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Phobia (TUN) - Itinerary review



Reviewer:
6.0

3 users:
7.33
Band: Phobia (TUN)
Album: Itinerary
Style: Deathcore, Melodic metalcore
Release date: August 2009


01. Unavoidable Torment
02. Final Step
03. In Need Of Assistance
04. Out Of Control

Second band from Tunisia I am reviewing, Phobia plays a very melodic death metal, metalcore and deathcore are mentioned by the band as big influence, and since I know absolutely nothing of these two subgenres I'll stick to a more conventional melodic DM view. The EP's name is Itinerary.

Throughout Itinerary, the rhythm is constantly kept flowing. The whole is continuously heavy, which is quite normal for the genre. The songs are well performed, "Unavoidable Torment" and "Out of Control" are my favorite of the lot, "Unavoidable Torment" being quite atmospheric and having a nice keyboard outro. As a matter of fact all the four songs deliver heavily guitar wise, it's rhythmic and catchy exactly like it should be. Although the band is apparently very influenced by Lamb Of God, some lead guitars here and there vividly remind me of Necrophagist for some reason.

Actually the production sounds very professional... it really is well made and definitely makes the difference, pushing this first attempt of the band upwards. I was definitely amazed by it and wasn't waiting for this production at all coming from this band.

In a nutshell these Tunisian guys are well performing what they are supposed to do with their first EP Itinerary (released on August 2009). A nice listen if you are into this genre.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: -
Originality: -
Production: 9

Written by ylside | 07.09.2009




Comments

Comments: 1   Visited by: 5 users
18.08.2015 - 13:37
ylside

Ultimately, Metal isn't a musical genre that can successfully be played by non-westerners (not only north Africans, I am including Asians too). No matter how hard they try, they ultimately remains "copiers" - the original motive, spirit, and environment lacking, the results are mostly [bands that sounds like "insert famous Western" band here]. Nobody internationally would take a north African band seriously, not even me, a North African myself.

I just took the opportunity to comment here, this comment isn't about Phobia themselves but about the whole thing.

This, in fact, isn't demeaning for anyone, because from different environments, spring different kinds of music...
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