Boy is it exhilarating when a group of meticulous and notable artists get together to show the world how music is done the right way!

Five-piece Post-Black Metal stalwarts Deliria are filled to the brim with expertise and know-how, and Phantasm is their golden goose, elevating not only the members involved, but also the sub-genre as a whole.

There is a tambourine and cowbell featured throughout the eight tracks, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this journey, because the supremely enticing drums create various avenues, and the record as a whole, is a mighty relentless spree of toe-tapping fuel. Experience in bands outside of Deliria (Kill The Messenger, Dawn Of Ouroboros, The Undying, Arcane Existence and Symbolik) has fortified this piece of work.

“Smoke And Mirrors” is by all means not a diversionary tactic. What you hear is what you get. Choppy, robust riffs prod enticing harsh vocals to run roughshod. A brooding atmosphere coalesces with avalanche drums. The tempos are engaging, and the vocals atop the “Post-” melodies can only be answered with a smile.

The aptly named “Reckless” is jump-started by an inquisitive opening riff and hoarse howls ignite yet another strong drum lead to take charge and decimate everything and anything in its path. What’s more, the title track sees furiously provocative percussion throughout, and “Attic” displays devious atmospherics halfway through. There really is something for everyone here, and that something just so happens to be fucking wonderful.

Searing – and I mean searing – vocals slash and bite (“Gemini”) and those vocals morph into dense growls and muffled, recorded tracks (“Spellcraft”). Phantasm also doesn’t shy away from thrilling song progressions (“Oblivion”) and an infectious groove backed by rugged bass lines (“Covenant”). In fact, the latter also calls for a bass fill later on, making sure to highlight each and every band member, and appropriately so.

It’s not always easy to categorize subgenres, especially when they begin with “Post- “. However, it’s simple as all hell to throw on this record and come out the other side with a completely different outlook on life.

Unfortunately, Phantasm isn’t going to cure you of any ills, but what it does is turn those ills into a driving force for a downright superb piece of work, and having the pleasure of listening to the end result in and of itself feels like a viable remedy.

Buy the album here:
https://deliriaofficial.bandcamp.com/album/phantasm

 

8 / 10
MATT COOK