Album Review: Pharaoh – The Powers That Be
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Thunderous metal with a melodic feel is possibly the best way to describe Pharaoh. The quartet from Philadelphia formed in 1997 but haven’t released any new music since 2012. ‘The Powers that Be’ is their fifth full-length album and features drummer Chris Black, who’s own back catalogue is impressive. As well as being a multiple label owner and contributor to Metal Maniacs, Black has played in numerous other bands including his own solo project, Professor Black. Black is joined by Tim Aymar, whose distinctive baritone delivery may be recognisable from Control Denied or Psycho Scream, fellow writer Matt Johnsen on guitar and bassist Chris Kerns.
The band draw deep on influences, with everything from Blind Guardian to Saxon aurally referenced within the first few songs. The title track opens proceedings, a muscular introduction to the album with Voivod’s Daniel ‘Chewy’ Mongrain adding a delicious solo. There’s the ‘murder ballad ‘Waiting to Drown’, which allows Aymar to show his chops, and some robust classic metal in the shape of ‘When the World Was Mine’, a thumping old school style metal song in the vein of Cirith Ungol, Dio and Manilla Road.
The musicianship on the album is tight, with Johnsen’s guitar work fluid, and the rhythm section locked in tight. The anthems continue with the powerful ‘Freedom’, and earlier in ‘Lost in the Waves’, the band’s approach is no-nonsense, but there is a lot going on underneath the hood. Lyrically the band challenge many of the issues facing the US today, from rising extremism to the impact of capitalism in all its guises. Penultimate song ‘Dying Sun’ is an epic in the Priest style, with some bombastic metal combining with more melodic elements in fine style, whilst traditional metal fans should lap up the robust ‘I can Hear Them’ which closes the record.
‘The Powers That Be’ was recorded during 2020, with Black tracking his drums at his home studio separately to the rest of the band, who utilised Johnsen’s home studio in Eastern Pennsylvania. The result is a solid and enjoyable record which switches genres at will.
