PHANTOM HELL AND SOAR ANGELIC

Second full album from this Italian heavy space rockers. VOID GENERATOR exist for nearly 15 years in the meanwhile headed by guitarist Gianmarco Iantaffi. You can feel the experience when listening - hence they have reached for an unique niche regarding this genre. The vocals are not the strongest point here - not exceptional though for this music style, aside from that 'Phantom Hell And Soar Angelic' is basically instrumental. Now coming to something special first - if you should tend to be disappointed about the total length when checking the album sleeve ... then you must know there is a hidden track included of not less than 24 minutes!

So finally you can listen to four extended songs way above the ten minute mark. However, in opposite to uninspired jamming, this is enjoyable in its entirety, quite varied and atmospheric. The album starts with Message From The Galactic Federation - first provided with a straightforward garage/stoner behaviour, but drifting into the last third it all changes to a hypnotic jamming groove led by Iantaffi's riffing guitar. Probably not for everyone's taste due to this repetitive style, but I definitely love it! Intensified by diverse synthesizer gimmicks this surely has a spacey vibe.

Next one The Morning is starting trippy laid back but then gliding into heavier territories by and by, suspense-packed indeed. Finally they fall back into the initial mood with a charming keyboard outro ... leading into The Eternaut which holds some speed changes and a tricky blend of styles. The bass serves a rather jazzy groove all the way through and inbetween Iantaffi even appears with a fusionesque guitar solo. On the other hand there are Porcupine Tree alike heavy hooks all over and Cristiano Lodi shows his synthesizer qualities once again. A great, nearly puzzling composition!

Finally the hidden track is a rather simple and halting stoner jam basically, featuring several overdubbed guitars. Sounds a bit too much of a good thing to me. This is something I'm not sure about, even if there is an interesting melancholic outro put into shape by synthesizer and guitar. Anyhow, all in all 'Phantom Hell And Soar Angelic' comes as a matured effort, decorated with Iantaffi's catchy riffs, sometimes nearly prog metal bordering. As for a similar approach British Litmus come into my mind. Worth it to be checked out - 3.5 stars.

According to its website, the Italian band VOID GENERATOR landed on planet Earth in 1998. Since then they have issued two full-length albums, of which "Phantom Hell and Soar Angelic" is the most recent, released on the small indie label Phonosphera Records in May 2010.

Void Generator has crafted an album sporting a sound and style that in this particular blend hasn't been taken on by others too often. Epic-length excursions, the shortest clocking in at just over 13 minutes, combining droning guitars, doom-laden riffs and swirling keys with the repetitive hypnotism of krautrock aren't everyday fare for sure, and those who enjoy or think they will enjoy such a mix will most likely find this CD to be a welcome addition to their collection.