Diamonds & Rust: 20 Years Of Pharaoh’s The Longest Night

[Album artwork by Jean-Pascal Fournier]

In order to fully appreciate the impact of a record like The Longest Night, we really need to hop into our handy Bill & Ted’s phone booth and dip back 20-25 years to get a better picture of what was happening in heavy music as we all cautiously sashayed into the Y2K portal.

First and foremost, metal forums were still very prevalent back then—those sacred bastions for deep intellectual pursuits that explored everything from the best Boss HM-2 bands to favorite Opeth bootlegs to which King Diamond song you’d punnify if you started a crappy BBQ truck.

Forums were a big part of (our precursor) Metal Review’s success back then, all the way up to their untimely death at the insistence of Facebook 10+ years ago, and many of the relationships forged between its members became substantial enough to evolve into longterm bonafide friendships. Case in point: most all of the 20+ members of the current Last Rites family are connected at the behest of Metal Review and its forums, and we absolutely spend a fair bit of free time reminiscing about war stories from the early 2000s.

That cozy citadel of yore was one that featured a delightful (*cough*) combination of old timers who’d been in the metal game since the ‘80s, a bunch of folks who’d jumped into the scene somewhere inside the ‘90s, plus a handful of trolls whose only purpose it was to inspire everyone else to question if perhaps the internet as a whole was a huge mistake. In other words, HEAVEN.

Back then, we of the dinosaur class spent a good bit of time waxing poetic about the classics and doing whatever we felt was necessary to keep the old fires alive. But honestly, those early 2000s weren’t all that kind to what we now generally refer to as ‘trad metal’ in the modern age. Sure, there were some notably strong salvos from predictable heavy hitters such as Iron Maiden, King Diamond, Blind Guardian, et al., plus the unexpected and kingly resurgence of Manilla Road. But people like discovering new bands, even if the end result from those fresh projects delivered music that sounded as dusty as Sad Wings of Destiny getting into a dust-up with Masters of Reality.

Luckily, we did have a handful of newish trad bands to celebrate back then, including The Lord Weird Slough Feg, Wolf (2002’s Black Wings, 2004’s Evil Star), Twisted Tower Dire, (2001’s The Isle of the Hydra, 2003’s Crest of the Martyrs) and Onward (2001’s Evermoving, 2002’s Reawaken), just to name a few, with the addition of one or two fistfuls of outliers dipped in thrash and doom. As it happens, though, most of what those bands managed to summon was largely outweighed by metal off-shoots that were a hell of a lot more trendy in the early noughts: post-metal / sludge (Cult of Luna, Isis, Mouth of the Architect, Pelican), stoner metal (Electric Wizard, Sleep, Yob, High On Fire), the oddly designated “new wave of American metal” (Lamb of God, Trivium, All that Remains, etc.), the return of legit US black metal (Leviathan, Xasthur, Weakling, Nachtmystium, Draugar),  plus an imposing stack of disparate curiosities you might’ve heard of that included Opeth, Amon Amarth, Children of Bodom, Gojira, et al. In essence, not really much opportunity for good ol’ traditional metal to maintain elbow room and get noticed. Not really a complaint, mind you—just the reality of an ever-shifting, notably dynamic scene.

Then, as if by the will of the immortals themselves, Cruz del Sur Music waltzed onto the playing field. Some of us were already aware of the label, thanks largely to their efforts in getting Hammers of Misfortune’s The August Engine (2003) and Feg’s Atavism (2005) into our hands, but they REALLY put the hammer down in 2006 by offering up the following heap of precious ore for exploration:

» Pharaoh – The Longest Night (February 2006)
» Hammers of Misfortune – The Locust Years (June 2006)
» Bible of the Devil – The Diabolic Procession (June 2006)
» Crescent Shield – The Last of My Kind (October 2006)

Clearly we’re here to talk about The Longest Night, though, as it was the first amongst the above to drop, and when it did, the crater it left in the Metal Review forums sparked YEARS of blissful study. Truth told, beyond immediately captivating the old-heads, I’m 100% certain the record furthermore served as an impetus for more than a few members finally committing to backwards excavation into the bands that inspired Pharaoh’s creation. So, a sweet win for the dusty historians.

As was (and continues to be) tradition, we immediately judged that book by its cover. Jean-Pascal Fournier was the artist responsible, a fellow whose name and style is likely familiar to anyone who enjoys power metal, particularly Avantasia / Edguy, and an individual whose personal history also happens to unfortunately include an incredibly tragic event—the murder of his 80 year-old father—that lead to Fournier’s arrest sometime in 2020. Mental collapse and calamity aside, Fournier nailed an overall vibe here that balanced futurism and ancient history into something that felt immediately inviting. That superb shade of blue was undeniably tempting, and who the hell amongst us wouldn’t want to join the rest of that swarm to investigate whatever that giant crystal was about to impart upon the land. Suffice to say, as far as album cover artwork was concerned, THE TRAP WAS SET.

