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░ ██ ██ Artist: Phantasma ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: The Deviant Hearts █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2015 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2016-04-02 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Napalm Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ When you consider the clientele involved in this █
█ record, IÆm genuinely surprised that thereÆs not █
█ been more of a buzz about æThe Deviant HeartsÆ by █
█ Phantasma in rock/metal circles. Ok, so it may █
█ have been voted by readers of Loudwire.com as the █
█ release of November 2015 but aside from this, a █
█ smattering of reviews and a few mentions across █
█ various forums, it seems to have flown under the █
█ radar somewhat. But why is this surprising, █
█ exactly? █
█ Phantasma is the brainchild of Serenity vocalist █
█ Georg Neuhauser and Everon multi-instrumentalist █
█ Oliver Philipps. Neuhauser has always been █
█ interested in historical-based themes as is █
█ consistently borne out by the lyrical content of █
█ Serenity. However, partnered by Philipps, he has █
█ been granted the opportunity to create a more █
█ story-based concept album. With the addition of █
█ DelainÆs Charlotte Wessels as the third principal █
█ member of Phantasma, perhaps my surprise begins to █
█ make some sense. These are three well-known and █
█ respected musicians within the rock/metal world █
█ and would, IÆd have thought, created a bigger stir █
█ than they have to date by coming together in such █
█ a way. █
█ When you factor in the cast of guest musicians, █
█ the consternation only grows. Joining Neuhauser, █
█ Philips and Wessels is none other than EvergreyÆs █
█ Tom Englund, Dennis Schunke (Van Canto) and Cloe █
█ Lowery (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) on vocals as █
█ well as drummer Jason Gianni (Trans-Siberian █
█ Orchestra, Neal Morse Band), Randy George (Neal █
█ Morse Band) on bass and guitarist Tom Buchberger █
█ (ex-Serenity). As line-ups go, itÆs a pretty █
█ heavyweight affair and one that, on paper, █
█ promises much. █
█ As I downloaded the promo, I wondered whether it █
█ may have something to do with a lack of quality █
█ within the music itself. I therefore pressed play █
█ with slight trepidation. Within the space of a few █
█ songs however, this hypothesis was blown out of █
█ the water; the music is of a standard youÆd █
█ readily expect from the personnel involved and has █
█ provided me with much enjoyment to put it mildly. █
█ æThe Deviant HeartsÆ is a slick and professional █
█ 12-track album thatÆs grandiose, ambitious and █
█ suitably varied throughout. Those familiar with █
█ the artists involved will immediately notice █
█ strong accents of their day jobs within the album. █
█ The big key/guitar walls of sound that dominate █
█ EveronÆs output make several appearances as do the █
█ familiar chord progressions and PhilippsÆ thickly █
█ accented vocals. The melodic power metal █
█ sensibilities of Serenity play an active role, as █
█ do NeuhauserÆs unique and powerful vocals, whilst █
█ WesselÆs contribution will have Delain fans █
█ purring thanks to another strong and committed █
█ performance. █
█ However, for all the echoes and similarities, █
█ Phantasma offers something different to all three. █
█ From all-out metallic bombast to subtle ballads, █
█ to more modern touches, æThe Deviant HeartsÆ █
█ features it all whilst managing to maintain the █
█ feeling that this is a proper rock opera with all █
█ the pomp and circumstance that accompanies such a █
█ thing. █
█ The album kicks off with æIncompleteÆ a piano and █
█ vocal ballad featuring Philipps and Wessels behind █
█ the mic. If IÆm honest, it isnÆt the strongest of █
█ beginnings but I understand its inclusion in terms █
█ of the concept. Following hot on its heels █
█ however, is the title track and itÆs here that the █
█ magic begins. The keys create a hugely opulent █
█ introduction before the drums and guitars add a █
█ sense of drama. It all drops away and an acoustic █
█ guitar is joined by the soulful and utterly █
█ beguiling vocals of Tom Englund as he makes the █
█ first of two guest appearances on the record. And █
█ then thereÆs the chorus which is, frankly, █
█ enormous and hook-laden. █
█ æRunaway GrayÆ produces another bombastic chorus █
█ within a quieter, more ballad-like number █
█ dominated by WesselsÆ heartfelt vocals. æTryÆ is █
█ another ballad that features Cloe Lowery on lead █
█ vocals and is one of my favourites on the record. █
█ I love the way it grows and in true Everon style █
█ packs a huge melodic punch, although LoweryÆs █
█ voice at the beginning and end of the song is what █
█ draws me I for repeated listens, such is her █
█ fragile and absolutely beautiful delivery. █
█ My all-time favourite metal voice returns in the █
█ more openly bombastic and up-tempo æEnter █
█ DreamscapeÆ but Tom EnglundÆs wonderfully unique █
█ tones are this time joined by NeuhauserÆs equally █
█ familiar timbre. ItÆs not a bad combination as IÆm █
█ sure youÆll agree. █
█ æThe Lotus And The WillowÆ slows the pace again █
█ with absolutely beautiful results, mainly thanks █
█ to the excellent songwriting and another █
█ commanding performance by Wessels in particular. █
█ æCrimson CourseÆ has more of a Serenity stamp all █
█ over it, albeit with added rock opera pomp and █
█ some well-placed modern synth effects. It is here █
█ that Neuhauser reminds me forcefully why I █
█ consider Serenity to be one of my all-time █
█ favourite melodic metal bands. █
█ æCarry Me HomeÆ is a slightly quirkier, █
█ modern-sounding track that benefits greatly from █
█ Randy GeorgeÆs elegant bass playing and SchunkeÆs █
█ rich timbre. Again, that satisfying Everon wall of █
█ sound re-enters the fray helping to build momentum █
█ into the composition. █
█ For me though, one of the best moments on æThe █
█ Deviant HeartsÆ is reserved for the final act, in █
█ the shape of æLet It DieÆ. Arguably the most █
█ grandiose and over-the-top of all the █
█ compositions, it is a delight. Wessels shares the █
█ mic with Philipps principally with great results █
█ but it is the chorus that sends shivers down my █
█ spine as itÆs irresistibly melodic and as a big █
█ Everon fan, its overt bombast and epic overtones █
█ strikes a real chord with me. █
█ So there you have it. This is a very solid and █
█ nicely put-together record with some real █
█ knock-out moments, meaning that overall, thereÆs █
█ very little not to like about æThe Deviant █
█ HeartsÆ; strong songwriting, heartfelt █
█ performances and a slick production from an █
█ impressive group of musicians means that Phantasma █
█ have delivered a grand melodic rock opera that █
█ offers a very high level of enjoyment time and █
█ time again. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Incomplete 2:45 ░
░ 2. The Deviant Hearts 5:25 ░
░ 3. Runaway Grey 4:25 ░
░ 4. Try 4:39 ░
░ 5. Enter Dreamscape 4:17 ░
░ 6. Miserable Me 4:38 ░
░ 7. The Lotus and The Willow 4:40 ░
░ 8. Crimson Course 5:57 ░
░ 9. Carry Me Home 5:27 ░
░ 10. The Sound of Fear 5:16 ░
░ 11. Novaturient 5:23 ░
░ 12. Let it Die 5:50 ░
░ 13. Symphony of Light 4:17 ░
░ 62:59 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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