Phantasma – The Deviant Hearts review

Phantasma is a project I was sure to be interested in, featuring Charlotte Wessels, the singer of Delain, an amazing artist I had the pleasure of getting to know. 

To quote the press release, „PHANTASMA was born from the longstanding ambition to create a story-driven concept record of Georg Neuhauser, vocal force behind Tyrolean symphonic metal outfit SERENITY. He found his partner in crime with multi-instrumentalist composer, producer and vocalist Oliver Philipps (EVERON) who gladly embarked on this new mission that allowed him to reconnect with being a musician in the first place, as a welcome change from working for other bands, which he has done extensively over the years, providing the rich sound connoisseurs of the genre have come to expect from. As Oliver worked with DELAIN since their debuting record, a request at Charlotte Wessels’s address was made to complete the dynamic trio of PHANTASMA. „

I did not pay much attention to all the teasers because I wanted to listen to the album with fresh eyes, or rather ears.
I have to thank Napalm Records for sending me an early copy. Due to unfortunate events, it has not felt right to write a proper review until now.
This is more than an album. It has a great concept, it is followed by a novella, it explores so many corners of life, music, heart. It brings together three talented people and many guests, whose voices fit like nothing else. It is an experience. Do not expect this to be something like anything you have heard them do before. Expect big musical lines, an orchestration worthy of a musical.

Let me get you through some of the tracks:

Incomplete — A soft piano accompanies Charlotte.  „When I was a young girl, father said to me”. That’s the kind of line you can hear from the instrumental. The lyrics surely follow the title of Incomplete. If you expected this to be a happy album, you chose the wrong album. It’s a heartbreaking story, but one you will love to listen to.

The Deviant Hearts (Give Us A Story) — has such a diverse musical line, with a rhythm that is surely going to stick with you. This is a song on which you can expect a sort of medieval dance with ladies with long big dresses being thrown in the air. Nevertheless, the song also features some oriental influences here and there. The title song features a special guest, Tom Englund of Evergrey

Runaway Gray — is a moving ballad. You can feel so much emotion in Charlotte’s voice. I do love it when she plays livelier songs, but her voice is definitely attracted and suited for the sadder songs. And yet, in the middle, the tempo fastens, breaking away from what you would expect and delivering a perfect interception. I do have to say something not so stellar about this album, and I’ll say that at times the song seems a bit too dragged along.

Try — The beginning of the song actually resembles Laura Stoica, a regretted Romanian artist. Chloe Lowery (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, CHAMELEON) is the only female guest of the album and she shines on this song. The coloratura is something that proves how much control she has over her voice. Of course, I must mention that this is a duet, with such a lovely intervention of Dennis Schunke (VAN CANTO)

Enter Dreamscape — A slow and mellow beginning makes you expect a ballad, maybe one similar to Kamelot’s Under Grey Skies, that features Charlotte. However, we quickly move on to something from a metal opera. It is a jewel of a duet, featuring some of the highest notes we have heard from Charlotte and a stellar and bombastic deliverance from. When he tells me to run away with him, I am almost inclined to do it.

Miserable Me — From the beginning, you expect something cinematic. The sounds you hear make you eager to hear what is coming. It does not fail to deliver and puts on a show. How hard must it be to come up with songs that are a show in themselves? They definitely did it. So much pathos in what they are singing. Though unlikely to be sang live, I can pictures the crowd dramatically interpreting the song. Who says you cannot sing along with the instrumental? The musical effects return and make me feel in a movie, running along with the whirlwind of sounds. It almost reminds me of This Is Halloween.

The Lotus and The Willow — It is not easy to make me relate to a tree or a flower, but this song does it. So beautiful. Really a highlight of the album. Needless to say, this is a ballad, turning back to that heartbreaking story the album is based on. If you are looking for a song to make you cry, this will do it.

Crimson Course — Georg delivers a true example of what he can achieve musically. It’s the liveliest song so far, seemly inviting you to dance along to it. It does not fail to have its share of dramatism. This is something I’d love to hear at Eurovision, to be honest. Vote it with both hands. It also brings some clear vocals and a guitar solo, returning afterwards to its chorus.

Carry Me Home — Starting like a march, but with a slow tempo and guitars in the foreground, coupled with its name, it certainly doesn’t leave me to expect something happy. This is another great examples of why this project works and how well suited all the voices are. Even the guitars seem tragic.  Dennis Schunke (VAN CANTO) is back again to carry us home and bring some needed energy with him.

The Sound Of Fear — What does fear sound like? Like yet another ballad. So melodic, with orchestration and some back-up vocals here and there.

Novaturient — Georg does some of his best work on this strangely-named song.

Let It Die — A truly symphonic metal beginning. I have to expect something bombastic. This is truly beautiful. Charlotte returns for the final song of the album. Our (deviant) hearts skip a beat together with this song.  Time to let it die.

Never for a moment do you forget that this is not your run of a mill album. It is a concept that exceeds all expectations, that takes you on a journey, making you part of its story. It is unexpected, it is complex. It truly takes more than one listen to figure out all its parts, all its little details. This is the quality music we should all be listening to. It really is a delicacy, deserving of a proper listen, to leave you to admire it.