Red Animal War

Item: Black Phantom Crusades
Author: Kriss Stress

Black Phantom Crusades

(2002)

Reviewed by Kriss Stress

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Label Deep Elm RecordsDecapolisApril 2003

indie rock post-hardcore post-punk

In hindsight, 2002 was a pretty great year for rock music wasn't it? Looking around the musical landscape, you had all of the major rock critics hailing bands like The Hives, The White Stripes and The Strokes as the "next big thing" in rock n' roll; and if you weren't soaking up the latest records in the garage rock glut, you could always turn to the blossoming "emo" trend right? Looking back in all actuality, perhaps 2002's musical crop was pretty bland after all. With the exception of bands like Cave In (veterans of innovative music already), Sleeping At Last and mewithoutYou (who have themselves been accused of ripping off the DC post hardcore genre of the late 80's) among others, there wasn't too much going on.

Perhaps 2003 will bring greener pastures right? Dallas, Texas's Red Animal War might be an answer to that hope springs eternal. With their new record Black Phantom Crusades, out on Deep Elm Records they fully live up to the expectations that they gave us with last year's self-titled split EP with Slowride and 2001's Breaking In An Angel. The band has been known to describe their music as "progressive post punk/funk war." They're not too far off the mark.

Brian Pho's limber bass playing is a definite highlight in this musically well oiled machine. He exhibits his prowess on songs like the chaotic "And So It Begins With Bombs," "Mouse," and "When Fat Pigs Fly." The drumming is spastic and captures a sound larger than life. It's almost as if Jeff Wilganoski was on fire during the recording of a large part of this record as his drumming is explosive and powerful. Lead vocalist Justin Wilson's vocal delivery is powerful and full of conviction. He sings with an almost nervous energy, as if he sincerely believes in the lyrics that he's singing. Imagine that, sincerity.

The guitars on the record are equally ferocious, at times bringing to mind bands like U2 and at other times, sounding more akin to At The Drive-In having flashbacks of Jawbreaker and Seaweed. "Photel California" rises and falls for two minutes before exploding into the climatic "Jambalaya" (featured on Deep Elm's recent Emo Is Awesome/Emo Is Evil compilation) while "Straight Lines For Construction Workers" is silent at times and tense at others. The record closes with "Right Now, Today, I Don't Believe In Hell" which is a seemingly perfect ending to an album that's bound to make quite a few waves in the indie rock underground.

A refreshing record that will no doubt be heralded as a classic in its own due time alongside earlier works by Nation of Ulysses and At The Drive-In. It's a pity that the record buying populace won't recognize this over the glut of two bit no talent bands that are clouding their airwaves instead.