Phantom Shadow

Phantom Shadow is the sixth album by the Swedish metal band Machinae Supremacy, which will be released on 22 August for central Europe, 25 August for the UK and 26 August for the US. The composition of the album is said to be complex and consist of many layers. It is confirmed to be a concept album by the band on their Facebook page. On their official forum a rumored track listing has been posted.

Produced & mixed by vocalist Robert Stjarnstrom, who helped form the band back in 2000, ‘Phantom Shadow’ is the follow-up to 2012’s ‘Rise Of A Digital Nation’ (also released via Spinefarm), and sees MS continuing to pursue their own musical path…

This time around, they have delivered an altogether deeper, more intricate, multi-layered body of work; a conceptual release – complete with cellos, violins, guest vocals & spoken word passages – detailing a story (in Stjarnstrom’s head since 2003 and reflected in the album art) that is likely to continue through the next full-length release as well.

In essence, this futuristic narrative touches on man’s use of technology and the quest for greater, ‘super’ powers, and it’s a tale told with considerable flair and the usual strong grasp on choruses and melodies; UK guitarist Mike Dawes – one of the world’s finest ‘finger-style’ players – guests on the track ‘Europa’, and the 16 musical passages (including video track ‘Renegades’) come across like the soundtrack to the kind of cleverly-plotted, fast-paced movie that will keep you guessing until the very end…

As for playing these new songs live, Machinae Supremacy – who toured the UK with Children Of Bodom back in 2011 – are planning a return in October, exact dates tbc; in the meantime, ‘Phantom Shadow’ provides plenty of topics for discussion, and plenty of music to both bang and scratch the head to!