Fantom Warior
Encyclopedia
Fantom Warior was an American thrash metal
band founded in 1984 in Union, New Jersey. consisting of John Chernack (bass guitar and vocals), Keith Pires (guitar and vocals), James Jensen (drums) and Steve Schley (guitar). The band's major influences were Slayer
, Metallica
and Anthrax
. Fantom Warior had a self-distributed demo and album as well as appearing on a compilation album. Fantom Warior's musical style was said to be hardcore thrash similar to Slayer and Kreator with changes throughout their songs that mix speedcore and very heavy thrash. Their music contained a blend of speed and technical development unknown to some of the other bands of their time.
cover band
under the name Phantom Lord in 1984 in Union, New Jersey. The original lineup featured guitarist Keith Pires, drummer James Jensen, bass guitarist John Chernack, guitarist Steve Schley and vocalist Dave Montini. The band had a number of lead vocalists, most notably Jason Glicken (alias Raeph Glicken) who continued his music career as a drummer for a number of hardcore punk
bands such as S.F.A., Kill Your Idols
and The Arsons, as well as the black metal
band Black Anvil. In early 1985, the lineup of John Chernack, Keith Pires, James Jensen, and Steve Schley, with Chernack and Pires taking on vocal frontmen duties, changed the band name to Fantom Warior due to the emergence of another New York band using the name Phantom Lord. The group's first live performance as Fantom Warior was at the Show Place in Dover, New Jersey, in May 1985.
In March, 1986, Fantom Warior released a five track demo tape containing original material entitled "Morbid Invasion
". It was distributed worldwide and was well received by a number of metal magazines in both the US and in Europe. Critic Esben Slot Sorensen of the Danish metal magazine Blackthorn wrote "This is a killer demo! Fantom Warior will be a very possible subject for the 'demo of the year 1986' poll ... you must take a look on the cover just to assure you that it is not Tom Araya who's singing". Critic Mike Exley for the UK metal magazine Metal Forces
wrote "Morbid Invasion is both a classic and a must for true metal fans and bands to listen to ... Morbid Invasion leads off with a solid riff, but it's the middle section of this song that has me foaming at the mouth". Writer Andrew Sakowicz from the Chapel magazine felt that with bands like Fantom Warior, "the East Coast is finally a scene to be reckoned with".
In April, 1987, Fantom Warior was one of nine artists of varying musical genres to appear on a compilation album distributed by Merlin Recording Studios. The record album entitled Merlin Music Presents . . . featured a track from Fantom Warior entitled "E.R.C." (Eat the Rotting Corpse) which did not appear on their "Morbid Invasion" demo.
In October, 1987, Fantom Warior released a ten track record album entitled "Fantasy Or Reality
", distributed under the band's independent label Token Records. This album, like the Morbid Invasion demo, was also distributed and sold directly by the band via mail order and local music stores throughout New Jersey and New York.
Predating the popularity of the Internet
and the World Wide Web
in the early 1990s, Fantom Warior, like many other 1980s metal bands, established a worldwide fan base with the help of reviews and articles that appeared in the metal magazines and the underground metal fanzine
networks. The publishing of Fantom Warior's contact information in these articles, initially in the UK Magazine, Metal Forces, and then the Dutch magazine, Blackthorne, as well as many other regional fanzines, helped jump start Fantom Warior's worldwide distribution of the Morbid Invasion demo, the Fantasy Or Reality album, and other merchandise. Although the Fantom Warior name and music spread worldwide, Fantom Warior played primarily in venues in northern New Jersey and metropolitan New York such as the Show Place in Dover, New Jersey, Billy O's (also known as October's and The Rock Palace) in Staten Island, CBGB
, Manhattan, and L'amour
in Brooklyn. Fantom Warior was known to co-headline performances with another Union, New Jersey, metal band, Insaniac.
The lack of professional management and touring that would have come with a contract with a major label as well as the downturn of thrash metal during the late 1980s made it difficult for unsigned bands, such as Fantom Warior, to thrive. The group eventually disbanded in 1989.
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band founded in 1984 in Union, New Jersey. consisting of John Chernack (bass guitar and vocals), Keith Pires (guitar and vocals), James Jensen (drums) and Steve Schley (guitar). The band's major influences were Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
. Fantom Warior had a self-distributed demo and album as well as appearing on a compilation album. Fantom Warior's musical style was said to be hardcore thrash similar to Slayer and Kreator with changes throughout their songs that mix speedcore and very heavy thrash. Their music contained a blend of speed and technical development unknown to some of the other bands of their time.
