AGATHODAIMON got nothing to do with classic Black Metal of their older albums. Despite that fact, their actual work Phoenix does not miss out a certain dose of heaviness, but the most important part on this release is the melodic aspect as well as the felicitous vocal arrangements.
Apart from that, the band has got numerous direct hits in the repertoire. Similar to the past, AGATHODAIMON start their album with a typical band’s hymn called Heliopolis in this case. This tune invades the emotional nerve centre irresistibly and there are no experiments concerning the vocals.
This instance changes in further course of Phoenix and clear sung refrains as well as verses prove that tactics – but less would have been more I think. All tracks feature a catchy groove and they seem to be way too constructed from time to time. For a bigger part the band avoids to be kitschy, only the semi-ballad Winterchild sounds very sweet in contrast to the quite fast and intensely screeched predecessor Ghost Of A Soul.
Another feature of Phoenix is the anthem-like guitar work, which is so melodic that the punch gets lost in combination with the keyboard. In between, AGATHODAIMON use the one or other modern rhythm, so that Time Is The Fire comes across in surprising untraditional style.
All these ingredients are intertwined in felicitous manner and a homogenous structure is the result of this work. AGATHODAIMON do not fulfill the demand of a Black Metal group, because the sound shows up in highly melodic as well as only decent dark way.

In the end, the impression of a Dark Metal release arises by reason of variable vocals, hymnal guitar leads and –solos, spiced up by some modern elements. In short: AGATHODAIMON stand for adeptly elaborated and catchy, but not undemanding Dark Metal with hit factor 10!