PHENOMY: “Syndicate Of Pain” (3 March 2022, self-release)

Phenomy are fiercely creative. Going through hardships, since the Lebanon is not the most metal friendly place on earth, the Phenomy have managed to release three albums already, setting the Middle East on the metal map.

The “Syndicate of Pain” behind the band’s thrash background and focuses on an equally heavy and aggressive yet more groovy metal sound. Artists like the Lamb of God and Machine Head can be found influencing tracks like the “The Mute, The Deaf and The Blind” and the “Downward Spiral”, while track like the “When The Darkness Comes” show a heavier take in the 00’s metal with a few nu-metal elements. Phenomy’s third work breaks the barriers between genres and incorporates in its sound different musical elements that assist in the formation of that powerful, solid and groovy sound. A wall of sound is created by punchy, groovy bass lines with bite, heavy guitar riffs and well-executed, deep, growling vocals. There are, also, some metalcore traces in the sound of Phenomy, while the melodic passages color the riffs and enrich the dark atmosphere of the record.

One thing that is important to know about the Phenomy’s third release is that it is a concept album. In the “Syndicate of Pain”, Phenomy narrate the story of Dr. Anton Shuman, a criminally insane scientist that runs an asylum and uses the patients as subjects for his experiments. However, Dr. Shuman is nothing but a pawn of darker and more sinister forces and he is not the darkest evil lurking around. The combination of asylum and cosmic horror fits perfectly with the musical route of Phenomy.

In the album, there is the instrumental “Beyond the Walls of Sleep”, that not only is one of the best and personal favorite track of the album, is a straight up reference to the story of the same name by the H.P Lovecraft. And you can’t play around in the cosmic horror’s field without taking a bit of influence by one of the greatest horror writers. Now the reason that I take time to write about this song is because the Phenomy manage to capture perfectly the feeling and atmosphere of the story into their music, creating a haunting, eerie yet groovy and heavy result that is simply great.

The “Syndicate of Pain” is highly recommended and if you are into the heavier metal genres, this release is one that should not be missed.

1. Noir

2. Ominous

3. The Mute, The Deaf, The Blind

4. Bone Orchid

5. Downward Spiral

6. Lead Me To My Throne

7. Temptation

8. Beyond The Wall Of Sleep

9. When The Darkness Comes

10. Syndicate Of Pain