Phal:Angst
Black
Country
5
Track Album
Released
14th November 2014
Quite literally mind-bending!
Phal:Angst – Vienna
Links:
Genre: Industrial/Post Rock
Biography:
“Phal:Angst are
an Industrial/Post-Rock-Band from Vienna/Austria. They formed in 2006 and have
now released their third album. Filing
between Industrial, EBM, Post-Rock and Doom. Phal:Angst take their influences from bands such as Earth, Mogwai,
Coil, Front 242 and Neurosis!”
Searching for a meaning behind the word Phalangst – the nearest I
got was for the word phalanx “A large
group of people standing very close to each other, usually for the purposes of
defense or attack!” but it sums this band up very well!
Hardwire
I can’t say I am over enamoured with this track, although the female
voice is in tune and haunting, but the ‘na neee’s’ tend to grate a little and
have an air of hostility about them. Saying that further on in the track the
tempo changes and it becomes a serious and melodious masterpiece! The keyboards
and guitar compliments each other giving off rich tones of vibrancy and it is
now my favourite track, and what’s more I am glad it is a long track as there
is more to savour!
Hardwire
Black Country
A rather strange and eerie feeling is captured on this slow and
deliberate composition. It is mournful and doom-like with various unusual
sounds amid a monotone vocal edge that drifts characteristically over a long
period of time. Exhibiting an intense and morbid feeling and yet it still
contains good melodies.
The old has to die and
the new must be born
A lot darker, this one is bass-ridden with an array of growls and
high pitched singing. It still takes a leisurely pace although it possesses the
markings of having an evil presence attached to it. The listener will have this
mental awareness of uneasiness as the track builds to its plodding and creepy
conclusion.
------------------------------------------------
“The
more you listen the deeper you go with this as it takes hold. It retains
moments that are captivating and engaging and in other places it repels, but on
the whole it is without a doubt a very unusual and interesting listen!”
------------------------------------------------
Black Milk of Morning
Holds plenty of atmospheric urges as its complicated mastery takes
hold. Winding, again slowly taking its time to stamp the brain with an unusual
flavour. The vocals are sung in a flat and monotone dreariness – but it works
amid the array of electronic accompaniment that brings oneness to the track.
Theta
Possesses a dense glacial and cold purpose which embeds itself in
the gloomy landscape. It sluggishly and heavy rhythms entrap the mind while the
vocals are gnarly and jagged. The whole tone of the track is injected with a
listless grazing, but it does grow on you and the children’s voices at the end
along with the German voice makes it somewhat a very interesting track.
Summary:
I would have liked to have heard a bit more diversity which could
easily be achieved on this short album.
The use of electronics could be pepped up a notch to have incorporated
at least a couple of more upbeat tempos rather than all doom, but it is an
unusual album that all being said.
The first track once past the haunting lilts that rub me up the
wrong way, there comes a spine-tingling moment when everything changes and it
can only be described as black and white turning to colour, as a myriad of
sampled voices and powerful rhythms hit.
It bubbles with undulating force and really comes into its own.
The more you listen the deeper you go with this as it takes hold. It
retains moments that are captivating and engaging and in other places it
repels, but on the whole it is without a doubt a very unusual and interesting
listen.
8½/10
Track List:
Hardwire
Black
Country
The
old has to die and the new must be born
Black
Milk of Morning
Theta
Members:
PH
– Vocals/Harp/Xylophone
AL
– Guitar/Vocals
ANGST
– Electronics
Kev
- Bass
