Phideaux
Doomsday Afternoon
ArtRock concept album about eco-deterioration and authoritarianism. Haunting melodies, orchestral and rock instruments, vintage keyboards and long instrumental passages.
Here we are again... Doomsday Afternoon, our magnum opus. This art rock concept album is our first to utilize a small chamber orchestra (comprised of members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) as well as a few special guests.
The music is essentially one long song cycle broken up into two acts. Angry, passionate, melodic, funny, pretentious, tragic with plenty of instrumental freakouts...
For those who wanted more music along the lines of "Chupacabras" this is for you. We've been crafting this long winded rock extravaganza for the last year and now we are happy and proud to unleash it upon the world. It is truly our "Thick As A Brick" or "Scenes From A Memory".
Continuing on from "The Great Leap" is the fantastic artwork of Molly Ruttan. Seven fantastic new paintings adorn the libretto in this opus and helps explain the story. Truly, "Doomsday Afternoon" is a feast for both eye and ear.
Embrace our dark wave of progressive music and decide where you will be on doomsday afternoon.
Here are a few extracts from the public:
"If there is a list of modern artists who can be considered truly progressive, then Phideaux must surely be at the top of the list. Not only has each album documented the development of an artist and songwriter in terms of complexity and ambition but each has shown an admirable scope of diversity while still retaining an identity all of his own. With Doomsday Afternoon we reach, in progressive rock terms, the pinnacle of achievement thus far."
Mark Hughes, dprp.net
"Doomsday" is from now on the most elaborated Phideaux album, maybe his most beautiful as well. And when the lyrics are also meaningful… that's the icing on the cake. So what… is it a masterpiece ? I don't use the word often at all and only the test of time confirms that kind of statement, but "Doomsday afternoon" is certainly on the right foot to deserve that term, yes. It's without a doubt the Album of the Year. Essential!"
Marc Moingeon Review published in KOID'9 Nr62 – Summer 2007
"No doubt a very strong contender for “album of the year” the world over!"
John "Bobo" Bollenberg, On The Rocks
"The use and interaction of so many instruments means that this is one of those releases that always yields something new on each listen, and therefore is unlikely to be something you either ‘get’ on first listen, or chuck away to gather dust after just a few plays – its what we reviewers sometimes refer to as a ‘keeper’."
Tom De Val, dprp.net
"...simple, yet complex story driven by solid piano and strong vocals. Everything about it makes sense. Spare in spots, lush in others. All serve the piece. I can draw comparisons in little parts to Pink Floyd, Beatles, Camel, and Oasis. Another pair of ears may hear none of those. It is derivative of nothing, most definitely its own animal. Sadly lovely, the album filled me with emotion. I cannot recommend this album enough. I felt like I was listening in on a quiet piece of genius. Own this."
http://progsheet1.hypermart.net/
"What can I say about this ? I’m running out of superlatives before I even start. Doomsday Afternoon is an album of true grandeur; it’s a pinnacle of prog – a blistering beacon of brilliance. My first though as the final notes of the album died away was “Wow !!” as I scrabbled to hit the button to replay it."
Grant Mason, Three From Leith podcast
"You must pick up this album ASAP! His music continues to astonish and amaze my aural senses."
Ron Fuchs, ProgNaut.com
"Doomsday Afternoon is a concept album consisting of one long song cycle that has been broken up into two acts, just like the good old days of prog rock. If you’ve been waiting for the 21st Century’s answer to Jethro Tull’s A Passion Play then you just may have found it."
Epilepticgibbon, ProgressiveEars.com
"It really is music that touches all the emotions, lifting you up and throwing you down in equal measure.
Having lived it for a wee while now, I can safely say it's his best yet, usurping even "313" in my affections."
Stuart A. Hamilton, Space-Rock.co.uk
"Comparisons to ELP, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD, YES, GENTLE GIANT, UK, etc. are possible when hearing their 6th CD ‘Doomsday afternoon’. ...after listening a couple of times to their new album, I can conclude that this PHIDEAUX is a band that should not go unnoticed."
Strutter'zine
Pop: Dark Wave