ATHORN - Phobia

The journey of the band is like a modern Cinderella story, because after their debut EP release in 2009, they caught the attention of AFM Records, and here's their first full length album. Musically, the band is really hard to categorize, the newsletter says something about a modern version of old Sanctuary, but I get the feeling that it's somehow unfair for the band. First of all, the music is Power Metal, but, the band adds much more influences into their music, to make it really hard to comprehend, but still fun to listen to. So, there are Thrashy moments here and there, vocals that don't afraid to move into the Death area, complex arrangements, and plenty of times where the style reminds of Nevermore. What is certain here, is that the listener won't get bored, simply because you don't know what to expect, and the many suprises keep the interest high until the end. Smart arrangements, full of nice melodies, excellent musicianship and perfromance, show why this band caught the attention so fast. The production is very good, clear and powerful enough, and completes the album in the best possible way. Not an easy album, as one might think from the first time, but for sure an album that will reward the cautious listener. Check them out.

9/10