Saturday, October 14, 2017

REVIEW : PHANTOM 5 --- Play to Win (2017, Frontiers Music s.r.l.)

After the success of the debut album, PHANTOM 5 is back! The brainchild of producer/guitarist (and for this record, bassist) Michael Voss and vocalist Claus Lessmann (ex-BONFIRE) have returned with yet another solid sample of pure Euro melodic hard n' heavy album.

Once again joined by Robert Boebel on guitars and keyboards and Axel Kruse on drums, PHANTOM 5 is here to rock your world with the brand new "Play To Win". I really enjoyed a lot the band's debut record and I was very curious of what to expect from this new one.

"The Change In You" kicks-off things here in a very early Bonfire way, I would dare to say. Edgy hard rock stuff with Lessmann's superb vocal lines in front row, heavy riffs, a haunting melody and, of course, a tight as hell rhythm section are the ingredients of this brilliant opener. "Crossfire", "Baptized" and "Read Your Mind" are all three excellent samples of pure Euro melodic hard rock at its best. All three include this late 80's vibe in it that I for sure am enjoying a lot. Especially "Read Your Mind" is one of this album's highlights.

With "Play To Win" we have another killer track out of the new opus. Melodic as it gets with a superb melody included and Boebel's amazing guitar lines. It's one of these tracks that makes you wanna push the repeat button again and again. The chorus, the arrangements and, in general, everything is almost perfect. "Do You Believe In Love" is the first ballad of the album and, man, it's another killer track! A classic power ballad from a band that knows how to write power ballads. period!!!!

PHANTOM 5 is a band that brings back the sound of the late 80's classic Euro Hard n' Heavy with style, no doubt 'bout that. They play to win and for damn sure they win!!

Rating : 9/10 





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