Pharaoh Overlord-Out Of Darkness

Ektro Records

2011

Finland's Pharaoh Overlord are a side-project of the group Circle. Featuring three members (Jussi Lehtisalo, Janne Westerlund and Tomi Leppänen) the group was originally conceived of as an outlet to explore their shared love of stoner rock. As with their original band though the group's music would became more varied and experimental with each passing album. With Out Of Darkness the group shifts away from their more experimental rock leanings toward a fairly traditional heavy metal sound. Following the short intro "The Eyes Of Pharaoh" the group launches into the title track. With vocals that recall Glenn Danzig the band bangs out a fairly heavy hard rock number. On "Devastator" things swing towards Omen style eighties metal. "Doomsday Mourning" is Armored Saint meets Odin. "Transylvanian Afternoon" sounds like two songs morphed together. An almost goth rock sounds swirls in and out of riff happy heavy metal. "We Came To Rock" is more eighties heavy metal worship as is "No Speed Limit". With "No Speed Limit" though the vocals are delivered in an almost punk style not unlike The Damned. "Unseen Eye" teases Iron Maiden on Black Sabbath complete with an Iron Butterfly moment. Oddly a worthy number. "I Am The Light" is 70's hard rock meets Trouble w/ some Danzig for good effect. An interesting release to say the least. You have moments of hard rock, eighties metal, experimental rock and goth metal. Worth searching out if only for it's old school charm.