[.ca] Phantasmagoria

The Damned Goes Gothic, Loses The Punk:
For longtime Damned fans, "Phantasmagoria" and the follow-up album "Anything" were not welcome creations from the band that started the punk scene (they beat the Sex Pistols and Clash with the first record contract). By 1985, the band's sound was more gothic-pop than punk (Fans of The Cure, Sisters of Mercy, or Clan of Xymox take note). The album cover itself reflects the dark undertones found throughout many of the songs. Plenty of synths, organs, harpsicords and a touch of wind and howling here. "The Shadow of Love" is a haunting song with David Vanian's howl-like vocals and a driving bassline in the fashion of Killing Joke's "Love Like Blood" or Sisters of Mercy's "This Corrosion." "Is It A Dream" and "Edward The Bear" are pure pop and about as commercial as The Damned would ever become while "Grimly Fiendish" is a classic and humourous Halloween-flavoured track with a great harpsicord intro. The final track, "Trojans" (before the two bonus mixes)is an almost romantic instrumental and a perfect end to a very good album. As I said before, this album is not for early Damned fans so keep that in mind if "Smash It Up" and "Disco Man" are favorites. If you are a goth or darkwave fan, you must must must add this to your collection. There is a reason why this album is one of the band's hardest to find. If you like The Cure, Xymox, Sisters of Mercy or mid-80's Killing Joke and The Cult, then grab this CD and the equally dark follow-up "Anything."

WHAT ABOUT THE PYSCHEDELIA?:
EVERY REVIEW HERE SEEMS TO MENTION GOTH BUT THIS IS CLOSER TO PSYCHEDELIC SIXTIES MUSIC WITH A BIT OF ARTHUR BROWN STYLE HORROR THROWN IN. THE DAMNED ALWAYS HAD A THING FOR LATE SIXTIES PYSCH- ITS SPLATTERED AMONGST THE BLACK ALBUM AND STRAWBERRIES ESPECIALLY- CHIMY ORGANS-HARPSICHORDS- THE OVERENGLISH COCKNEY STYLE VOCALS AND CIRCUS SOUNDING MUSIC- ON PHANTASMOGORIA YOU CAN HEAR IT ON EDWARD THE BEAR-TROJANS-SHADOW OF LOVE-THE EIGHTH DAY- AND OTHERS. OVERALL ITS THE STYLISTIC GOTHIC COVER AND BAD HAIR THAT GETS THEM SLUMPED IN WITH THE SISTERS AND THE CURE. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A BRITISH PYSCHEDILIC UPDATE AND ATTEMPT AT COMMERCIAL SUCCESS THAT FAILED AND SUCCEDED IN EQUAL MEASURE. VANIANS VOICE WAS NEVER BETTER IF A BIT OVER THE TOP AT TIMES BUT THIS IS A GREAT DAMNED ALBUM NON THE LESS. SHADOW OF LOVES BASSLINE IS STRAIGHT OUT OF SOME LOST MORRICONE WESTERN SOUNDTRACK-THERE ARE HORNS AND GLOCKIENSPIELS APLENTY- AND THE NEW EXTRA REMIX VERSIONS ARE FUN (BUT A BIT DATED WITH THE BIGROOM EIGHTIES STYLE BASS DRUM). fOR ALL YOU GOTHS WHO WANT TO SOMETHING TRULY SCARY- CHECK OUT ARTUR BROWN (CRAZY WORLD OF) A BOWIE SOUNDING BLUES-PYSCHEDILIC MADMAN WHO SCREAMS AND CROONS ABOUT APOCALYPSE-MURDER-DARKNESS CIRCA 1967. FOR PUNK FANS THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A BETRAYAL- BUT CHANGE IS MORE PUNK THAN PLAYING THE SAME THREE CHORD OVER AND OVER. THE DAMNED LIKE THE JAM-THE CLASH AND ALL GOOD BANDS WERE STRETCHING THEIR WINGS HERE- YES ITS ABIT COMMERCIAL OR OVERPRODUCED- BUT THERE ARE SOME REAL GEMS HERE AND SOME STRANGE TUNES THAT WOULD NEVER BE PLAYED ON RADIO. WORTH BUYING!

Finally and end to my search!:
I have searched high and low for a copy of this cd.. Tried ordering it from music stores in area, with no luck. You actually had it! I love this album even after all these years!

Another failed project, but not totally dispensible:
I think this and Music For Pleasure were the two black dots on an otherwise awsome carrer for The Damned. While this is the better of the two it still isn't as good as the others. Not really a bad album just not a very great one. It does have its moments "Is It A Dream", the Beatle-eske"Grimly Feindish(the best song)", and "Trojans" do have a gothic charm. It feels like they lost the fun element of their earlier efforts and tried to replace it with gloom and sadness. Just imagine the Damned without punk and you'd get this one. Felt like "13th Floor Vendetta", "The Dog", and "Life Goes On" over and over and over again, not really my cup of tea but the more gothic fans will love it.

Almost a great album.:
In truth, I'd only give this album 3.5 but seeing as that option is unavailable I have rounded it up to 4. The Damned are back without Mr.Sensible and the songs become, well, more sensible! Dave Vanian really came into his own proving what a great singer and performer- but Roman Jugg didn't have enough personality to fill the gap left by the Captain. As such this album isn't as experimental and varied as the previous 3 albums. The first half of this album is great, but the rest are unremarkable. Street of Dreams is a Damne dclassic with great drums by Scabies, and Shadow of Love is a great pop/goth track with great Vanian vocals. There'll Come A Day is similar to Street of Dreams, Is It A Dream is good song and Sanctum Sacntorum is the albums masterpiece. I'm not a fan of the single Grimly Fiendish but the Bad Trip Mix (a bonus track here) is quite good. The rest I can leave. Worth buying and playing regularly, just not as regularly as Machine Gun Etiquette, Black album or Strawberries.

• Street of Dreams
• Shadow of Love
• There'll Come a Day
• Sanctum Sanctorum
• Is It a Dream
• Grimly Fiendish
• Edward the Bear
• Eighth Day
• Trojans
• Grimly Fiendish \oThe Bad Trip Mix\c\o*\c
• Shadow of Love \o10'' of Hell Mix\c\o*\c