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Here we are roughly 3 months into 2007 and still I find myself playing catch up with some of the fine releases of 2006. Pharaoh, hailing from Philadelphia, plays a style that truly falls under the umbrella of traditional metal, combining elements of thrash, European power metal, and a touch of prog. While it seems as if there are fewer and fewer bands who play straight ahead traditional metal any more, there are still yet many who claim to be influenced by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest & the likes. But honestly speaking, in how many of those bands can you hear these influences? Well after spending a good amount of time with The Longest Night I can assess that this is one album surely created for the traditional metal enthusiast. Lets start with the fact that Pharaoh is fronted by ex Control Denied vocalist Tim Aymar, whose powerful vocal range gives the band instant street credibility. It would not be a stretch in the dark to make the claim that Aymar’s performance on The Longest Night may just be one of his best yet, as his dynamic singing range simply commands your attention. The other contributing factor that makes this record so killer is the amazing guitar work of Matt Johnson. The melodic riffs and tasty leads are reminiscent of the best in melodic heavy metal and will have you headbanging in no time. Not to mention that the guitar tone is absolutely perfect for this style of music. However, the overall depth of the musicianship on The Longest Night may be its most surprising and valuable asset with all members contributing. Quite simply there is not one weak track among the 10, and each one seems to bring something to the table…From fist pumping anthems “ I am The Hammer” & “Fighting” to epic metal songs like “By The Night Sky”, all providing something memorable. For a modern metal record in the traditional mold, it is hard to imagine it being done any better than this and therefore The Longest Night comes highly recommended.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Sunrise |
| 2. I Am The Hammer |
| 3. In The Violet Fire |
| 4. By The Night Sky |
| 5. Endlessly |
| 6. The Longest Night |
| 7. Fighting |
| 8. Like A Ghost |
| 9. Up The Gates |
| 10. Never Run |
: 53.04
| Buy other Pharaoh albums |
