Band:	PHILM
Album:	Harmonic
Style:	Fusion, Post hardcore, Progressive metal, Experimental sludge metal
Release date:	May 15, 2012
Guest review by:	Blackcrowe

01. Vitriolize
02. Mitch
03. Hun
04. Area
05. Way Down
06. Harmonic
07. Exuberance
08. Sex Amp
09. Amoniac
10. Held in Light
11. Dome
12. Killion
13. Mezzanine
14. Mild
15. Meditation

A Dis-Harmonic PHILMography.

Dave Lombardo’s side project, PHILM, saw the drummer team up with Gerry Nestler (Civil Defiance) and Pancho Tomaselli (WAR). PHILM mix jazz, fusion, post-hardcore, progressive metal, and experimental sludge. You can hear some Slayer work alongside influence from Ice-T, and other metal styles; bands like Cynic (with their technical playing) and Isis (with their heavy atmosphere) also come to mind. However, PHILM don’t just copy their influences; they mix these sounds to create something fresh.

PHILM's debut album Harmonic was released in 2012, with a great emphasis on experimentation. Dave Lombardo delivers technical experimental drumming, while Gerry Nestler’s guitar work adds atmosphere, switching between clean, distorted, and dissonant sounds. Pancho Tomaselli’s outstanding bass gives the music groove and depth. Together, they create a spontaneous feel, as if the music is unfolding in real time.

The opening track, “Vitriolize”, opens Harmonic with a dark atmosphere, then switches into heavy drums and sharp guitars. The surprises continue with songs like “Mitch”, which has jazzy moments, and “Exuberance”, a seven-minute jazz journey with lots of improvisation. The album never stays in one place, keeping things unpredictable.

I have some issues with Nestler’s vocals. Sometimes they seem a little off, but other times they fit perfectly. It made me wonder what an instrumental version of the album would sound like. Still, this is the band’s vision, and I respect their choice to experiment.

Harmonic offers a lot within its 15 songs and hour-plus of music. PHILM sounds heavy, chaotic, and dissonant, but also has moments that are more atmospheric and calm. Tracks like “Way Down” show how the band can build intensity with simplicity, with Lombardo’s drumming leading the songs forward. However, some parts of the album feel a bit scattered, as if a few ideas weren’t fully worked out, but as it's a debut, it’s good to know that those things were worked on for subsequent records without the band losing their status as an experiment project.

Overall, Harmonic might not appeal to fans of straightforward rock or metal, but if you enjoy experimental music, it’s an interesting listen. PHILM offers moments that are both exciting and uneven, but their effort to create something original stands out. In a world where a lot of music sounds the same, that’s something special.