Following in the footsteps of the astonishing Witness (2021), Danish progressive metallers Vola return with the eagerly anticipated (not least by us) Friend Of A Phantom. Shaped by nearly three years on the road, Friend Of A Phantom finds Vola once again pushing the boundaries to create an album that captures that unique blend of melodicism and metal that has been the band’s calling card since their 2015 debut, Inmazes. With just nine songs spread over 40-minutes, it’s a concise set that captures the band in full-flight, with the result that it is as likely to draw in newcomers as it is to enrapture the band’s loyal following.
Opening the album, the surprisingly explosive Cannibal finds Vola in belligerent form, Asger’s elastic riff tearing into the listener without so much as a by your leave. With In Flames’ Anders Friden providing throat-ripping support, it makes for a suitably ferocious opener, and it sets a dark tone for the album. Second track Break My Lying Tongue makes good use of the momentum gained, Martin Werner’s stuttering synths paving the way for a fast-paced, yet dynamic track that shifts gears from haunting verse to EDM-influenced chorus without breaking a sweat. The calmer introduction to We Will Not Disband allows the listener to draw breath, but not for long, as a storming riff is just waiting in the wings. Boasting the sort of ethereal chorus that made Witness so compelling, We Will Not Disband feels like a mission statement for Vola, and it’s impossible not to feel your heart lift as the rich textures of the song slowly envelope you. It’s followed by the sublime atmosphere of Glass Mannequin, which recalls Katatonia with its sparse arrangement, subtle strings, and beautifully subdued vocals. All the more effective because it stays the course, the lingering threat opposed by the synths never fully realised; it leaves a question mark hanging that is only answered when the crunchy Bleed Out emerges from a haze of jabbering synths. A spiritual sequel to the epic These Black Claws from the last album, it’s one of the band’s heaviest compositions to date, and it brings the first half to a tumultuous close.
Opening the second side, the woozy EDM noise of Paper Wolf could just as easily be drawn from the Prodigy as Vola, although the visceral riff that follows soon dispels any notions of a drift into electronica. A tightly wound track with a typically enigmatic chorus, it’s an album highlight. It’s followed by I Don’t Know How We Got Here, which taps into Genesis (circa their synth-heavy self-titled album), the lyrics relating a tale of tragedy that leads inevitably to the question posed by the title. With the band teasing out the riff, Hollow Kid is a punishing number with industrial elements and minor key shifts that only add to the sense of unease. With shades of Porcupine Tree at their heaviest, it’s a tough track, albeit sweetened by a typically glorious chorus. The band wrap up this excellent album with Tray. A slow-burning piece set to the sound of a ticking clock, it slowly builds as layers of crystalline synth emerge to encase Asger’s elegiac vocals within a shining sonic prison.
Vola become increasingly essential with each release. While Witness felt like a career peak, Friend Of A Phantom effortlessly outpaces it, the band maintaining their smart grip on melody, while incorporating a few new tricks along the way. Perfectly paced, the band aided by their recent bout of touring, Friend Of A Phantom is one of those albums that just urges you to play on repeat, each spin revealing new details along the way. An easy entrant for album of the year lists, Vola have done it again. 9/10
