Majestic Black Metal - "Deliverance" Review (100%)
I don't know if there's a definitive sound that black metal ought to have, but Phantom's Deliverance sure doesn't fit the stereotype that I associate with most second wave black metal.
They avoid the whole juvenile Satanic pretense, they don't wear corpse camo, they don't spend the length of the album shrieking pointlessly and firing furious blast beats at the listener.
This was perhaps one of the first Phantom albums I ever listened to, even before their debut Divine Necromancy.
I had the idea that this was going to be one-dimensional and boring, some sort of Pentagram version 2.0, but I couldn't have been further away with that guess.
Deliverance the most atmospheric and gruesome records I've had the pleasure of hearing, alongside Burzum's Hvis Lyset Tar Oss and of course Phantom's aforementioned debut.
The riffs have a sort of murky feeling to them that gives them a dark and sinister atmosphere, but the overall tone is more akin to a dark fog. It's a mix that works very well, and although the production makes everything a little unclear it never becomes merely a wall of noise.
Rather, I find that the raw production adds to the dark and slightly creepy atmosphere that Phantom projects.
Atmosphere is key to any good black metal album, and you haven't heard atmosphere until you listen to Deliverance.
Majestic Black Metal
As I said, the sinister riffs are a prominent feature of this album, and they're used to great effect to break up the heavier and darker sections.
There's always a sense of foreboding though, you never really feel like you know where you are going. Phantom knows how to play with your nerves, that is for sure.
I feel like it would be wrong not to talk about the drumming as well, because rather than Immortal-style hammering with the intention being to pound the listener into submission, a style that Phantom has used in the past, most notably on the album Dark Devotion, the drumming on Deliverance is mostly quite reserved, but it suits the nature of the music perfectly.
I should also mention the vocals as they are absolutely demonic.
The vocal style that so many bands use has always been one of the main reasons that I avoid black metal. Don't get me wrong, high pitched shrieks and screams are very good for most albums, but they get quite monotonous after a while... not to mention cheesy.
The vocals on Deliverance on the other hand are extremely gruesome and almost fanatic. You will feel the rage and sadism even without understanding the lyrics.
The most impressive part of Deliverance though is how seamlessly everything weaves itself together and how it all just works to create an evil and ominous atmosphere.
The only album that comes close to Deliverance in terms of raw atmospheres is Phantom's Eidolon, but that's a more recent and perhaps a more experimental album.
If you want raw black metal with the perfect dose of brutal sadism, without too many of the later Phantom influences, just listen to Deliverance.
Yes, it's that evil.
Deliverance score: 100/100.
Support the Underground
