HeavyHardMetalmania: Phantasmagoric music with Phantasmal's debut 'The Reaper's Forge'

Hi my fellow metaller and rock bastard here I am again after a long time without a word. In the wake of a long week of hard exams and projects I feel renewed and ready to bring you new and fresh extreme, noxious, fucking mind-blowing metal. So, with a high spirit (not literally unfortunately) and an eagerness to spread good tidings I present you the blackened thrash metal band Phantasmal.

Hailing from the US, the young Phantasmal arose in 2012. Created by Wraith and Psychopomp, the band combines the traditional heavy metal with the agression of thrash metal and the spectral feeling of black metal.

With Wraith taking the guitar and drums and with Psychopomp delivering the harsh vocals and the bass guitar yawl, the duo makes it simple but perfect for headbanging. The sweet combination of these musicians brings that mellifluent thrill of the underground and old school atmosphere of the 80’s/90’s with a smell of today’s music.

Their debut, ‘The Reaper’s Forge’ was released on November 4th, 2014 and stands as their initial mission statement towards the following goal: “White hot metal screaming straight for your neck”. In my view they managed to prove the reality of their words with the debut.

The three track demo, entitled ‘The Reaper’s Forge’ transpires their goal and for a first release I must say – what a fucking surprise! With a total of 14:45 minutes the songs go straight to the point. As soon as you start hearing the demo you know it’s good stuff, the ideal combination of the invigorous thrash, with its strong and melodic riffs and fiery solos, and the unmistakable black metal, with its tremolo picking and demonic-like ambients.

The journey starts with title track “The Reaper’s Forge” containing five minutes of pure awesomeness. This song represents the old school scene with perfection but also contains a more recent touch, beginning with a fast-paced thrash riffing followed by a cool bass line bridge that gives place to the tremolo picking. What a crazy and smart combination!

The next tracks “The Eternal Campaign” and “Queen Nightshade” are also vigorous pieces in this demo contributing to the forceful band. With a wide range of styles in their playing they obtained a proper and unique sound variation (different rhythms, tempos and techiques) that gave them their own substance.

The phantasmagoric band can’t be taken lightly. Despite their prime of life, Phantasmal exalts outstanding metal. I can only hope to hear much more from them. Rock on \m/

One melee with the words, ideas and its paradoxes... albuns that are news, the reviews at "HeavyHardMetalmania.net", always with its watermark, Pedro Ribeiro, with love for beer... sorry, music from an early age, he studied piano and singing from 7 to 14 years, then, devoted himself to the study of the guitar for 5 years. "The wisdom is found in the extremes, all extreme Metal here!"