I like going in blind when listening to new artists or new music. All I knew of Black Daggers was their name and debut album title, Phantasmagoria. Neither generated pictures of rainbows or unicorns, but dark realities of maybe murderous unicorns covered in blood as the world ended in one apocalyptic scream.
Black Daggers is neither murderous, covered in blood, or apocalyptic screaming. They’re simply a Canadian band that has debuted with the brilliant concept album – Phantasmagoria. A mix blend of hard rock and metal, Black Daggers vocalist Valentine Vadal says this about the album’s concept,
On this record, our protagonist is really no one and everyone. The character makes a deal with the Devil and it quickly goes wrong when he sees his life unraveling. The album is as much about struggling with vices as it is dealing with depression and addiction. I wanted to really dig into the idea of drug-induced psychosis and explore where that might lead to paranoia and further self-destruction. I think in some ways the character will be relatable to people who’ve dealt with mental health issues or lived with addictions. The inner demons people battle that scratch the surface.
The tracks of Phantasmagoria‘s story are…
“Best I’ve Got” delves into the frustration of giving your all and still falling short and is a universal theme many can relate to.
Following a character in despair who strikes a deal with the Devil, “These Broken Bones”, shifts to the Devil’s perspectives and reveals the pact’s terms.
“Surfin’ a Vibe” opens with a Foo Fighters vibe, feels like early Nirvana at the same, and explores euphoria and possibly addiction, depicting a character’s manic behaviour after the Devil’s deal.
Portraying the antagonist’s descent into madness, “Voices” is also a vocal nod to the late Mark Lanegan.
Hello bass. I love you. The stand out track of Phantasmagoria is “I’m Here” which finds the character in a mental institution, plotting an escape, and ultimately realising his own insanity.
Steeped in 90’s grunge with sludge guitars and doomy bass, “Wasted” is the conversation with one’s inner demons, leaving the speaker’s identity intentionally ambiguous, resonating with those battling their own struggles.
Serving as the cautionary tale about the destructive path of addiction and the consequences of striking deals with the Devil, “City Limits” has a wonderful blend of Foo Fighters, Theory of a Deadman, and Seether.
And closing out Phantasmagoria is “Carpe Diem”. The hero reflects on wasted time and missed opportunities from beyond the grave, offering a poignant conclusion and was co-written with Marek Forysinski (Engineer, Rated R – Queens Of The Stone Age).
A concept album can go several ways, so rigid to the concept that it fails and becomes a bore, or so far from a concept that it makes absolutely no sense, but the way Black Daggers attacks their concept on Phantasmagoria is precise, clean, and wonderfully structured which allows the natural ebbs and flows of a storyline to move with ease.
The ideas, the story, the connection to the characters are there as if one is reading a book or watching a movie. Phantasmagoria is cohesive in its songs, music, and mood and that cohesiveness of Phantasmagoria is what makes the debut album from Black Daggers brilliant.
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: “Best I’ve Got”, “Im Here”, “Wasted”, “City Limits”, “Carpe Diem”
