Phideaux
„Chupacabras“
Progressive/Psychedelic Rock.

• Jewelcase, CD. 2005
• Original
• Bloodfish Music
• zyz-1777
• used

When a "recycling of leftovers" is as successful as this album by inspirational monstrosity Phideaux Xavier, the term is meant positively. Phideaux says these songs were discovered by him. Makes sense in a mental phase space where all the songs that were, are and will be.

Everything that didn't make it onto the last two albums was reworked by the "virtual" band Phideaux. The full-length album "Chupacabras" is particularly progressive and psychedelic. The rest of the songs are varied.

It all kicks off with the short opener "Okay," featuring a distorted choir, which then segues into the 20-minute epic "Chupacabras." Here, Phideaux and his bandmates unleash a firework display of rock, art, folk, psychedelic, and prog that never gets boring. The highlight and heart of the album? Definitely. "Party" surprises with its wavy 80s vibes and witty lyrics. Male and female vocals alternate. The highlight? The entire album is a highlight. "Fortress Of Sand" transitions instrumentally into the punk-prog track "Ruffian On the Stairs," which then merges into the psychedelic song "Sunburnt." This interlude ends with "Return Of The Ruffian," and the closing track "Titan" skillfully breaks the wild ride, and not just only because Valerie Gracious takes over the female vocals.

"Titan," however, is more than just the closing track for me. After all the madness of this album, the song almost feels like a retreat. Valerie Gracious's way of singing shifts the mood, the guitars and keyboards amplify the melancholy. Vastness, loneliness, farewell, and solace ("all is known, all is new") make me think of the sea. The Titan, in his monumentalized strength, is no longer a Titan; he is unstable and fragile. This also applies to one-sided relationships, where one partner puts the other on a pedestal, even though they are just as fragile as we all are. And yet, there is hope, because when this fortress of sand crumbles, everything old is known, and something new can emerge. That's what the song means to me, even if it's probably too simplistic for Phideaux.

With its musical departure from the rest of the album, "Titan" does something for me that the other tracks don't. That's typical Phideaux for me; they always surprise me.

The production is flawless; all instruments and vocals come through exceptionally well. It's a multifaceted work, and with the title track, Chupacabras, no prog fan can possibly argue that it isn't prog. And the album isn't just about that one standout track.

Phideaux Xavier: guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals
Richard Hutchins: drums, percussion
Ariel Farber: violin, vocals
Valerie Gracious: vocals
Gabriel Moffat: dobro, synthesizer, textures, protools
Mark Sherkus: keyboards

Guest- Musicians
Stefanie Fife: cello
Biker HelFrostt: flutes, oboe, soprano saxophone
Devon Moffat, Kelci Moffat, Sydney Moffat: additional vocals

Fiendish 2003
Ghost Story 2004
Chupacabras 2005
313 2006
The Great Leap 2006
Doomsday Afternoon 2007
Number Seven 2009
Snowtorch 2011
Infernal 2018
AutoMoto Animus 2026

The photos are all from my CD. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.

TheProgThief.
©07.May.2025
Mk 2