FRIEND OF A PHANTOM

1. Cannibal with Anders from IN FLAMES; a screamed cry that raises the tone of VOLA; a tune filled with more colorful synths than its predecessor, with a heavier rhythm for an amplified contrast effect and a stunning softness 2. Break My Lying Tongue amplifies the fresh new-wave tone of the 80s, that of A-HA and DURAN DURAN, TALK TALK too; In short, a nostalgic and innovative sound with cascading synths and a frenetic rhythm, screamed vocals, and a Danish surge, otherwise it's definitely metal à la KATATONIA or LEPROUS. 3. We Will Not Disband as an encore with softer synths and a captivating riff, keyboards flirting with electric djent, all sprinkled with ethereal vocals, a beautiful fusion. 4. Glass Mannequin for the evanescent slow synth ballad, soft and languid as a radio hit, understand without embellishment, get into it.

5. Bleed Out starts off electro, somewhere between RAMMSTEIN and LACRIMOSA at the start; keyboard noises then the synthetic pop rock chorus inviting you to trance; a drop-off then an aggressive djent metal howl, a sound that the hardcore prog fan will simply compare to noise; yet the chorus is haunting, progressively ambient and incredibly heavy metal, bordering on doom-like, ah, it feels good. 6. Paper Wolf, a radio edit without too much musical architectural work; more of a flowing sound with a few rogue waves and a fluid vocal. 7. I Don't Know How We Got Here, with its USHUAIA-esque synth, is a consensual track lacking the pep that makes you prick up your ears; perhaps too soft? A marshmallowy air for the nostalgic synth love song with its heady final solo. 8. Hollow Kid, for its archaic southern western riff, its soaring riff, and its deafening pad. The rhythmic base reminds me of ROGUE MALE from the 80s, which proves there was something good in that decade. A bright, simple but well-crafted track, addictive. 9. Tray, for the warm vocal on a linear synth; a crescendos-like ending to the album where the synth takes the lion's share, moving away from the synth-prog metal sound of the beginning. Asger's voice rising in range and influencing the marshmallow tune. (3.5)

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