Phantom Elite - 'Titanium'

Take “Conjure Rains”. It’s atmospheric but also quite harsh in tone and lyrically too; ‘all the seeds you’ve sown have made you karma’s little bitch’ for example. “The Race” builds on that with a dynamic vocal from Brazilian chanteuse Marina La Torraca over symphonic keyboards and blast-beats and they pull it all together on the operatic “Diamonds and Dark” which adds a bit of piano and a virtuoso showing from Max Van Esch on guitar.

There is plenty variety of style on show. There’s an Amaranthine groove to “Glass Crown” which backs up Marina’s quote of ‘who said headbanging and dancing don’t go together’ and then they vary the direction again on the seven and a half minute title track which is pure prog-metal and by turns frenetic, melancholy and atmospheric.

Things take a melodic turn after that, firstly with “Bravado” and then again on “Silver Lining” which features a guest vocal from Amanda Somerville. Amanda is connected to the band in two ways; she has already worked with MLT in Exit Eden and is also married to Sander Gommans who is the svengali figure responsible for song-writing and executive production for this album. There’s still time for Van Esch to shine again on “Deliverance” where he supplies a soaring solo to garnish an epic melodic track.

This is one of Frontiers’ increasingly frequent ventures into heavier material and there’s plenty going on here for folks to enjoy. You can check out “Glass Crown” below.