The Facts
Artist	Phantom Stranger
Album	Phantom Stranger
Musicians	Rob Wiley - Lead Guitars John Salabounis - Lead Guitars Dan Allen - Bass Ray Underwood - Vocals Joe Valente - Drums
Produced By	Robert Wiley, Rex Carroll, and Phantom Stranger
Mixed By	Rex Carroll and Rob Wiley
Recorded By	Rex Carroll
Recorded At	Girder Mode, Waukegan, IL
Track Listing	1). Trembling 2). House Of Lies 3). Taken Away 4). Ender's Game 5). Masks 6). Tale Of Nightshade 7). If I Have To 8). Out Of Time 9). Shades Of Ivory 10).Phantom Stranger
Record Label	Night Shade Music
Available At	Phantom Stranger
Reviewed By	Eric J. Olsen
The Opinion
On their self-titled album, Phantom Stranger gives the listener flashbacks to the early metal scene. Even though the tracks could be fifteen years old, the album still has an edge to it. With solid musicianship and songwriting, Phantom Stranger provides a good listen, albeit to a somewhat limited audience. If you don't like old school metal, you probably won't like this album. But if you are a fan of that genre, Phantom Stranger is a band you should check out. The strong point of the album is the guitar work. Rob Wiley and John Salabounis work well off each other. Although, musically, the entire album is rock solid. The only time the album lags a bit is with the vocals. At times, Ray Underwood provides strong vocals that complement the power of the music beautifully. At others, the vocals are a bit light and don't really fit in with the aggressive music behind them. Another aspect of the album that remains consistent is the quality production. The sound they achieve is excellent, especially with the guitars and drums. Whether it's the power of "House Of Lie" or the haunting melodies of "If I Have To," the balance they maintain between the individual instruments adds to the songs. Overall, Phantom Stranger does a good job of presenting their songs. The energy level on the album is fairly high, which can be difficult with their genre of music. Their lyrics are mostly standard for their style. With the exception of the almost anti-sex song, "Trembling."
Nutshell Review
Phantom Stanger is an album caught out of time that provides the listener with a link back to the early 80's metal scene.
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