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interview . . . WMA
In
late 1997, drummer Chris Black decided to prove wrong those who
said heavy metal was a dead art. Nearby bassist Chris Kerns liked
the odds. Guitarist Matt Johnsen meanwhile volunteered his wizardry,
and the three went to work. By 1999, they had an album’s
worth of material demoed and a powerful name: Pharaoh. There was
a label ready to release two songs on a compilation. There was
a cheap studio available for recording. But there was no singer.
From
out of nowhere (actually, through a mutual friend), the phenomenal
voice of Tim Aymar gave Pharaoh its final, defining element. An
experienced singer (Control Denied, Psycho Scream) with power
to spare, Tim dove right into the album the group had already
begun to piece together. With all four bandmembers actively contributing,
Pharaoh continued to work as a session project and eventually
completed its full-length debut in late 2002.
The
Italian label Cruz del Sur turned more than a few heads with the
April 2003 release of Pharaoh’s first album, After the Fire.
The response from the worldwide heavy metal underground was immediate
and encouraging. After the Fire’s broad yet incisive songwriting
attracted growing clusters of enthusiastic fans. Matt Johnsen’s
taut riffing and explosive solo technique meshed with an aggressive,
intuitive rhythm section to aptly demonstrate Pharaoh’s broad
vocabulary. But it was the vocal performance of Tim Aymar bringing
everything into focus, from the headbanging romp of “Heart
of the Enemy” to the imaginative and intensive fan favorite
“Now is the Time”.
Pleased
with the modest success of After the Fire, the group picked up
their individual pens to begin experimenting with the ideas that
had been tested on the debut. By the end of 2004, the blueprints
for an entire new album had been demoed, and the band was eager
to return to its natural habitat: the studio.
Entitling
its new album The Longest Night, Pharaoh spent much of 2005 at
MCR Studios under the guidance of Matt Crooks, who had recently
worked with Twisted Tower Dire and Division. Crooks’ skill
and experience made possible a fresh and stylish Pharaoh album
that changes with each song and grows with each successive listen.
The vast, clear production highlights the band’s dashing
musicianship as the album indulges the listener in songs both
contemplative and confronting. Songs like “By the Night Sky”
and “Endlessly” show a band that grows quickly and has
a seemingly unlimited range. A scene-stealing guest spot from
OHM: guitarist Chris Poland adds to the depth of tech-tinged opener
“Sunrise”, and distinctive album artwork from Jean-Pascal
Fournier perfectly embodies the energy found within.
The
Longest Night closes in as 2006 begins, and Cruz del Sur is ready
to launch it like a flaming arrow straight into the hungry hearts
of the metal faithful. A vast and adventurous album awaits the
world, full of bold songwriting, larger-than-life guitar, and
a performance that cements Tim Aymar’s standing as one of
the most commanding voices in metal. Like no other album, The
Longest Night is at once telepathic and electric, ancient and
consummately evolved.
