Release
date: March 18th 2016. Label: Evil Hoodoo Records. Format:
CD/DD/Vinyl
Phantamonium
– Tracklisting
Dusted
Pines
Phantamonium
Drowned
& Disowned (Part 1)
Entering
The Lodge
Band
Members:
Ben
- One Drumkit
Toby
- One Guitar
Review:
Australian
Psych Stoner Rockers Hotel Wrecking City Traders (HWCT) return with
their new album – Phantamonium. It’s perhaps their heaviest and
most experimental work to date as the action feels it’s centred by
a huge global catastrophe or the end of the world as such. The album
is constructed in such a way that you’re part of the action as
you’re instantly dropped into a bleak and dangerous world. The band
create some stunning post-rock based atmospherics to build their
heavier sound upon.
Opening
track – Dusted Pines – starts off rather slowly before exploding
into life with traces of Psych Rock, Stoner Rock and even Post-Metal
vibes. HWCT start channelling the bleak sounds of early Pelican and
Russian Circles but still offering their own style of Psych based
riffs. The ambient noises leave you with a sense of unease as HWCT
opt for a more progressive feel compared to previous releases. The
drumming is almost drowned out by the frantic guitar work as the band
leave you in a state of confusion in what is going on. Before
everything comes together for a huge WALL of sound where the riffs
only become louder and louder with each passing moment.
Second
track – Phantamonium – sees both HWCT and the listener more
comfortable with the mood of the album as riffs return to a calmer
psych/stoner sound. HWCT once again add ambient noises to the mix as
the band are in their element here creating as many different sounds
they can possibly get away with. Maybe the band over did things with
the different noises and riffs on this song but I have to admit I’m
starting to think this is my favourite track off the album. It’s a
complex, sombre and brutally heavy affair especially towards the end
as the band create some the albums heaviest riffs. Distorted
Drone/Post-Metal sounds are the main attraction here and HWCT don’t
disappoint on that front.
The
final two tracks Drowned & Disowned (Part 1) and Entering The
Lodge carries on the same style of distorted Psych, Stoner and
Post-Metal sound found on the first half of the album. Though HWCT
offer a more doom and gloom approach on the second half of the album.
Fans of cinematic based prog rock/post-metal will find much to enjoy
here as HWCT expand on their sound and it leaves you wishing for more
songs as the album feels slightly short at forty mins or so. I would
have loved one more epic song to finish the whole experience. Apart
from that HWCT have created their most ambitious and complex work to
date. This album oozes class from start to finish. Excellent and
Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Bro Fidelity and Evil Hoodoo Records for the promo.
Phantamonium
will
be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Evil Hoodoo Records from March
18th
2016.
Links:
