Pharaoh CD Review
Pharaoh
The Longest Night
(Cruz Del Sur)
With the advantage of retro fetishism at their side, Pharaoh figure out what ailed the combined efforts of Saxon, Venom, and the other bands Iron Maiden left in their wake.
It was no coincidence Iron Maiden were on Ozzfest last year. A resurgence in dual-guitar, howling metal has been on the calendar for two years or more. Pharaoh’s take romanticizes the era as if it were the current regime, and deserve full points for never deferring to irony or tributism. “Sunrise” is a scorching opener, encompassing all their strengths down to Bruce Dickinson’s, whoops, Tim Aymar’s “Run To The Hills” wail. Differentiating Pharaoh from their obvious influences is equally challenging as it is futile: this is as original as taking home a Cold Cut Combo sandwich and adding your own Kraft cheese. But the success of The Longest Night is the enthusiasm, which, in this case, is all you can ask.
— Steve Forstneger
Click here to download “After The Fire.”
