Album review: PHI – The Waves Of Sound Remain

October 7th, 2014 by alanjones

Gentle Art Of Music [Release Date 03.11.14]

Despite being described by Phi themselves as ‘art rock’ this Austrian 3-piece’s musical debut screams progressive rock all day long – although, it has to be said, the prog metal template of Tool coupled with Porcupine Tree’s more languid moments are the real touchstones here.

Salivation certainly occurred when I realised the album was on Gentle Art Of Music records – the label owned by RPWL, one of the finest progressive rock outfits in Europe at this moment in time.

This dried up on first listening – I suppose I was expecting another RPWL and they are certainly not that.

Thrashing guitars, double kick-drum buffoonery and even a bit of death growling conspired to knock the senses around at first but on subsequent listens a different picture emerges – a picture of a well-constructed rock album with many twists and turns, and, despite the initial reaction, not a small amount of subtlety.

Nine tracks in all and things get under way with great subtlety with the chiming guitar intro of ‘Buy Your Piece Of Love’ – but just as the slippers are being reached for and the light dimmed, a muscular Wilko Johnsonesque riff crashes the party and sets the tone for what follows.

The diversity of the music on offer is dazzling at times; ‘Welcome Tomorrow’ has more changes of mood in eight minutes than many albums have in their entirety, the guitar of Markus Bratusa is exemplary on ‘Maybe Sometime Else Then’, and the Tool influence on the rifferama of ‘Behind A Veil Of Snow’ is there for all to see.

The true highlight however is the ten minutes plus (now tell me that ain’t prog) of the title track which wears its Porcupine Tree influences boldly on its sleeve – a pastoral acoustic beginning, an uplifting, anthemic, guitar-led middle section segueing into a cacophonic break down.

Inevitably there are a few bum/custard interface scenarios, not least on ‘Tune In, Zone Out’ where the staccato guitar riff is pummelled into submission by the double kick-drums and the dreaded death growls make their wholly unwelcome appearance. One of those ‘what were they thinking of’ moments.

Despite this nonsense, fans of Tool and PT will find much to like on this album and the sheer diversity of what’s on offer makes it a recommended purchase for devotees of the heavier end of the rock spectrum – though things might have been enhanced a little with the introduction of a few keyboard swashes here and there to provide a touch more light and shade.

This, and giving the death growls the swinging Size 10 – they’re not clever, not funny and more than a little passé. ***1/2 (half a star deducted for growling)

Review by Alan Jones

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
RIOGHAN Hands (Inverse Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)