PHOENIX REIGN – Destination Unknown – 2007 Self Prod – 10 Tracks + Intro 59'

Here is another beautiful Underground story! I discovered PHOENIX REIGN with their Demo "Phoenix Reign" (2005) and review it in METAL INTEGRAL Future Star! This band is based in the State but have the Greek roots as some members are from Land of the Gods!

The Demo was good but showed only the bases…

Then years have passed and two months ago I sent to many contacts from METAL INTEGRAL era an Email to present them my page on "MYSPACE". Billy (guitar) answered me and asked if I was interested to review their brand new album…One month later I got the CD and now here is the review! The surprise was total! The band really surprised me with a such Melodic Heavy Metal album! The cover really sticks with the music and the atmosphere! A mature and solid Heavy Metal from the beginning to the End, wonderful and inspired musicians and a lovely female singer that even with its melodic voice, is perfect to sing with PHOENIX REIGN.

Don't expect 3 minutes songs with riff/chorus…In general it's 5 minutes plus the long and Epic "Constantinople 1453" with 12 minutes.

Coming with a great production too, "Destination Unknown" could be described as a mix of Iron Maiden, Helloween, Cycle Slut From Hell and Lordian Guard / Warlord (Theresa voice is one of the reason) but with really personal touch. Sometimes you could find more actual style like "Forgotten". The riffs, the musical parts, the melodies are always accomplished and gave me great sensations! The best songs are the Epic "Another Night Alone", "Run Now", "Destination Unknown" and the wonderful long "Constatinople" with these cool Mediterranean ambiances.
Only the first song "Transcendent" have unfortunaly a "bass mixing problem" that disrupt the song.

You will have to listen to this CD 3 or 4 times before discovering all the hidden subtleties! Then the satisfaction will be guaranteed! If some songs are about the crusades and Constantinople era, if the cover is about this subject, it's not what we could call a concept album; some songs are about other subjects….I will take a sentence from one of their interview (www.soniccathedral.com ); Billy said "We joke that "Destination Unknown" is about a bunch of young bikers riding into the sunshine."!

This CD will enjoy most of those who like accomplished and melodic Heavy Metal; if you are more into savage Underground 80's HM you could listen to PHOENIX RISING but you will certainly thing it's perhaps too polished. The same album played with more power would be for me more killer, but right now it's a very good first CD I invite you to discover!

THE VERDICT = considering it's a first CD

RASKAL The French Warrior gives a 17/20
RASKAL The Objective gives a 18/20

The French Warrior speaks with its Heart and is more interested by the essence of the songs / cover / attitudes…
The Objective takes all with a more "professional" vision (production, way to play, to sing...) and tries to be neutral.

www.phoenixreign.com  

www.myspace.com/phoenixreign  

Credit: Raskal (www.myspace.com/raskal73)