exactly how it came to be, but I felt it was an appropriate title when Nobelium first came together. We had just finished our first collection of recordings and it felt complete, it made sense. But it was something new for us, we didn’t fully understand it.

“Nobelium” was recently reissued . I suppose that there were quite a few outtakes from the original recording, is that right?

Actually, no! The extra tracks were recorded during the years after it’s initial release, but we felt that they belonged on Nobelium.

What are some of the themes you explore in your lyrics?

Quite a few things. On Nobelium we have (in tracklist order) – Greed, introspection and self-repair, optimism, debauchery, sadness, horror and possession, fishing and fighting, and culture. So human things mostly, though it really depends on the song. One of our new songs is about a meteorite!

What are you referring to when saying “Every changing of habit makes a change in the machine” in “Introspect”?

It’s a quote from George Gurdjieff. I don’t follow his teachings or anything, but he had some good ideas. It’s the last line of the song, everything before it was pointing to looking inwards and realizing you are the cause of your own problems. So in this context the line is saying that for every small change you make to fix it, you make a change in yourself as a person.

Are you satisfied with how “Nobelium” turned out? Do you believe in improvement?

Yes, for both questions. Nobelium was our first real crack at recorded work. I think it turned out pretty well for the time, but we’ve improved significantly since then. As long as we’re working, there will always be room for improvement.

I guess that “Samual’s Reel” is a showcase of your Tom Waits influences. What is your way in general to maintain a good balance between employment of acoustic and electric guitars in a song?

Firstly I just need to point out that Tom Waits has nothing to do with Samual’s Reel. We’ve had this comparison once before. It’s very much rooted in Celtic music and Tom Waits is… well, Tom Waits. Experimental Jazzy-Blues-Something… I’m not sure what to call his music. But it’s pretty great, even if it isn’t Irish!

But, to answer your question. I think a good way to maintain that balance is to identify which guitar is the lead, and build the other guitar parts around that. In the case of Samual’s Reel, the acoustic guitar took the lead. So the electric parts bounced off of that to draw out some of the rhythmic and melodic elements.

What do you guys do in your spare time?

Drink beer and play music… Sounds awfully similar to what happens during our working hours too.

What is the last concert you attended?

WACKEN.
Oh, and Plini.

To people who don’t know about Therein, what would be your message in order to get their attention?

Listen up!

You can buy “Nobelium” from Bandcamp, and like the band on Facebook.