Phantom - Tyrants of Wrath ★★★★☆

SPEED METAL | APRIL 2025 BANDCAMP | METAL-ARCHIVES       FOR FANS OF: BÜTCHER, VULTURE, EVIL INVADERS

   THRASH-O-METER

★★★★★★★☆☆☆ SONGWRITING

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ THEMES

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ LONGEVITY

★★★★★★★☆☆☆ PRODUCTION

★★★★★★★☆☆☆ THRASHABILITY

                     SCORE:                     

★★★★☆ BADASS SH!T

Speed Metal is dead - long live the Speed Metal!

Classic Speed Metal might've galloped to the pasture in an wild-eyed abandon - lucky for us, there are still few brave warriors holding the hill. Phantom doesn't just resurrect old school shenanigans of speeeed - they drag them screaming through the jagged edges of Thrash Metal, giving the whole thing a deliciously evil marinade.

This is pure retro fetishism

Think back to madness of the '80s, and especially to the spearheads of Speed Metal giving their sh!t shape. Whiplash and Razor are quickly remembered, as are a bit more poweresque acts like Liege Lord and Omen. The sinister feeling stems strong from Mercyful Fate, giving the concoction a rich heritage indeed.

After a mood piece of a start, 'The Tower of Seth' kicks in. Its almost Maidenesque main melody whisks you deep into the wants and plights of ancient warriors - yes, it's time for axes to meet the witches! The sinister riffs, the delicious solos, the relentlessness of the tempo and theatrics of the vocalist evoke a sense of dread - and you've only your trusty jackknife and a fistful of chain to fend off the dangers.

By the time 'Thunderbeast' finishes its relentless gallop you have a solid idea about what lies ahead. Led by the crowing and wailing vocalizations of J. C. Garcia, this sh!t is layered with energy that does not let you rest for more than a second here and there.

This Phantom hails from Guadalajara, Mexico!

The initial bite dulls towards the end

The fellas have captured the retro sound they’re aiming for, both in spirit and body; breakneck speed and merciless assault is seasoned well with darker tones for a more ominous flavour. The tracks push forward with velocity that leaves the Thrash Metal aspects playing the second fiddle - it both elevates and limits this journey.

Halfway through the album, 'Nimbus' gives you a welcome peek into a bit different Phantom with its hollering vocalisations and slightly slower and almost ponderous pace. The chorus' melodic and solemn spirit rather wakes you from the onslaught to realize just how close to the template sh!t has been. Then there's the weirdo of the bunch: a piano instrumental of the spooky kind, 'Nocturnal Opus 666'. There’s nothing inherently wrong with instrumentals, but this one sticks out in a way that pulls you out of the flow and makes you step back to reassess the album as a whole.

Tyrants of Wrath is certainly an energising flirt, maintaining such a consistent and unwavering tone that nothing really rises above the rest - and classic albums do need cohesion from balanced ups and downs. Couple of oddball tracks won't do it.

This dedication to the retro sounds, feels, and skulls, straitjackets the album into a narrower lane and things start to feel claustrophobic before you find the nuances. The focus does, however, create a cozy pocket for all the generation exers out there still banging their heads - and folks with immaculate taste.

Badass sh!t.