Swedish symphonic metal masters THERION are busy making final preparations to celebrate their 25th anniversary by releasing their new album, Les Fleurs du Mal, and embarking on a 25th anniversary tour. The band has signed a licensing deal with End Of The Light Records to release the album in the US, Canada and Mexico. It will be released in North America on November 13th. Therion will introduce the new album to the world during their Flowers Of Evil 25th anniversary tour.

The album, Les Fleurs du Mal, is a part of an art project that Christofer Johnsson has been thinking about for some time: "The time was never right for it, but in celebration of the band's 25th anniversary, I thought now will finally be the right time for it," Christofer explains.

There are still many details that are unknown about this mystical art project, and so far only the album title Les Fleurs du Mal can be officially announced. The album title refers to Charles Baudelaire's (French author and poet 1821 - 1867) famous poem collection Flowers Of Evil (Les Fleurs du Mal in French) that caused such an upset of emotions in France that the author was brought to court and got fined for "insulting the public" with six of the poems, that remained forbidden in France until 1949 when the ban was finally lifted. The spirit of the project is a tribute to Baudelaire, and is imbued into both music and artwork. The album was recorded at Adulruna studio, located in a separate building next to Johnsson's decadent Villa Adulruna, where the band lived together while recording.

Christofer continued about the project: "The project was seen as too controversial for Therion's record label, Nuclear Blast, by the final results, so I asked if it was possible to buy back the master tapes of the record and release it on my own label. And after some negotiations, my wish was granted. But Therion is of course is still signed to Nuclear Blast Records for future releases," Christofer clarifies.

By having full control of the release now, Christofer has decided to do everything his own way, and starts by releasing the album to the loyal fans first that come to the concerts in Europe during Therion's 25th Anniversary Flowers Of Evil tour.

Christofer went on to explain: "This is the beginning of a new period that will last for a number of years, where the band will focus on doing certain projects performed by Therion rather than releasing regular albums. In the planning after the art project is a rock opera that is scheduled to take several years to complete."

Now during Therion's Flowers Of Evil Tour and the band's 25th anniversary the audience can expect a breathtaking performance which combines all the elements which have been the key to Therion's success throughout the years.

Updates to follow. More on Therion at this location.