Pharaoh – Bury the Light

Pharaoh have been churning out some classic and powerful heavy metal since 1997, but to most people they’re still remembered for vocalist’s Tim Aymar involvement in “The Fragile Art of Existence”, the debut album of Chuck Schuldiner’s project Control Denied. Well, that classic record dates from 1999 and since then the Philadelphia-based quartet has recorded four strong and well-crafted albums that should definitely make the metal world take notice, including the newest “Bury the Light”.

This is classic ’80s metal with unbelievably ear-catching melodies, bringing to mind the best moments of Fates Warning, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.
This album is so damn catchy that even people who normally run away at the sound of heavy metal might find themselves singing along with Tim Aymar. The vocalist really shines on this album, delivering some powerful anthems that make your hair stand on end. Then, there’s the incredible guitar work of Matt Johnsen, many of the riffs and leads the guitarist churns out are instant grabbers and will surely please any metal-head out there.

The album also features some of their most varied compositions yet, fast and crunchy tunes like “The Wolves” and “In Your Hands” are interspersed between calmer and mid-paced songs like the hard-rock driven “The Year of the Blizzard” and personal favourite “The Spider’s Thread”. This song reminds me of Maiden in the way it grows into an epic gallop complemented with impeccable twin guitars melodies and the powerful singing of Aymar.

To put it short, “Bury the Light” is how heavy metal should be done in this day and age. (8/10)

Luca Niero

Band info: www.solarflight.net

Label info: www.cruzdelsurmusic.com