Italy is a reference in horror and thriller cinema, thanks to legends like Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, and Dario Argento. With ‘Horror Paradise’, Black Phantom shows that Italian horror isn’t just for the screen—it bleeds sonically too!

Even though this is my first encounter with Black Phantom, this is a seasoned Italian act with two other full-length albums under their belts and, appropriately enough, several tracks featured in horror movies. In fact, working on those soundtracks inspired the concept of ‘Horror Paradise’, whose lyrics also translate into a great artwork by the Chilean artist José Canales (Durbin; Icon of Sin; Ronnie Romero).

The illustration, by the way, is a highlight! I love the style and the presence of the mascot, which, according to the band, is an evil reimagination of Phantom Blot, Mickey Mouse’s archenemy. The Phantom has been on all album covers so far, and I hope it makes a guest appearance in the upcoming concerts promoting ‘Horror Paradise’.

Talking about the music, this is Traditional Heavy Metal, but it avoids some of the production clichés that are creeping into some NWOTHM bands. Instead of the typical Paul Di’Anno-era Maiden influence, ‘Horror Paradise’ takes me back to another pivotal point in time in Metal for me as a listener: 1998-2003. It echoes Maiden’s ‘Brave New World’. Dickinson’s ‘Accident of Birth’, the first two Blaze albums, and what bands like Seven Witches and Angel Dust were doing back in the day. It’s so refreshing! Heavy songs with lots of melody. Catchy, but dark!

The album opens with ‘Sammy The Elf’, probably the main reason these guys remind me of Maiden’s BNW era (I’m looking at you, Ivan!). Manuel’s vocals sound Dickinson-ish, and even like Blaze’s in songs like ‘Futureal’ (I mean that as a compliment). The song structure and guitars are very Maiden as well, and don’t get me started on the bass: axeman Andrea Tito is not only the founder of the band but also the composer of all the songs. Coincidence? Anyway, I’ll end the Maiden comparisons here, because Black Phantom is clearly more than that. However, I need to mention one last thing. There was something else “Maidenian” I couldn’t quite put my finger on at first, but after listening to ‘Sammy‘ a bunch of times, I finally realized: the drums are pure Nicko McBrain—at least to me, a non-drummer. They riff with the guitars throughout the entire song!

The album has a lot of great moments, but ‘Sammy the Elf’ is probably my favourite song here. Great intro riff, galloping bass, and an awesome chorus! You can blame me for a good part of the boost in streams of this song, Phantoms. This should be the concert-opener moving forward, and the encore when Black Phantom goes out on their retirement tour. Earworm: When Ivan doubles the snare on the last chorus, the song gives you what you want. Right after, when the vocal harmony comes in higher, well… it gives you what you need!

‘Sammy‘ was first released in 2022 as part of the soundtrack for the American horror movie ‘He Knows’, and it was accompanied by a fun music video that you can check out below (don’t take it too seriously, because the guys clearly did not. So put away any potential True Metal Frown):

The carnage continues with ‘Come Hike with Me’: a tribute to the stupid decisions horny teenagers make in the woods, particularly around Camp Crystal Lake. Nice melodic guitars and a pretty good chorus. And even though Andrea writes all the songs, Manuel signs all the vocal melodies, and I must give him credit for that. The record is packed with memorable choruses and some small variations of the vocal lines that are the cherry on top. Pay close attention to how the song goes up a notch when the third verse comes in a little higher (around 1:39). Perfect ramp up for the chorus!  Earworms: 1. Both guitar solos are great, but the second one is fire! 2. The vocal line right after the solo is awesome! Check out the guitars behind it and the drums increasing intensity when they add the double kicks.

‘War of Tanks’ is the first of the deviations from horror themes on the record, and it’s inspired by the World War II. A different kind of horror, I guess? The pace slows down a little and gives way to interesting marching riffs. This allows for proper storytelling and some of the best bass lines on the album. I must confess that this is my favourite chorus in ‘Horror Paradise’. Double credit to the vocal melodies and the nasty bass. Earworms: 1. The bridge around 2:30 – what a bass sound! 2. The first guitar solo is classy AF!

‘The Headsman’ is straight-up Metal: guitar riffs and bass in perfect sync, setting up the stage for the story of a man who loves what he does, and does it well—making heads roll! Perhaps a semi-autobiographical song about the axeman himself, Andrea Tito? To wrap it up in a bow, another catchy chorus by Mr. Maline. Earworm: The last chorus, when Ivan adds the double kick. Chef’s kiss!

