Phantom Corporation formed ten years ago, including the vocalist and drummer of disbanded death-thrashers Dew-Scented, the guitar and bass duo from death metallers Weak Aside and a second guitarist coming from Eroded. Their amazing full length debut Fallout (2023) put on display a crushing death-crust style, with a skilled sense for melody in the riff department and really memorable songs. It combined the experience of Dew-Scented with some mid-period Napalm Death and even Discharge influence, to a striking effect.
I was really excited to receive the news and advance promo of their second album Time And Tide, which will be released next week, once again bearing a beautiful artwork. The style hasn’t changed, the songs sounding just as fierce and inspired. Opener Frantic Disruption starts with a Rapid Fire intro, before accelerating fast into a death-thrash frenzy of extremity. Dead Of Night adds some melo-death harmonies into the otherwise bleak musical picture, before Crushed and Krokodil mosh like there’s no tomorrow, showing Phantom Corporation’s punkish side.
To The Hilt is another excellent song, where I must praise Leif Jensen’s insane singing, which may not reach Barney Greenway levels of craziness, yet still obliterates with conviction and fiery delivery.
The title track once again incorporates some subtle melodicism in the opening guitar riffs, before launching headfirst into d-beat territory, with a super precise rhythm section and a tasty tempo-switch midway. The solo is also incredibly well-played and placed, even if a bit short.
The rest of this fantastic album continues with the same bestial rage and a slayerized interpretation of death metal and crust-punk (the solo in Crisis is a pure Hanneman-worship). Closing track Western Apocalypse’s second half slows down the tempo to an ominous effect, solidifying the great impression the band leaves us with. My only complaint would be towards the slight repetitiveness and overwhelmingness of the whole album played front-to-back, but still – the quality of Time And Tide is undeniable.
9/10
Phantom Corporation in Facebook
Time And Tide is out on December 12th and can be ordered from HERE
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