PHASE TRANSITION
In Search Of Being
Independent

I love Porto. It’s one of my favourite cities in Europe and I have nothing but good memories of my time there. I also enjoy progressive metal, and when PHASE TRANSITION’s debut album “In Search Of Being” arrived, the fusion of the City of Bridges and intricate and complex musical arrangements ticked many boxes.

Formed in 2018, the band is currently a three-piece, with singer Sofia Beco, Luís Dias on guitar and drummer Fernando Maia. The band has been slowly releasing singles and an EP in 2020 called “Relatively Speaking” which received good reviews. They now present their debut album, and it’s got some great moments to enjoy.

Five tracks over 37-minutes provide opportunity to repeat the album several times. It’s excellently played and culminates in the majestic nine-minute “The Other Side” which provides some real epic moments. A mix of Opeth and Dream Theater, the finale sees Dias playing some incredible guitar, which accentuates the whole sound of the band. Throw in some ferocious gruff male growls, courtesy of Ricardo Pereira (Moonshade / Firemage), and we have a mixture to savour.

The album is bookended by two extended pieces, “The Other Side” which concludes the album, and the vibrancy of “Dichotomy”. This is a bouncing opener which is dominated by a heavy riff that leads the song forward, before Beco’s violin joins to add a classical tinge to proceedings. It’s a strong opener and can breathe and move in a creative style that sees PHASE TRANSITION switch tempos several times.

Sandwiched between these two behemoths, three shorter tracks which again provide variety and interest. The pounding bass on “Becoming, (R)evolution” brings a difference perspective to the band’s sound, with Beco’s clean vocals lifting above the maelstrom below.

Although the tempo does fade a little towards the middle of the album, the musicianship is impressive, cohesive and well played, and in Beco the band has a singer who brings a classic female vocal to the songs.

If I was to be uber critical, it is the middle part of the album where the weakness comes. The move on “Veil Of Illusions” to a modern metal meets Evanescence meant I did lose myself a few times, whilst “Shadows Of Grief” is a little generic, but on “The Other Side” the band redeem any mid-album drift with a cracking finish.

For the curious, this album is well worth a listen. If you are already a fan of PHASE TRANSITION, “In Search Of Being” is going to increase your interest. It’s good, without being stunning. But for a complex debut release, you’ll find it standing tall and proud.

Paul Hutchings