P.H.O.B.O.S. Tectonics
Candlelight Records / Appease Me Records CDL220 July 26th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Props to any group that single-handedly changes my listening modus operandi, and P.H.O.B.O.S. seem to have done just that (with a little nudging by Matt Mooring of MetalReview). You see, I absorbed Tectonics every night for a straight week. Essentially, every night of said week, my head found itself sandwiched between headphones, which relay the subtleties and nuances more clearly than any other outlet. But these harsh Frenchmen present something not entirely unheard before, though the album has an unnerving aura thatll keep you both awake and glued.
Length-wise, Tectonics is a long one and clocks in at close to an hour. So, these eight, dissonant tracks are gonna keep you occupied for quite a while. Undoubtedly, though, P.H.O.B.O.S. are not for optimists or optometrists, as most of the numbers on this release are noise-oriented drones that pepper their assaults with black metal vocals, industrial elements, and a vibe that seems to clutch nihilism. Songs such as Nietzschean Dynamics, Gregarious, and Wisdoom are a far cry from being cheery ruminations, and even less committal (read: instrumental) opuses like Monochrome Red and Engulfed in Subduction are as dank and uninviting as their fucked-up cronies. However, a sizeable portion of Tectonics though undeniably enigmatic reels in the listener with ease. Plus, its obvious that the group is drawn to antagonistic gloominess. In other words, do you have a coworker who constantly drags you down into the muck, yet you still desire his/her presence occasionally? That comparison encapsulates P.H.O.B.O.S., for me, and the album doesnt lighten up (surprise!) with the advent of Nihil Credo, Inseminator / Matrix, or Dormant / Dead End.
Without the French, not only would we lose a vast amount of people to make fun of, but also the worlds musical outputs would be more few and far between. Tectonics is a solid outing for noise/industrial/experimental fans, though I doubt anyone else will be enraptured by P.H.O.B.O.S. The aforementioned grew on me over time, and Ill still be shifting this disc from its binder to my CD player on occasion. For what its worth: this is perhaps the darkest album Ive heard all year.
7.5/10
Official P.H.O.B.O.S. Website
Official Candlelight Records Website
Official Appease Me Records Website
Candlelight Records / Appease Me Records CDL220 July 26th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Props to any group that single-handedly changes my listening modus operandi, and P.H.O.B.O.S. seem to have done just that (with a little nudging by Matt Mooring of MetalReview). You see, I absorbed Tectonics every night for a straight week. Essentially, every night of said week, my head found itself sandwiched between headphones, which relay the subtleties and nuances more clearly than any other outlet. But these harsh Frenchmen present something not entirely unheard before, though the album has an unnerving aura thatll keep you both awake and glued.
Length-wise, Tectonics is a long one and clocks in at close to an hour. So, these eight, dissonant tracks are gonna keep you occupied for quite a while. Undoubtedly, though, P.H.O.B.O.S. are not for optimists or optometrists, as most of the numbers on this release are noise-oriented drones that pepper their assaults with black metal vocals, industrial elements, and a vibe that seems to clutch nihilism. Songs such as Nietzschean Dynamics, Gregarious, and Wisdoom are a far cry from being cheery ruminations, and even less committal (read: instrumental) opuses like Monochrome Red and Engulfed in Subduction are as dank and uninviting as their fucked-up cronies. However, a sizeable portion of Tectonics though undeniably enigmatic reels in the listener with ease. Plus, its obvious that the group is drawn to antagonistic gloominess. In other words, do you have a coworker who constantly drags you down into the muck, yet you still desire his/her presence occasionally? That comparison encapsulates P.H.O.B.O.S., for me, and the album doesnt lighten up (surprise!) with the advent of Nihil Credo, Inseminator / Matrix, or Dormant / Dead End.
Without the French, not only would we lose a vast amount of people to make fun of, but also the worlds musical outputs would be more few and far between. Tectonics is a solid outing for noise/industrial/experimental fans, though I doubt anyone else will be enraptured by P.H.O.B.O.S. The aforementioned grew on me over time, and Ill still be shifting this disc from its binder to my CD player on occasion. For what its worth: this is perhaps the darkest album Ive heard all year.
7.5/10
Official P.H.O.B.O.S. Website
Official Candlelight Records Website
Official Appease Me Records Website
