Phantoms (Marianas Trench album)

Phantoms
Studio album by
Marianas Trench
ReleasedMarch 1, 2019 (2019-03-01)
RecordedSeptember 2018 – January 2019
StudioThe Umbrella Factory, The Warehouse, Vancouver, BC
Genre
Length40:34
Label
ProducerJosh Ramsay
Marianas Trench chronology
Astoria
(2015) 		Phantoms
(2019) 		Haven
(2024)
Singles from Phantoms
  1. "I Knew You When"
    Released: November 16, 2018
  2. "Only the Lonely Survive"
    Released: February 1, 2019
  3. "Glimmer"
    Released: May 31, 2019
  4. "Don't Miss Me?"
    Released: October 3, 2019

Phantoms is the fifth studio album released by Canadian rock band Marianas Trench. It was released on March 1, 2019, through 604 Records in Canada and Interscope Records internationally.[1] The album saw another new style for the band, going for a more haunted and ghostly like sound as opposed to the more fantastical sound on their previous work, Astoria, which is where the title of Phantoms comes from.[2]

Background and recording

In 2015, Marianas Trench released their fourth studio album Astoria, with the lead single, "One Love", reaching number 50 on the Canadian Hot 100.[3][4] Two other singles from the album followed: "This Means War" and "Who Do You Love".[5][6] Marianas Trench performed at the New Year's celebration in Niagara Falls, Ontario in 2017.[7] In the fall of 2017, the group released a new single titled "Rhythm of Your Heart".[8] The song however, did not make the final cut on the album.[9] On March 15, 2018, the music video for "Rhythm of Your Heart" premiered on YouTube.[10]

On September 14, 2018, the group announced that they had begun working on their fifth studio album.[11] The album was recorded at The Umbrella Factory and The Warehouse in Vancouver, British Columbia.[12] The group finished production on the album in January 2019.[13] Josh Ramsay spoke about the change in sound on the album stating;

"If you want longevity, then you keep reinventing, which we try to do on every record. Egos are real small in our band and nobody cares whose idea we go with as long as it's the best the song can be, and that's how we work. Hearing out everyone from the runner on the session bringing in sandwiches who suggests another bar added there is key to getting the best songs."[14]

According to drummer Ian Casselman, time was the most challenging part of putting the album together. He stated that the group had a "deadline" to finish the album, however, "there's more put into it, from a production standpoint. The songs themselves aren't simple, there's lots of layers, lots of strings, lots of keys, and with any key sounds, there might be many different key sounds," as Casselman explains.[15] In another interview with PopCrush, he stated that Ramsay made sure every verse and chorus had its own uniqueness so that it would be good enough to become a full song and be put on the album.[2]

Singles

On November 5, 2018, the band announced the lead single off their upcoming fifth album, "I Knew You When",[16] which was later released on November 16.[17] On December 3, 2018, the band announced the US Suspending Gravity Tour to promote their upcoming album Phantoms.[18] The music video for "I Knew You When" was released on YouTube on December 19, 2018.[19] On February 1, 2019, "Only the Lonely Survive" was released as the album's second single.[20] On February 7, 2019, "Echoes of You" featuring Roger Joseph Manning Jr. was released digitally as a promotional single from the album.[21] "Glimmer" was released for radio airplay on May 31, 2019, as the third single from the album.[22] A music video for the song was released on June 5, 2019.[23] "Don't Miss Me?" was released as the fourth and final single from the album on October 3, 2019.[24]

Concept and sound

Phantoms has been described by the band as being "haunted by the ghosts of former love."[14] Ramsay said he wanted to use the haunted house concept as a metaphor for not being over a lost love and to "feel very human."[25] He also added that the inspiration for the album was from Edgar Allan Poe.[26] He describes the new record as "modern-song writing, but very organic, old-school approaches and trickery...done in a way that you haven't heard us do before."[27] "It's about messy, real-life love with consequences; the kind of relationship that takes years to build," Ramsay sums up. "And Phantoms, I think, will allow people to connect on their own level, with their own story, to the ones that we're sharing."[28] Bassist Mikey Ayley said the theme helped them find "some direction," in terms of music, visuals, concerts and lyricism.[29] According to Casselman, the group decided on the title Phantoms when they were in New Orleans, citing the prominent death and voodoo culture in the area.[15]

Musically, Ramsay stated the goal was to reinvent and make each album different from one another. He also described the album as "one story" and that each song is a chapter for him, as well as describing the growing tension that builds throughout the record resolving in a very cinematic and dramatic climax.[30] Keeping the album "organic," the group used less programming and instead, emulated digital sounds by using string, organ and percussion instruments, experimenting with a harpsichord and Theremin, to capture elements of how "one would associate with haunted places."[30][31]

Promotion

Marianas Trench went on the Suspending Gravity Tour in support of the album starting in March 2019 in Canada and later in the United States during May and June of 2019.[32] Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine supported the Canadian dates of the tour.[33] They returned to the United States in the fall of 2019 for the second leg of the Suspending Gravity Tour.[34] The group announced a European leg for November 2019.[35] The band was supposed to go on a headlining tour in Australia beginning in April 2020,[36] but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed and moved to the fall of 2022.[37]

