You have to love it when a studio calls itself Popshit and more so when a band called Silver Phantom uses it to put together their debut album, Crimson Cabaret. An album of heavy rock, combined with a lump of metal, some punk and a Cooper-ish theatrical background both musically and lyrically.
With an experienced line-up of Martin Helgren on vocals and bass (who is also responsible for the rather good cover artwork), Morten Madsen and Mads Møller on guitar and Kim Kvist on drums you are assured of some quality rock.
This is apparent from the first chords of the title track, after the music box tinkle, the riff kicks in with a Cooper-ish touch in the structure and lyrical storyline of a horror-styled show. There’s plenty of room for some subtle guitar theatrics too. ‘Black Lady’ keeps the quality up with a Priest meets Tygers feel. ‘Shapeshifter’ is heavier as the style moves a little more metallic but with some neat wah guitar expanding on, and adding to, the main riff.
‘Circle of the Serpent’ has a very clever metal fused pop sound, it makes me think of how Billy Idol would sound with heavy metal backing. ‘Undying Gods’ shifts to some Sabbath style riffing but with that Cooper-ish theatricalism again shining through. ‘Thrill Thrashing Light’ is not thrash but instead just six minutes of rock with light, shade and time signature changes to keep you guessing and entertained. The final track, ‘We Sing Along’ after the (relatively) gentle vocal intro, keeps the heavy and adds the chance to, you guessed it, sing along.
There may not be anything earth-shattering, but this exceptionally well-played collection of songs stays cliche free and is a damn fine heavy rock album that won’t disappoint.
Crimson Cabaret, on Uprising Records, is released on 28th October.
