VOLA - Friend Of A Phantom (CD)

It has been three years since the release of VOLA's defining album, ‘Witness.’ It was a sonic assault that captured their signature blend of thoughtful labyrinthine narratives with crushing riffs and experimental sophistication. Heavy/quiet and dark/light were combined with elements of tech-metal, progressive alt-rock, electronica, and stadium-sized choruses.

They've since wrapped up two tours of the US with several venues upgraded due to overwhelming demand, as well as sold-out shows in New York, Chicago and the iconic Troubadour in Los Angeles, where the band struck up a friendship with In Flames' Anders Fridén - who features on the new album. Their first tour of Canada resulted in sold-out shows in Toronto and Montreal, and they rounded off the continent with triumphant South American shows in Mexico, Brazil, and a sold-out show in Chile.

The Danish-Swedish quartet - Asger Mygind (vocals/guitar), Martin Werner (keys), Nicolai Mogensen (bass), and Adam Janzi (drums) - are now, to set free their fourth studio album. Their strength has always been combining a multitude of ideas within a single song, packing it in with a grandiose power that can be as ferocious as it can be delicate.

Talking about their evolution, Janzi says. "We have had the time to internalise ‘Witness’ and let its aftermath sink in, which has shaped how we approached ‘Friend Of A Phantom.’ Our personal tastes have changed, the way we approach our instruments and songwriting has changed, our lives have changed, time has passed, and adventures have been had. Whatever piece of melancholy that ‘Witness' had, has just grown and become a central part of this new album. I feel that VOLA has grown and reached a new moment in its life, maturing."