Phantom Hound – Mountain Pass

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This an album where the word heavy acquires a new relevance and level. It’s great to hear again the extreme noise maker Fuzz pedal – I keep on thinking why Extreme Metal bands still refuse to use it. I really don’t understand why. The kind of pedal a guitarist must respect with all the fuzz possibilities it contains. Though the main drive of “Mountain Pass” is the 1990s grunge and its influences, there are still moments of the glorious Heavy Rock where the Fuzz pedal reigns supreme. give the fan the oportunity of gettin to know the real roots of heavy music. I praise and respect this. It’s an expected mix for the undvised fan, however it’s not that uncommon. Many bands have found the link between the 1990s and the late 1960s.

From the beginning some bands as Alice in Chains and Soundgarden showed their predilection for Black Sabbath. Many said that grunge music was some kind of encounter between Black Sabbath and punk rock. Overreaction in my opinion. Of course, there are lots of Black Sabbath elements, but very few of punk rock. Phantom Hound here show the real influences 1990s bands had.

“Mountain Pass” opens up with a distorted bass line which is followed by an isane drumming and an ever more insane vocals. The smell and taste of Alice in Chains is in the air as well as sludge and shoegazed guitar riffing. Heavy as hell, I must say. One thing that catches the fan is the heavyness of Phantom Hound’s music. The inspired old school guitar solos too. The ode to the 1960s Heavy Rock begins with the inflamed and groovy “Thunder I Am” which makes the fan bang the head with a feeling like Judas Priest’s “White Heat, Red Hot.” Groovy. Following “Irons in the Fire” kind of mix the both influences. The fan can listen to hybrid track and notices that it works pretty fine. And so the album goes with some real interesting and inspired guitar solos embellished by the good old Fuzz pedal.

By the way, what a nice instrumental acoustic track is “Grace of an Angel” which is followed by the arsonist title track “Mountain Pass” and its flamming guitar solo intro.

Phantom Hound “Mountain Pass” will be released on March 28th via Devil Blues Records.

Track Listing:

  1. The Northern Face
  2. Thunder I Am
  3. Irons in the Fire
  4. You Don’t Know Death
  5. Grace of an Angel
  6. Mountain Pass
  7. Devil Blues
  8. The Southern Face

Watch “The Northern Face” official video here: