Phideaux
„Number 7“
Phideaux
„AutoMoto Animus“
Snowtorch by Phideaux
Phideaux
„Snowtorch“
Progressive Rock, Retro Prog. CD (EP) 2011
Phideaux EP “Snowtorch”, for some a stopgap between the last album of the trilogy (The Eco Terror Tale), “The Great Leap” (2006), “Doomsday Afternoon” (2007) and 2018, finally, “Infernal”. What happened in the nine years between the album "Number 7" (2009) and "Infernal"? Ah yes, the EP "Snowtorch" was released in 2011. At 44:44 minutes long, it's a full-fledged album in my opinion, and thematically, although not part of it, it fits with the trilogy or "Doomsday Afternoon". Some perceive it as a lame rehash or a use-up of leftovers, while some even criticize Phideaux for having lost his inspiration with "Snowtorch". Let's give it another listen; the cover shows clear signs of wear. Which is actually a good sign, isn't it? Unfortunately, the price tag inside has been torn out. Who puts a price tag inside the cover???
The first of the 4 songs, “Snowtorch Part One”, is 19:43 long and is divided into 4 parts: Star of Light, Retrograde, Fox on the Rocks and Celestine. It begins quietly with plenty of vocals. And again, it's song-oriented, typical of Phideaux. Equally typical, the lyrics flow beautifully into the song with a wonderful melody. I'm only talking about the lyrics! Together with the music, it's really good. “Helix”, at 05:54 significantly shorter, but still long enough and performed only by the female singers. It's also song-oriented prog in a nutshell. Side two begins with "Snowtorch Part Two" (16:11), which is divided into three parts: Blowtorch Snowjob (instrumental), Fox Rock (song-oriented), and Coronal Mass Ejection (also song-oriented). Everything flows together beautifully. This is what "modern" retro-prog is all about. The fourth song, "Untitled", takes up the musical theme again instrumentally. A brief conclusion to a thoroughly successful album.
The basic structure is criticized for being too similar and unsurprising. In my opinion, this criticism falls short, as it refers to Phideaux albums that lack internal coherence between their songs. “Chupacabras”, “Fiendish” or “313” are not concept albums like “Doomsday Afternoon”, “Number 7” and also “Snowtorch”. I prefer to compare "Snowtorch" to the trilogy, to which I believe it thematically fits, even if not officially. From this perspective, "Snowtorch" is neither boring nor uninspired; on the contrary, it complements "Doomsday Afternoon" and rounds out The Eco Terror Tale. Of course, this album can also be understood as a work in its own right.
My conclusion is clearly not objective. I consider "Snowtorch" another brilliant album from Phideaux and his musicians. And there are a lot!! Thematically, it's very similar and therefore feels cohesive. There are quiet passages, subtle intricacies in the instrumental parts, epic sections, and excellent vocals. Wonderful retro-prog. Whether you see "Snowtorch" as a standalone album or, like me, as a complement to "The Eco Terror Tale," it's highly recommended!
Phideaux Xavier: Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Matthew Kennedy: Bass Guitar
Stefanie Fife: Cello
Rich Hutschins: Drums
Gabriel Moffat: E-Guitar, Producer
Chris Bleth: Flute, Soprano Saxophone
Johnny Unicorn: Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals
Mark Sherkus: Keyboards, Piano
Molly Ruttan: Percussion, Vocals
Ariel Farber: Violin, Vocals
Linda Ruttan Moldawsky: Vocals
Valerie Gracious: Vocals
Fiendish 2003
Ghost Story 2004
Chupacabras 2005
313 2005
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.
No AI was used in the making of this Review.
©06.05.2024
(reworked 02.August.2026)
