earMUSIC [Release date 10.04.26]

Long Distance Calling have been around for some twenty years now and this, their ninth studio album continues their predominantly wordless approach to story telling. The core of the group remains unchanged with David Jordan and Florian Füntmann on guitars, Jan Hoffman on bass and Janosch Rathmer on drums.

There’s no doubt that trying to nail down a storyline, without much in the way of lyrics, can be a challenge for the listener but, over time and after several listens, the seven tracks that make up The Phantom Void draw you in and the lack of lyrical guidance becomes less and less of an issue. I must confess to a modicum of doubt here and I approached this review with a degree of scepticism but, I have to hold my hands up and admit my fears were mostly unfounded. The Phantom Void rocks and there is no doubt that the German sonic craftsman master their task most effectively, delivering an impressively powerful album.

And, what strikes you immediately is that the musicianship on display here is exemplary, as the fourpiece meld and mold the soundscapes they produce to conjure up the loosely conceptual theme of dreams; where they come from, what they mean and how they pull you into a sometimes sinister world of doubt and fear.

Opening track, ‘Mare’ is a scene setting overture, building the cinematic tension with a demonic voice leading into a countdown ahead of track two, ‘The Spiral’. Throughout the whole album there are comparisons to be made across a vast spectrum of musical identities and here, while we begin with an electronic influence reminiscent of, for example, recent Steven Wilson releases, the track soon morphs into a ballsy heavy rock workout with arpeggiated guitars symbolising the downward fall into a deep, dark underworld.

Next up, ‘A Secret Place’ is perhaps the most uplifting track on the album, atmospheric instrumentation again defining the sense of wandering through unfamiliar territory of the dream world before Rathmer’s drums drive the sound through a metal infused interlude. ‘Nocturnal’ is mostly pure bonkers speed rock, an insistent downward running guitar riff anchoring the theme, while the more reserved middle section would not be out of place in the world of Polish prog rockers, Riverside. Title track, ‘The Phantom Void’ begins relatively calmly before, once again picking up the pace with several dynamic changes throughout and lead guitar picking out the melody.

Penultimate track, ‘Shattered’ is perhaps the least effective, least adventurous, part of the musical narrative for me yet and, while it still holds your attention it merely signposts the way to the closing track, ‘Sinister Companion’. Here, in the longest track on the album everything works to perfection, the atmosphere building to a climactic finale.

Aside from the remarkable playing, the production and mix are outstanding, the latter in particular, with instruments allowed the space to breathe and envelop the listener, nothing is shoehorned in or over emphasised. Interestingly, repeated listens lead to varying interpretations, the beauty perhaps of no words to lead you to definite conclusions, as your own mood and feelings at the time you are listening mean there can be subtle changes to your own psyche. It is incredibly clever stuff. Fans of the band and the overall genre will definitely be impressed while casual listeners are encouraged to have a listen, they may well be surprised by what they hear. ****

Review by Neil Pudney

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 13 April 2026

DOGMA Fate Unblinds (MNRK Heavy)
SEVENDUST Threshold (Napalm Records)
SAGE Deep End (The Artery Foundation)
OH HIROSHIMA Broken Sunlight (Pelagic Records)
HARSH Back To Life (Fireflash Records)
KING KRAKEN Call To War (indie)
HIGHWAY QUEEN Bring Me Home Tonight (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 13 April 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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