Published on Mar 28, 2003
Iron Maiden, Iron Maiden, Iron Maiden.
Need a shot of it, but don’t have
Number of the Beast or
Piece of Mind handy? I bring good news… Pharaoh formed
near Philadelphia in November of 1997.
I have been longing for a release like this: a band that plays
homage to the great Iron Maiden, while maintaining their own
identity. This band could have easily slipped onto any one of the
Iron Maiden tribute CDs that have come my way (Dwell Records’
A Call to Irons or Meteor City Records’
Slave to the Power come to mind.) Of course, if you are
going to enter into the realm that Iron Maiden has immortalized,
you have to do the material right.
That means searing vocals that don’t go out of tune when holding
notes. No problem. That means drums that provide a foundation. No
problem. If anything, drummer Chris Black provides a more
progressive metal feel to this material. The guitar riffs have to
be interesting and the accompanying guitar solos have to expand the
song into a new realm. Satisfied that requirement as well.
“Solar Flight” is the best track on this CD. This track has, in
its favor, an upbeat tempo, Dickinson-ish vocals, interesting
guitar riff, a series of quick snare fills during the guitar solo,
and a keen awareness of phrasing the vocals in-between the guitar
riff. It easily could have been on an IM release.
Sure, it is nice for the band to have established their own
sound. Drummer Chris Black throws in some double-bass, which IM
drummer Nicko McBrain does’t play. Beyond that, though, this
release has hit me at a weak moment: inadvertently, I have realized
I have been without an IM fix for months.
The CD concludes with a track called “Slaves.” Incidently, this
is the first song that guitarist Matt Johnson, drummer Chris Black,
and (now-departed) guitarist Keith Barnard wrote. It showcases the
sense of style that Pharaoh was able to carry into the other 8
tracks on this release. I like this band – – I think they will go
far in the world of metal with the right exposure.