The wait is over! Pharaoh returns with their first album in nine years, The Powers That Be! Long-running American metallers Pharaoh emerge with The Powers That Be, a nine-song offering of challenging melodic metal featuring a guest solo from Voivod’s Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain! Nearly 25 years ago, drummer Chris Black (High Spirits) conceived Pharaoh at a party while listening to Saxon. Shortly thereafter, he emailed one his fellow metal ‘zine writers, Matt Johnsen, selling him on the idea. At the time, Black was focused on Dawnbringer; Johnsen was simply excited to be part of an exciting new project. The object was to create a melodic metal band — a certifiably “un-hip” thing circa the late 1990s — that tapped into their deep well of influences. Once Black and Johnsen landed the services of up-and-coming singer Tim Aymar (Control Denied, Psycho Scream) and bassist Chris Kerns, Pharaoh’s permanent lineup was born, embarking on a journey that has produced now five studio albums of unmistakable class and quality, the latest being The Powers That Be. The Powers That Be also includes a guest guitar solo from longtime collaborator Jim Dofka (Dofka) on “Ride Us to Hell,” as well as a new face, Voivod’s Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain. Mongrain was a last-minute addition to the album — due to various scheduling conflicts, Pharaoh was approaching the eleventh hour to land a second guest soloist since the album was already tracked. But, once the band made contact with Mongrain, the Canadian guitarist delivered a stunning solo in less than a week for the album’s title track. Tracklisting: 1. The Powers That Be 2. Will We Rise 3. Waiting to Drown 4. Lost in the Waves 5. Ride Us to Hell 6. When the World Was Mine 7. Freedom 8. Dying Sun 9. I Can Hear Them