It’s worth noting that this wasn’t Pharaoh’s first foray under the Cruz del Sur banner. The label’s launch was prompted by owner Enrico Leccese after he decided to return to Italy following an extended stay in Argentina—a stop that included an endeavor where he and a friend kicked off an enterprise called Icarus Music, which still stands today as one of the more respected underground labels in Argentina. Pharaoh’s debut, 2003’s After the Fire, was reportedly first slated as an Icarus release, but Enrico instead opted to take the masters back to Italy for use as the CdS flagship. Now, let’s be clear: that Pharaoh debut ain’t no slouch, but compared to the subsequent The Longest Night?… Improvements achieved on every front.

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The first thing that jumps out amidst inaugural runs here is the presence of vocalist Tim Aymar, who wasn’t exactly a stranger to anyone already familiar with Chuck Schuldiner’s final project Control Denied, a progressive USPM band that produced one moderately flawed full-length in 1999 called The Fragile Art of Existence. Aymar was a clear focal point in Control Denied, just as he is here, using that notably spirited and gravelly approach to wailing to his full advantage 100% of the time—something Pharaoh honestly maximized to the point of detonation across every single one of their releases.

Aymar was the consummate studio metal singer: A practicing vocal coach with loads of awareness and experience who really, really understood the benefits of compounded layering in order to underscore oomph and HOOK. All of this hits immediately with the album’s stellar launch of “Sunrise,” an opener that’s so stacked front to back with elements of galloping glory, smooth melody and infectiousness that it could easily qualify as any trad album’s totally triumphant closer, but Pharaoh’s just getting started. Also of note, that first solo is provided by none other than ex-Megadeth axeman Chris Poland, and he slays it.

Aymar belts out his lines with the conviction of a field commander galvanizing a gaggle of villagers forced to fight with wooden hay forks. In other words, it’s inspired as balls, and anyone within earshot will likely run wherever the hell Tim points toward battle. Adding to his advantage is the fact that he absolutely slays the lyrics on The Longest Night, a boon that was frankly shared by the entire Pharaoh squad on this record. That’s a significant benefit amidst an off-shoot that’s never really been known for its, um, deep approach to lyrics. What’s rather hilarious is the fact that Aymar eventually admitted (via an interview with Sea of Tranquility) that the lyrics to “Sunrise” were inspired by having to deal with noise in a new apartment shared with his brother. But with brilliance such as this…

“Sunrise, how you offend the eyes
Befoul the breath of morning
And by your force I’m drawn into the light
Beneath the blinding eternal flame
My shadow’s dreadful bane
Spare me, sunrise
Go back from whence you came”

…It could just as easily be interpreted as a hungover Shakespeare burying his head under a mountain of pillows following a spirited evening of 17th century slam poetry.

Musically, this is bonafide US power metal cut from a similar cloth as, say, early Queensrÿche, Savatage, Fates Warning, Fifth Angel and the like. But it’s also a true melting pot of classic influences that stressed a more modern sheen, ultimately safeguarding The Longest Night from being tossed to the side as some sort of xerox of a photocopy of a facsimile of Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. In that regard, the album fell right alongside the Slough Fegs and Hammers of Misfortunes of the day that helmed a new movement that rekindled classic metal’s tenets in a way that felt fiercely revitalized and encouraging. For Pharaoh, the fretwork of guitarist Matt Johnsen really helped in that regard, setting the band apart with a unique imprint that largely opted to forgo heft for the sake of heft in favor of a biting edge that was very capable of quick cuts and mad dashes. His is a notably busy and inventive style whose closest comparison is likely Criss Oliva (Savatage), particularly in the way he strings together leads, and he joins Oliva in the ranks of highly underrated metal guitarists who deserve more accolades. Listen to a song like “In the Violet Fire” and let his exceptional approach to melody and liveliness cut straight through the grays of ordinary life.

Holy HELL am l ever still madly in love with that transition just after the 4-minute mark where drummer Chris Black (High Spirits, Dawnbringer, Aktor, etc.) starts kicking that bass drum and Johnsen unchains that wonderfully dirty riff. Black adds some periodic rolls, the riff continues, and then everyone else jumps back in for the song’s soaring close. And sisters and brothers, Matt Johnsen’s nimble and delicate melody in the closing seconds of this song may seem trivial on the surface, but it’s testament to the guy’s innate ability to annihilate with elegance. Within moments like these, it genuinely saddens me that this dude doesn’t do more with other projects today.

The more epic / fantastical face of Pharaoh that draws from classic Arch-era Fates Warning and Iron Maiden gets quite a bit of attention throughout The Longest Night, but the record is absolutely NOT afraid to bring more heat as well. “I Am the Hammer,” “Fighting,” Up the Gates” (SCORCHER) and “Like a Ghost” all push past the posted speed limits, and I will never tire of Pharaoh’s insanely bright approach to aggression that’s just so… “I AM COMING AT YOU WITH A HAMMER, BUT I HAVE A PLEASANT SMILE ON MY FACE.”

Has… has metal ever encountered a breakup song similar to “Like a Ghost” where the protagonist relates his heartsick woes amidst a hurtling melody that sprints as gleefully as a kid attacking presents on Christmas morning? Noooope siree Bob, it has not.

And if you can’t find inspiration from the full gallop of “Fighting” that pushes the exhilarating line, “We’re fighting in the dark / We’re fighting after midnight / We’re fighting for a fantasy reality, in case our dreams are right / ON WE FIGHT!”, then we’re simply cut from a different cloth. This song also features the album’s most insanely fiery lead, courtesy of guest Jim Dofka, and the band very wisely opts to end the song on its burning trail.

In the end, perhaps the best way to summarize the sheer bigness of The Longest Night is to underscore just how well the album achieves this strong sense of ‘completeness’ down to its very crux. Every song here feels totally thorough in its objective to tell a complete story that stands on its own, giving the band the option to choose any one of them as the triumphant opener intended to draw you in or an epic closer aimed at convincing the listener to hit play again. Zero flat spots across the album’s full 53 minutes, basically, and all of it offering up a perfect balance of melody, moodiness, aggression and ENERGY. Being forced to pick a closer, though? I kind of love that they opted to end the journey with a spirited instrumental that flexes such strong “Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra)” vibes.

Here’s the kicker: As leveling as The Longest Night was and continues to be all these years later, I happen to believe Pharaoh got a touch better upon the release of its follow-up, 2008’s Be Gone, thanks largely to the modicum of further elegance, sleekness and progression. But then, the truth of the matter is this: there really are no bad Pharaoh albums. Sure, the debut doesn’t quite hit the same highs compared to what followed, but the building blocks are still clearly there to be enjoyed.

Still, it makes perfect sense to single out and venerate The Longest Night, not only due to its capacity musically, but also because… How the hell could we not honor the 20th anniversary of a record that cratered the forums and 2006 as mightily as this? There’s such a massive ‘time & place’ vibe attached to it and the way the album managed to reignite the old-heads just as strongly as it inspired newcomers to finally open their eyes and ears. Accordingly, The Longest Night continues to stand as one of thee definitive records to hand over to stragglers addicted to saying things along the lines of, “yeah, I just don’t like power metal.” Oh, you don’t? Well cram the following 53 minutes of golden glory into your earholes and get ready to eat those words like they were smothered in nachos.

Unfortunately, the story ends on a somber note with the very unfortunate passing of Tim Aymar in February of 2023 at the far too young age of 59. And being such a distinctive and crucial part of the Pharaoh puzzle, the band decided to shutter the windows following that grievous incident. You know, as much as I’d be there if the remaining members were to soldier forward with someone new behind the mic (like—oh, I dunno—Brian “Butch” Balich from Argus? Hint-hint nudge-nudge), it’s impossible to grouse over their decision after supplying this much quality heavy metal that spotlights Aymar at the very top of his game. Suffice to say, that mighty and singular voice is missed, and we’re lucky to have a record as powerful as The Longest Night within arm’s reach to illustrate precisely why that’s the case.

Happy 20th anniversary, you loud & proud belter. Long may you reign.

Pharaoh – The Longest Night
1. Sunrise [8:04] (music: Johnsen, Aymar / lyrics: Aymar)
2. I Am the Hammer [3:02] (music: Johnsen, Black / lyrics: Black, Aymar)
3. In the Violet Fire [5:06] (music: Johnsen, Aymar / lyrics: Aymar)
4. By the Night Sky [8:13] (music / lyrics: Kerns)
5. Endlessly [5:25] (music: Johnsen, Aymar / lyrics: Aymar)
6. The Longest Night [4:07] (music / lyrics: Kerns)
7. Fighting [5:03] (music: Kerns, Johnsen, Black, Aymar / lyrics: Black)
8. Like a Ghost [5:17] (music: Johnsen, Aymar / lyrics: Aymar)
9. Up the Gates [5:18] (music / lyrics: Johnsen)
10. Never Run [3:29] (music: Black)