It’s only in the past year or so that Pantheïst have resumed playing live. That they have done so with such vigour is a testimony to the passion of founder member Kostas Pangiotou. Over 20 years in the Doom genre, this is a musician who is vital to the scene.
Pantheïst – The Drowning – Phantom Droid
The Pit at McCanns Rock Bar, Newport – 22 March 2024
Words And Photography: Paul Hutchings
Whether you have heard of Kostas Pangiotou or his band is academic. Pantheïst is one of the leading lights in the UK, and with a tight and focused band now locked in, the multi-national outfit is finally getting a soupcon of recognition for years of hard work.
Tonight, it’s all about the new EP, Kings Must Die. Released a mere week ago, this was, in essence, the launch, with a gig in Plymouth and several more scattered over the forthcoming weeks and months. 
Any night to play Doom Metal in Newport is going to be a challenge, but there is a reasonable gathering as the band set up. Inevitably, late after the earlier technical difficulties, it’s a bit tense, with the band fighting the urge to rush. This is Doom Metal, after all. Slow is the name of the game.
Despite a few bits of feedback, they soon get into their stride and ease into their set with the lengthy opener, Eye of the Universe / Control and Fire. 
It’s Pangiotou who is the focus, despite his small frame and being restricted to standing behind his Roland keyboard. But he is not statuesque, far from it.
His growling vocals are surprising to those who have never seen the band before, and his facial expressions are extensive. Snarling roars, and cleaner calm passages switch fluidly. His thick, almost Hammond sounding keys provide the template for the band, who switch from bone crushing heaviness to ethereal delicacy in seconds.
With a discography dating back to 2003, it’s unsurprising that there’s too rich a menu for an hour-long set. Pantheïst do not do a lot of short songs, so we are only treated to four or five in the hour, with the band dipping back into the earlier years. The Loss Of Innocence from 2008’s Journey Through Lands Unknown is perhaps one of the most dramatic.
Alongside Pangiotou, the band has now solidified into a ferociously tight unit. Guitarist Atanas Kyurkchiev is a tight, smouldering ball of intensity, lost in his world of riffs, semi-hidden to Pangiotou’s right due to the small stage area.
Anchoring the band is drummer Fanel Lefetache, whose ability to make the complex fills look easy is compelling viewing. Bassist Matt Strangis is more reserved yet still able to cut a shape when the urge takes him. 
The stunning vocals of Linda Dumitru add the final piece to the jigsaw, her soaring voice providing another dimension to the band’s sound.
The set flies by, with most of the audience (those not rudely chattering through it) absorbed in the aural pummelling that this most unique of bands delivers. It’s time for the final song, the 14-minute title track from the new EP. It’s fantastic, and soon, I’m totally lost in the meandering Doom that Pantheïst do so well.
It’s over too quickly, and as we spill out into the cold Welsh evening, the only thing on my mind is to check when the band are playing next. They are special. They deserve bigger crowds and wider appreciation. If you get the chance, check them out.
The Drowning
It’s been over a decade since Cardiff’s The Drowning played Newport. It’s been even longer, 2008 to be precise, since The Drowning played with Pantheïst. A rare treat then to get a band revered in these parts to join the line-up. 
They pull in a good few of the audience, such is their status in South Wales. With a new album promised, and a decent spread of gigs in 2023 under their belt, they are in fine form, and despite a delayed start due to some niggling technical challenges, they soon get into the groove and blast through a shortened set.
It’s all eyes on Matt Small, the frontman, who is a ball of power and energy. His gravelly growls work ideally with the band’s pummelling combination of Death and Doom. They draw from across their discography, with a couple from their 2019 Radiant Dark album amongst the choice cuts. 
Despite the technical challenges, it’s a cohesive display with drummer Sam Heffernan, who stepped in last year and looked very comfortable behind the kit. Powerful and compelling to watch, it’s been a while since I had seen The Drowning, and it was a reminder that yet another band, now past 20 years together, need to be monitored on my radar a bit more closely.
Phantom Droid
Local gigs are the best place to discover new music, and Swindon’s Phantom Droid is another example. The quartet are a fascinating watch, with vocalist James Karrion Hammerlock impossible to ignore. 
He is dressed in three-quarter length trousers, boots, and a trench coat, with corpse paint giving him a crazed Alice Cooper/Arthur Brown hybrid appearance. 
He has a vocal delivery that matches the band’s soaring psychedelic sludgy Doom. Song subjects are broad, from giant worms (Ever Worm) to overdoses (Spoon), whilst Mars sees bassist Luke Clemenger swap bass for electric cello, which he uses to great effect. 
Visually the band rely heavily on Hammerlock, but he’s up for the challenge and their 45 minutes passes quickly. They are still a bit raw around the edges, but they are nonetheless an enjoyable watch to start the evening.
