J
Release
date: May 13th 2016. Label: Negative Fun Records. Format: CD/DD
776
– Tracklisting
1.Ion
Cloud 03:24
2.Hundred
Hand 03:56
3.Somatic
05:13
4.A
Worker-less Mill 05:14
5.Suttungr
07:14
6.Hocheim's
War 04:55
7.Gog
Is Dead 06:03
Band
Members:
Matt
Oates - Vocals/Guitar
Mike
Gowell - Guitar
Nicholas
Wolf - Bass/Vocals
Dana
Filloon - Drums
All
drums on 776 by Kyle Rasmussen
Review:
Phantom
Glue’s new album – 776 – is a very progressive and psychedelic
affair with High On Fire inspired riffs though the band adds a more
nightmarish vibe to their music. The album is very dark and
surreal in places as they take you on a warped and deranged
psychedelic odyssey.
Opening
track – Ion Cloud – is very schizophrenic in tone and nature.
Parts Sludge, Noise, Stoner and Doom with the band creating a more
progressive sound compared to their previous albums. The vocals have
a menacing approach that Matt Pike fans will surely admire. The
guitars have quite a jagged feel to them with as the band play a
mixture of thrashy fast-paced riffs before slowing things right down
to allow the more progressive sludge/doom riffs to reign supreme.
It’s a winning combination and it’s a familiar theme running
through out the rest of the album.
Second
track – Hundred Hand – is more of the same bombastic style of
noise driven sludge/stoner metal with a subtle touch of psychedelic
rock. The atmosphere remains fairly bleak for the majority of the
song as the heavy progressive riffs aided along with frantic drumming
offer one of the most complex songs on the album.
Third
track – Somatic – is my fave song on the album as it’s a
dangerous breed of rock and roll where the tone is loud and highly
volatile. Phantom Glue adds layers of distorted noise that fans of
early-era High On Fire and Mastodon will surely enjoy. Though this is
still Phantom Glue’s show and they are the demented and wicked
puppeteers of this psychedelic madhouse they call 776. Everything has
a purpose on this song as the riffs and vocals are matched against
superb dark lyrical content.
Fourth
track - A Worker-less Mill – sees the band leave their psychedelic
trippy moments behind and offer a more direct Sludge/Noise/Stoner
Metal song. It has moments of intense angry thrash riffs as Phantom
Glue excel in creating a more experimental sound. The drumming is
perhaps what holds your attention the most as the guitars can be very
frantic to listen to at times.
The
final three songs are where the album becomes more of a psychedelic
wonderland of disturbing noises and dark atmospheric vibes. The band
create the albums heaviest and most far-out moments that will leave
you slightly freaked out at times especially on Suttungr and Hocheims
War.
Gog
Is Dead – is the final track where Phantom Glue create one final
epic attack on the senses with their style of heavy far out moments
of Sludge/Stoner Metal. A fitting way to end this crazy as hell
album.
Phantom
Glue has delivered the goods with this album as it’s another
powerful and hard-hitting record from this hugely talented band. If
you miss the heavier earlier days from High On Fire and Mastodon then
776 is the answer to your prayers. Embrace the madness.
Words
by Steve Howe
