The Doom Metallers from «phased» have been rocking the world's stages for almost a decade. The trio from beautiful Basel in Switzerland, originally founded as a stoner rock band, is releasing their fourth album «Aeon» after a creative creative break. So the three musicians turned the sound screw and refreshed the well-known Doom a little. A consistent further development, Psychedelic Doom, that's the name of the band's sound and characterizes the new album.
The ones from Basel «phased» has made a name for herself in the doom scene with many live performances over the course of her career. Through countless shows, with appearances at "Stoned From The Underground", "Up In Smoke", the "Doom Shall Rise" festival and support slots with genre greats such as Orange Goblin, Mastodon and Spirit Caravan, the Swiss have also been able to assert themselves on the live front and present their music to a wide audience. Formerly founded as a stoner band, Phased now stand for psychedelic Doom, leaden, heavy and yet groovy, "Motor Doom" as they call their music. After various previous formations, "Phased" came into being in its current form in 2001. Six years after their last studio album, the band is now releasing their new and fourth work. The seven tracks of low-pitched guitars, sluggish rhythms and subtly menacing vocals were recorded in 2014 by Chris Sigdell, Marko Lehtinen and Michael Greilinger (guest musicians on bass) at Helium Records in Basel, mixed by Richard Whittaker in London and mastered by Greg Chandler in Birmingham.
The guys open the album with "Seed of Misery" and a catchy riff. A fat doomer who immediately bangs on the right mood and unmistakably shows where the heavy “Hammer of Doom” hangs. Sluggish and with vocals that support the sound, the solid material is convincing, so that one can speak of a successful debut without hesitation, even if the composition seems a bit lengthy. The song aligns well with what is heard on the rest of the album. When you get to the third track «Eternal Sleep», halfway through the song you inevitably wonder why the track is getting quieter. These stylistic devices that Phased use to freshen up the songs can sometimes be a bit irritating, but if you get involved, it's quite refreshing. What's striking is that apart from the elements rooted in Doom, which can really be heard everywhere, a good deal of Space Rock influences have been incorporated.
With "Into the Gravity Well" the trio then goes into the really damn deep worlds of Funeral Doom. You can't descend deeper into the catacombs of Doom Metal without losing sight of the goals you've set yourself. But that's not meant negatively, rather this sound description should make it clear that Phased definitely explores limits. The following songs are all timeless Doom songs, which, as already mentioned, come up with spacey psychedelic influences again and again. Unfortunately, over time, the dreaded slow-motion disease occurs here, which could have been put into the right perspective with a little more ingenuity and the resulting variety. Atavism denotes a regression in evolution and nothing could be more appropriate here, as the bouncer «The Atavistic» seems to be based on the band's stoner past. One of the most innovative tracks on the album, but according to the booklet the only song not written by «Phased» himself.
«Aeon» is a doom album that can be heard more than once and has a brutal sound, as desired. Doom meets Psychedelic! Speed in doom metal is known to be almost non-existent and so «Phased» continue their sluggish march through apocalyptic psychedelic forests, with abysmal guitars and groovy arrangements. What the trio lacks is the kick, that certain something that shouldn't be missing in Sludge and Doom either. The tracks are too predictable and somehow the "arc of suspense" is missing, which eventually reaches its climax and makes you want more. Seven tracks that ultimately have an enormous amount of potential, but unfortunately are not fully savored. «Phased» set the bar high, but compared to genre giants it's just not high enough, there's still more to it! And yet «Aeon» is a good album! If you like Psychedelic Doom, you will discover many striking passages and finally put on a satisfied Motor Doom face. Thumbs up!
tracklist
- The Seed of Misery
- burning paradigm
- Eternal Sleep
- Into the Gravity Well
- (Return of the) Son of the Sun
- Etched
- The atavistic
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