Andrea opens ‘A Nightmare’, probably the heaviest song on the album. I have to say that this one goes a little slower for me in the verses, but when the chorus kicks in, it drags me right back to the ‘Horror Paradise’. And then, suddenly, we have an instrumental passage that’s almost Mercyful Fate? What a diabolical surprise! Earworm: The vocal overlapping after the last chorus: amen!

‘I Got the Callback’ is the kind of song you pick as a single: fast, catchy chorus, super heavy bass, and… is that a slide in the guitar solo? Tasty! I wish we had in the booklet some indication of which guitarist plays what. That would help us understand better each player’s personality. Earworms: 1. The slide in the first guitar solo. 2. The high vocal note at the very end. Listening to the song for the first time, I really hoped Manuel would go there, and guess what? He does deliver the goods!

The next two songs, ‘Listen to the Voice’ and ‘Beast on the Loose’ were also previously released as soundtracks for horror movies, ‘Hillsborough Road’ and ‘Night of the Axe’, respectively.

‘Listen to the Voice’ is possibly my least favourite song on ‘Horror Paradise’. The guitar tone sounds a bit different from the rest of the album, making me wonder if, given that it comes from an earlier release, it was recorded in the same session as the others. Nevertheless, it still has its moments and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I really like the moody chorus. Earworm: Both guitar solos have licks that represent some of the finest guitar work on the record.

Things get back on track with ‘Beast on the Loose’. The song starts with a doom-y feel, and I was expecting Messiah Marcolin to rise from the grave. But we are quickly transported back to the Black Phantom realm with a metallic, galloping bass supporting a melodic guitar theme. Here, Manuel’s vocals remind me a bit of Blaze Bayley in the verses. This is not the most original song on the album, but the guitar lines are pretty memorable, it has a strong chorus, and the doom-y parts that open and close the tune are golden. Earworms: 1. The bridge and the chorus! I would love to see that live. 2. The climax at the end, when Manuel sings, “The beast is here, behind my back. I feel his breath upon my neck. The time has come for my demise.”

‘The Armour of God’ is a gem! Andrea opens with a modulated bass that perfectly complements Ivan’s groove. But it’s the guitars that really grab me by the throat. What are those riffs? As a Mercyful Fate fanatic, I can say that could easily come from Hank Shermann in the ‘Into the Unknown’ era! The song’s cadence is very atmospheric, and everything here works really well. It’s macabre in an ironic way, if you know what I mean. Earworms: 1. The riff in the verses, man! The riff in the verses! 2. The entire section from 03:07 until the end. This would’ve been an epic way to end the album, in my opinion.

The closing act is ‘J for Jenny’, the longest track on ‘Horror Paradise’ at just over 6 minutes. This is the second time the Phantoms explore the horrors of war, and there is a lot of dynamic going on. To me, here is where Manuel’s storytelling shines the brightest. It gives me a Fish vibe, especially reminiscent of the first two Marillion releases. This one may be among my favourites as well. The guitar theme is incredibly catchy, and you know what I’m going to say next, right? I love the chorus, because that’s how you win the war! Earworms: 1. The guitars in the verses 2. Manuel’s performance throughout the entire song. 3. Both guitar solos. They are exactly what they are supposed to be and help carry the story through the song—added appreciation for the bass supporting the second solo.

CONCLUSION

My constructive criticism goes to the lyrics. Some things here and there sound a little wonky, and the overall construction of them is a bit simplistic. Don’t get me wrong, English is not my first language either, and I understand how challenging it may be. To be very honest, they don’t really bother me that much personally. But I’ve watched and read enough reviews where English speakers say they can be really put off by accents or odd-sounding lyrics. Anyway, food for thought. Oh, and maybe you guys could consider a logo revamp as well (but that is 100% a personal point of view).

‘Horror Paradise’ came out on March 29th, through Punishment 18 Records. The album is a grower, and I hope people give it a proper chance. I don’t think there is a weak link anywhere in here, and I want to congratulate whoever defined the tracklist order. The album flows really well.

Black Phantom is not trying to reinvent the Metal wheel, so with the current level of attention span people have these days, at a first listen you may not find a lot of motivation to continue spinning ‘Horror Paradise’. However, if you pretend it’s a CD and it’s 1999 (or don’t pretend, just get a goddamned physical copy), play these songs more than once and you may want to add ‘Sammy’ or ‘War of Tanks’ to your playlists, or find yourself humming the choruses of ‘Come Hike with Me’ or ‘A Nightmare’ while you do the dishes on a Tuesday night (guilty!).

Solid album! Go listen to Black Phantom!

TheNWOTHM Score: 8/10