Phantasmal is an American blackened thrash
metal band whose first demo just came out in late 2014. On “The Reaper’s Forge”,
the band shows incredible attention to detail in terms of what makes this style
of music so great. Sure, at its core, the demo is filled with relatively
standard early Destruction and Witchtrap sounding riffs, but the release also
shows some unique elements. Even the opening of the title track, for example, shows
homage to the NWOBHM with its harmonized guitars. Though this section does not
last long, and is something seen very minimally on the demo, it shows how
Phantasmal is willing to spice up its sound a little bit by doing something
different. The song later goes on to tastefully incorporate blast beats in a
way that wouldn’t alienate anyone stuck in the 80s before blast beats became
commonplace. Additionally, on “Queen Nightshade”, Phantasmal’s singer throws in
an awesome high-pitched shriek. Again, this is the only place you’ll hear this
on the demo, but it works magnificently.
Of course, the majority of this demo is
witching black/thrash the way it was meant to sound. The riffs are pretty
simplistic, but they’re energetic and exciting. Even on “The Eternal Campaign”,
where the tempo is occasionally more plodding, these riffs manage to be
enticing. The vocal approach on this demo doesn’t throw in many surprises. The
singer is understandable, and throws some pretty disgusting venom into his
bark. From a production standpoint, “The Reaper’s Forge” hits the mark
perfectly. It isn’t crystal clear production, but nobody is fighting to be
heard against one another, and everything is easy to understand. For this style
of music, there is no better way to go about it.
On the whole, “The Reaper’s Forge” is a
very satisfying release. The only real complaint you can hold against it is
that it’s too short. Nevertheless, it is clear that Phantasmal is a band to
watch, as they will almost assuredly blow everyone away with any future work.
The key to their sound is an excellent execution of black/thrash with hints of
other outside influences to keep things interesting. For that reason, “The
Reaper’s Forge” is highly recommended to all thrash fans.
Highlight
"Queen Nightshade"
Final Rating
4.4/5 or 88%.
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