Metal act Last Pharaoh have two things going for them right off the bat in my book- first, their debut album is called The Mantle of Spiders, which is pretty damn cool and so 'heavy metal', and second, they hail from New York's Hudson Valley, which, is where I also call home. Throw on top of all that their obvious influences of Judas Priest, Savatage, King Diamond, Megadeth, Crimson Glory, Nevermore, and Queensryche, and you have a very fun debut from a very capable group of musicians. Last Pharaoh are comprised of:
Tommy Santangelo - Vocals
Ron Toth - Guitars
Michael James - Bass
Ed Shelinsky - Drums
With a mix of US power metal, thrash, and some neo-classical shred, The Mantle of Spiders is a non-stop roller coaster ride of energetic, melodic, and potent heavy metal, which kicks off with the excellent anthem "Into the Darkness", complete with some terrific riffing and Santangelo's high pitched screams. "The Headless Horseman" is another winner, a memorable track with no shortage of blazing lead guitar work courtesy of Toth, who is truly a player worth watching. "Jekyll and Hyde", a track for all you classic monster lovers out there, is a venomous piece chock full of menacing riffs and Santangelo's King Diamond-meets-Warrell Dane upper register shrieking. Heavy bruisers such as "Deadly Dreams" and "Machinic Non-Conscience" follow, kick ass metal monsters squarely in the Judas Priest/Nevermore mold, while the tumultuous "Slave to the Kill (The Son of Sam)", an ode to the infamous New York serial killer David Berkowitz , blends raging thrash with booming classic styled metal, the riffs enormous and the vocals screaming to the heavens, with James & Shelinsky laying down a thunderous bottom end. Toth lends plenty of neo-classical fireworks to the fine instrumental "Desert Dreams", while the title track is a must hear for fans of vintage King Diamond, Nevermore, and Iced Earth, a dark, ominous, and ultimately heavy slice of classic metal. The chilling "Psychohouse" closes out the show, a monster of a track, the riffs massive, the groove deadly, the leads blistering, and the vocals ear-splitting.
There's so much headbanging fun on The Mantle of Spiders that I urge each and every one of you metalheads out there to give Last Pharaoh a shot. This is classic metal the way it ought to be played, and if you see these guys hitting a town near you (they are on the road now with Three Tremors, Vicious Rumors, and soon to be joining the Flotsam & Jetsam tour) make sure you go check them out. Well done!!!
Track Listing
1. Into the Darkness
2. The Headless Horseman
3. Jekyll and Hyde
4. Deadly Dreams
5. Machinic Non-Conscience
6. Slave to the Kill (The Son of Sam)
7. Desert Dreams
8. Mantle of Spiders
9. Psychohouse
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