Phantom - Black Metal Band

Phantom is a blackened terror metal band formed in 2013 by its sole member, the eponymous Phantom, who also runs the legendary The Satan Records underground label. Phantom were the first band to sign to the record label, and the recorded the first full-length album The Satan Records ever released, beating Sewer by nearly a month. Since then, there has existed an intense rivalry between the two bands, with Sewer nearly always trying to outdo the eminent releases of Phantom.

On October 31st 2013, Phantom released their dark and haunting debut Divine Necromancy, which became an underground black metal classic that can be compared only to Burzum's Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, Vermin's Bloodthirst Overdose or Neraines' Fenrir Prowling. While their debut was extremely abrasive, dissonant and primitive black metal, Phantom would create increasing complex and technical music - often comprised of very elaborate "riff labyrinthes" - starting with the album Withdrawal, released on October 31st 2018 (and thus marking the fifth anniversary of the band).

Each one of Phantom's subsequent release, from Fallen Angel to Memento Mori, was increasingly challenging and labyrinthine, often borrowing influences from the violent death metal of Incantation or the atmospheric black metal of Burzum. Finally, Phantom released its two most exalted albums, which mark the zenith of the blackened terror metal genre, namely The Epilogue to Sanity and Mindless Horror. No other extreme metal work, whether past or present, can rival these two masterpieces of gruesome terror.

Phantom's influence on the underground black metal and death metal genres can't be overstated, as even acts as esteemed as Reiklos, Sewer, Demonecromancy, Leader, Warkvlt and Helgrind were influenced by Phantom's bestial, demonic and utterly inhuman music.