Release Date: 24 July, 2001
Audio CD
Tracks
- Street of Dreams
- Shadow of Love
- There'll Come a Day
- Sanctum Sanctorum
- Is It a Dream
- Grimly Fiendish
- Edward the Bear
- Eight Day
- Trojans
- Grimly Fiendish [The Bad Trip Mix][*]
- Shadow of Love [10'' of Hell Mix] [*]
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Rating 4.5
We shall be the haunted men...I first bought this a few days before I went to a Damned gig in Islington and brought it back to shop the next day (I traded it for Rage Against The Machine's "Evil Empire"). At that point, the only albums I knew were "Machine Gun Etiquette" and "Damned, Damned, Damned" which are very silly, punk albums but as soon as I put "Phantasmagoria" in my CD player I got really confused... No distortion, No speed and most of all... No Sensible.
But then I discovered the links between "MGE" and "Phantasmagoria". That is "The Black Album" and "Strawberries" and eventually it prepared me for "Phantasmagoria". So any fans of the punk albums, listen to "The Black Album" and then "Strawberries" before you try this one out. This pretty much like "Distintegration" by the Cure (which I highly recomend in adition of this Damned opus if you are into this kind of stuff).
P.S.: Oh yeah... This edition should have included "Eloise" and "Temptation" rather than those bloody remixes.Timeless Fiendish FunI'm a punk fan and while I think The Damned's self-titled debut and Machine Gun Etiquette are great punk rock records, I prefer their more melodic, darker goth-tinged side. This album picks up where Strawberries left off(also a must have Damned album)with Dave Vanian's vocals at their peak, dramatic and melodic. This album has a heavier synth/piano use than Strawberries, and that record had a lot! There is also some sax on here which works so well, see Street of Dreams. The guitars are more relaxed and swirly on this album with warm, lush effects...almost a Cure-ish sound going on here. The bass is low and thundering, but still very prominent which is good. Like I sad the keys rule on this record, making this album more dramatic and epic in sound. Phantasmagoria has a huge 80's sound mainly from the synth effects and thats another reason I dig this album(I mean it WAS 1985). So strange this is only an import and not an easy find in stores. It is quite a good album with memorable songs. I think the reason I prefer this album and strawberries over the earlier punk albums is that The Damned's music became more layered and complex with a wider variety of instrumentation. This record represents the band coming full circle with the sound they were meant to have. Highlights include Shadow of Love, with the dark, low haunting vocals and driving bass...Is It A Dream is catchy and very 80's but good. Buy this cd if you like melodic dark rock with synths. If you like this you must check out Xymox's Twist Of Shadows and Tones On Tails' Everything album. Definitley recommmended. P.S. Your girlfriend will love this album.A Tribute to Syd BarrettCertain songs on this Album are reminiscent of tracks on the Pink Floyd Album, Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
I regard it as a tribute, that a band raised in the era of punk, would dare to record certain songs that show influences of Syd Barrett and early Pink Floyd. It is to their credit, that they pull it off so well, when it could have easily been a disaster.
I do not understand why Eloise and the other tracks on the 12 inch were not added as extra tracks to this CD, when it was reissued. The original cassette that I had, was able to do it, so why not the reissued CD?
I also would recommend Anything as a companion piece and do not understand why it is so hard to find on CD.
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