PHANTOM - Cyberchrist

Once upon a time, there was something, and now it’s gone. There was a power metal band called like a fighter jet, a Yank F-something, 14, 15, can’t really tell. But their music sounded rather like European – more precisely British - metal, don’t think about Helloween, Guardian or other Germans. 

A “Cyberchrist” with some Priest influences (take a look at the cover, too), a band Phantom that had its place somewhere around Vicious Rumors, Helstar or Meliah Rage. Even Metal Church, with whom they sometimes have a certain musical kinship. The album that I’m relistening to right now after about ten years was rather well received at its time, even though it was a bit passé, since grunge was huge and doom-death (or gothic) was almost appearing, and people were still reeling after “Painkiller” and other good stuff from that time. 

Power metal was simpler then, I don’t know if simplistic: no keyboards, no bombastic choirs, to quote Mr. Bleont, “no woman director in my house” – so in other words nobody had even considered using a female vocal. Back then the bands have groupies, not like today, when they have front women (or even worse, see Sharon O., the Prince of Darkness’ wife). 

To cut to the chase, twelve songs to the point and well made, I’d highlight “Queen of the Damned”, “Alive and Well”, “Preying with the Mantis” and “Say Your Prayers” as the peaks. I would chuckle a bit with “Big Daddy”, with its more bellicose lyrics, since its chorus says: “Come wrap yourself around big daddy, or else...”

I was afraid I’d find the album out-dated by now, since my ears have been filled in this musical area by bands such as Kamelot, Rhapsody (of Fire), Edguy and so on. I’m no longer afraid, it’s like an old magazine you find in the attic. Not as shiny as the latest issue that came out yesterday, the paper may not be glossy and the pictures are almost all black and white, and the paper’s a little yellow. A swan song album, the song of American swan that had the fate of the Viennese ones. 

Cristake Nota: 8.5