Denmark's PHANTOM was born in 2005 to the howling of dying animals and the deranged ramblings of exorcised spirits. The resulting paranormal black metal is haunted by the ghosts of influences past, yet reaches beyond the confines of the material world to heed the enigmatic call of the others.
PHANTOM is the sound of the buried lifting the headstones off of long-forgotten tombs; of muffled cries barely escaping through cellar doors securely locked for centuries; of footsteps across the rotting floorboards of abandoned mansions.
Through PHANTOM, the dead are given a voice - and they have dire tales to tell. (BIO: Voidhanger Records)
PHANTOM is:
SS - Vocals, Guitars
AP - Drums, Keyboards, Cello
CT - Bass
TA - Guitars
When did Phantom get together, Soren. Could you tell us how the band formed?
Søren: We’ve known each other for many years, but we got together in 2005 and formed the band Mare Crisium, which played slightly more old school black metal than what we’re doing now. We never really split up, but in 2009 our original drummer left, so we took a break. I started writing some new songs, and our keyboardist agreed to switch to drums. Eventually, we got together and recorded the whole thing, but it was a long process.
Whom are some of your influences in doom metal?
Søren: Personally, I’ve always been a big fan of Saturnus. Their albums “Paradise Belongs to You” and “Martyre” are contenders for “best metal albums of all time” in my personal opinion. They have a very mournful, melodic style which has inspired me a lot.
Thomas: I agree with Søren, especially “Paradise Belongs to You” is a masterpiece. I like the gothic/ doom hybrids, The Gathering, Draconian or early Theatre of Tragedy, to name a few. I also enjoy more classic doom, Black Sabbath, Pagan Altar and that style of doom. I don’t think those bands have a lot to do with Phantom, though, they are just great bands. I am into some of the crushing “funeral doom” bands too, Ahab from Germany or Evoken from the states, for instance. If the atmosphere of those bands could find its way into Phantom’s music, I would be very happy.
Will you playing any live dates?
Søren: We played one gig as Mare Crisium, but we’re not really set up for playing live with Phantom. We’re not a band in the traditional sense, since we’ve never actually rehearsed after reforming in 2010. I’m not even sure all of us have ever been in the same room at the same time. We’re very good friends, but we’ve also reached the age where family, work, and other obligations make it difficult to find the time. Our drummer, Andreas, is also busy with his band Crocell, who are playing a lot of live shows.
What is the doom metal scene like in Denmark, currently? Any new bands that you like?
Søren: Obviously, there’s Woebegone Obscured, who are also signed with I, Voidhanger Records. I’m not the best person to ask, since I’ve never really considered myself part of any scene. Thomas (our guitarist) is much better informed, so maybe he can fill in the blanks here.
Thomas: Hmm, the doom scene in Denmark is not that big. Apart from what Søren mentioned, I can only think of Nortt (a kind of ambient/ black metal/doom) and Altar of Oblivion (like Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus).
Søren: No, I’ve never even been to the USA. I’d like to go, but I’m afraid it’s highly unlikely that it will be for a show.
Who writes the band's lyrics? What inspires your writing?
Søren: I write the lyrics. The writing on “Incendiary Serum” specifically refers to “the damned decade”, which is referenced in the album’s opening track. This period began in 2002, when I went to a concert in Aarhus with Satyricon and Khold (together with Andreas by the way). Incidentally, Khold had just released their second album “Phantom” that year, and no, that’s not a coincidence. I consider the concert a turning point in my musical career, since I had mostly been listening to symphonic black metal and melodic death metal up until then. “The damned decade” sounds a bit dramatic maybe. I’m quite a happy person, but there were some recurrent thoughts and themes in that period of my life that provided the fuel for the album.
Any phantom side projects that you wish to tell us about?
Søren: As I mentioned, Andreas is playing in Crocell, so if you like no-nonsense, blackened death metal, then you should check them out.
What was the critical reaction to the new album?
Søren: I was quite surprised at how positive it was, but there have of course also been some mixed reviews. Italian reviewers seemed especially skeptical for some reason, while they were much more positive in northern Europe and the US. Maybe there are some regional differences here, or maybe it’s a coincidence. Many reviewers thought we had a fairly original thing going, and I was very pleased with that. We do build very heavily on our influences – some of which was mentioned above – but we also try to put things together in our own way, and it’s great to hear that it appears to have worked out for the most part.
Thank you Soren!
Søren: Thank you for listening!
Band Site: Bandcamp
Interview By John Wisniewski