History
Fantom Warior started as a heavy metalHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
under the name Phantom Lord in 1984 in Union, New Jersey. The original lineup featured guitarist Keith Pires, drummer James Jensen, bass guitarist John Chernack, guitarist Steve Schley and vocalist Dave Montini. The band had a number of lead vocalists, most notably Jason Glicken (alias Raeph Glicken) who continued his music career as a drummer for a number of hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands such as S.F.A., Kill Your Idols
Kill Your Idols
Kill Your Idols was a hardcore punk band from Long Island/New York City, New York. The band was active from 1995 through 2007. They were signed to SideOneDummy Records....
and The Arsons, as well as the black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Black Anvil. In early 1985, the lineup of John Chernack, Keith Pires, James Jensen, and Steve Schley, with Chernack and Pires taking on vocal frontmen duties, changed the band name to Fantom Warior due to the emergence of another New York band using the name Phantom Lord. The group's first live performance as Fantom Warior was at the Show Place in Dover, New Jersey, in May 1985.
In March, 1986, Fantom Warior released a five track demo tape containing original material entitled "Morbid Invasion
Morbid Invasion
Morbid Invasion is the debut demo from New Jersey thrash metal band, Fantom Warior. It was released in 1986 on cassette tape and was followed up by 1987's Fantasy Or Reality full-length album.-Track listing:#"Morbid Invasion" – 5:20...
". It was distributed worldwide and was well received by a number of metal magazines in both the US and in Europe. Critic Esben Slot Sorensen of the Danish metal magazine Blackthorn wrote "This is a killer demo! Fantom Warior will be a very possible subject for the 'demo of the year 1986' poll ... you must take a look on the cover just to assure you that it is not Tom Araya who's singing". Critic Mike Exley for the UK metal magazine Metal Forces
Metal Forces
The British publication Metal Forces emerged during 1983 and aided greatly in the promotion of metal and rock genre music. The magazine was well known for its coverage of unsigned bands through its Demolition feature and championed the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, HellsBelles, Overkill,...
wrote "Morbid Invasion is both a classic and a must for true metal fans and bands to listen to ... Morbid Invasion leads off with a solid riff, but it's the middle section of this song that has me foaming at the mouth". Writer Andrew Sakowicz from the Chapel magazine felt that with bands like Fantom Warior, "the East Coast is finally a scene to be reckoned with".
In April, 1987, Fantom Warior was one of nine artists of varying musical genres to appear on a compilation album distributed by Merlin Recording Studios. The record album entitled Merlin Music Presents . . . featured a track from Fantom Warior entitled "E.R.C." (Eat the Rotting Corpse) which did not appear on their "Morbid Invasion" demo.
In October, 1987, Fantom Warior released a ten track record album entitled "Fantasy Or Reality
Fantasy Or Reality
Fantasy Or Reality is the first full-length record album by New Jersey thrash metal band, Fantom Warior. It was released in 1987 following 1986's Morbid Invasion demo.-Track listing:#"Chosen Fate" – 2:38#"Psychotic Mind" – 5:25...
", distributed under the band's independent label Token Records. This album, like the Morbid Invasion demo, was also distributed and sold directly by the band via mail order and local music stores throughout New Jersey and New York.
Predating the popularity of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and the World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
in the early 1990s, Fantom Warior, like many other 1980s metal bands, established a worldwide fan base with the help of reviews and articles that appeared in the metal magazines and the underground metal fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
networks. The publishing of Fantom Warior's contact information in these articles, initially in the UK Magazine, Metal Forces, and then the Dutch magazine, Blackthorne, as well as many other regional fanzines, helped jump start Fantom Warior's worldwide distribution of the Morbid Invasion demo, the Fantasy Or Reality album, and other merchandise. Although the Fantom Warior name and music spread worldwide, Fantom Warior played primarily in venues in northern New Jersey and metropolitan New York such as the Show Place in Dover, New Jersey, Billy O's (also known as October's and The Rock Palace) in Staten Island, CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
, Manhattan, and L'amour
L'amour (venue)
L'amour was a musical venue in Brooklyn, New York, run by Mike and George Parente, which opened in 1981 and closed in February 2004. L'amour was promoted as the "Rock Capitol of Brooklyn". It is commonly pronounced "La-Morz" by patrons. The venue was known as a familiar venue for some of rock...
in Brooklyn. Fantom Warior was known to co-headline performances with another Union, New Jersey, metal band, Insaniac.
The lack of professional management and touring that would have come with a contract with a major label as well as the downturn of thrash metal during the late 1980s made it difficult for unsigned bands, such as Fantom Warior, to thrive. The group eventually disbanded in 1989.
Discography
- Morbid InvasionMorbid InvasionMorbid Invasion is the debut demo from New Jersey thrash metal band, Fantom Warior. It was released in 1986 on cassette tape and was followed up by 1987's Fantasy Or Reality full-length album.-Track listing:#"Morbid Invasion" – 5:20...
(Demo, 1986) - Merlin Music Presents . . . (studio compilation, 1986)
- Fantasy Or RealityFantasy Or RealityFantasy Or Reality is the first full-length record album by New Jersey thrash metal band, Fantom Warior. It was released in 1987 following 1986's Morbid Invasion demo.-Track listing:#"Chosen Fate" – 2:38#"Psychotic Mind" – 5:25...
(Full-length, 1987) - 2012 upcoming release (In Production, spring 2012 expected release)