By CA Marshall
Editor | Starlight Music Chronicles
(previously posted on Indie Habit)
If I had knowledge of the self-titled album release for
Chicago-based band Phosphene on March 19th of 2015, I would have definitely
requested it as a birthday gift the next day. There are often many profiles of
bands and Artists that cross my desk any given day and it’s not until I get a
chance to sit and really listen to the music that I am inspired to write a
review. This is the case with the female fronted band comprised of Jeni Leigh
(Lead Vocals), Michael Slazar (bass guitar), Dan Bikar (guitar), and Andrew
Cantore (drums).
The band debut in 2014 and since, has acquired the attention
of several notable media platforms and press appearances such as Alternative
Press and Revolver magazines to name a few. In fact, Lead vocalist Jeni was
chosen as Revolver’s ‘Hottest Chick in Hard Rock’ shortly following the band’s
album release. In addition, their album has been spun on notable radio stations
throughout the USA and they have been invited to Vans Warped Tour in 2014 and
2015. Other notable appearances are on FOX News, ABC 7 NEWS Chicago, The Mancow
Show, and ESPN’s ‘Friday Night Fights’ show hosted by Mike Tyson (Jeni sang the
anthem). They have also toured with The Pretty Reckless, Lacuna Coil and Sick
Puppies, Judas Priest, Breaking Benjamin, Foghat, and George Thorogood.
So all accomplishments aside, let’s get into the album
review shall we?
Phosphene’s self-titled album is a 12-track Alternative Rock
‘golden nugget’: the tracks ‘Riot’, ‘Hold On’, and ‘Anti Hero’ are consistent
in their composition and sound which is truly hard rock at its finest- the
guitar riffs are a religious experience throughout the album, but especially in
these three songs . The single ‘Scream’ is reminiscent is a mixture of delicate
and powerful with Jeni’s vast vocal range followed by ‘Antidote’ which is also
similar in composition and sound comparative to ‘Scream’. Going further into
the album, ‘Warrior’ is probably one of the most captivating of this album with
its powerhouse vocals and lyrics. Instrumentation in the song ‘Lock Me Away’
with piano woven throughout creates yet another layer of genius with this
band’s ability to prove they are diverse in sound. Lyrics throughout the album
as well as in previous content from the band are purposeful and intentional and
support the overall ‘Hard Rock’ image that is portrayed.
Going further, I have taken a look at the band’s website and
can see that along with strong affiliations and endorsements they have also
acquired an equally strong fan base (120,000 and growing!) through consistent
live performances that can be viewed on both photo galleries (website) and
their YouTube channel. The kind of band that impresses the masses is the ones
that truly remain humble in their approach and that is apparent throughout
their connection with their fans. This is apparent with consistent
communication with fan and industry feedback on their social media platforms
and reflects a band that is willing to spend the extra few minutes a day
responding to comments on their posts.
It is safe to say that for a band so early in its inception
stages to have already acquired so many accomplishments in a relatively short
period of time is indicative that they are going to go the whole distance with
their career on all levels. Fabulous!
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