Reception

Phantoms has mostly received positive reviews from critics. Shannon Shumaker of The Prelude Press said "Each song on Phantoms stands alone as a masterpiece, and when combined, it makes for a very dramatic, exciting listen. Although the massive sounds on the album can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, and the more energetic songs might sound a bit similar, it's the little stand-out moments throughout the album that make it special."[38] Amanda Hather of Canadian Beats highlighted two songs on her review, praising the first track "Eleonora" for the harmonies that "pack a punch for the listener in the short minute it lasts." She also described the sixth track "Your Ghost" as "upbeat and fun to listen to." She ended her review stating, "This album is likely to propel their careers even further and allow them to reach milestones they haven't quite grasped yet."[39] Christine Sloman of Melodic Magazine complimented the last track "The Killing Kind" stating, "Reminiscent of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' this song sounds like multiple songs in one... Each section is like organized chaos. They build onto each other, while staying central to a certain theme or idea."[40]

Accolades

Accolades for Phantoms
Publication Accolade Year Rank Ref.
All Punked Up Best Albums of 2019 2019 Unranked [41]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Josh Ramsay.

No.TitleLength
1."Eleonora"1:08
2."Only the Lonely Survive"3:43
3."Echoes of You" (featuring Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.)5:18
4."Don't Miss Me?"4:00
5."Wish You Were Here"3:33
6."Your Ghost"3:40
7."Glimmer"3:41
8."I Knew You When"3:45
9."The Death of Me"5:00
10."The Killing Kind"6:46
Total length:40:34

Personnel

Credits for Phantoms adapted from AllMusic.[12]

Charts

Chart performance for Phantoms
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)[42] 23
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[43] 4
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[44] 7
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[45] 38

References

  1. ^ White, Logan (December 4, 2018). "Marianas Trench announce 'Suspending Gravity' tour + new album". Substream Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  2. ^ a b DeAndreas, Joe (April 2, 2019). "Marianas Trench Embrace Their Haunted Side On 'Phantoms' (Interview)". PopCrush. Townsquare Media. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  3. ^ Witherow, Barbara (September 14, 2015). "Marianas Trench releases new single "One Love"". Substream Magazine. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  4. ^ "Marianas Trench Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  5. ^ @mtrench (February 16, 2016). "@1045CHUMFM thank you for playing our new single This Means War!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Marianas Trench – Who Do You Love (Single)". 604 Records. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  7. ^ Shelby Knox (December 28, 2017). "Another Musician Joins the Line Up For New Years Eve at Niagara Falls". iHeartRadio. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  8. ^ Jason Tate (December 7, 2017). "Marianas Trench – Rhythm of Your Heart". Chorus FM. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  9. ^ Chelsea Powrie (June 26, 2018). "Marianas Trench in town". Castanet. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
  10. ^ Natalie Roberto (March 15, 2018). "Marianas Trench release Rhythm Of Your Heart video—watch". All Punked Up. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  11. ^ @mtrench (September 14, 2018). "Pa rum pum pum pum 🥁 Tracking drums for the new album. Ian is killing it! 👌 👊" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ a b "Phantoms − Marianas Trench Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  13. ^ @mtrench (January 22, 2019). "All done with final touches for the new album 🎉 Now, time to get ready for the #suspendinggravitytour #comingsoon 💪🏼" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. ^ a b Stuart Derdeyn (March 4, 2019). "Marianas Trench conjures haunted harmonies on Phantoms". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Logan White (June 12, 2019). "Interview: Ian Casselman Of Marianas Trench Talks Phantoms, Live Shows, And More". Substream Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  16. ^ Jason Tate (November 5, 2018). "Marianas Trench Announce New Single". Chorus.fm. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  17. ^ "I Knew You When - Single by Marianas Trench". Apple Music. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  18. ^ Maria Serra (December 3, 2018). "Marianas Trench announce tour dates and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  19. ^ MarianasTrenchVEVO (December 19, 2018), Marianas Trench - I Knew You When, retrieved March 4, 2019
  20. ^ "Only the Lonely Survive - Single by Marianas Trench". Spotify. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  21. ^ "Listen To A New Marianas Trench Single, 'Echoes Of You'". Substream Magazine. February 8, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  22. ^ @mtrench (May 30, 2019). "Tune in at midnight tonight! they'll be playing Glimmer on 101.9FM in Chicago!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ^ Natalie Roberto (June 7, 2019). "Marianas Trench releases chillingly beautiful video for Glimmer". All Punked Up. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  24. ^ Doyle, Laura (November 4, 2019). "INTERVIEW: Marianas Trench". Narcc. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  25. ^ "Marianas Trench - May/June 2019 Issue of Canadian Musician". Canadian Musician. Archived from the original on May 17, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  26. ^ Amanda Hather (November 19, 2018). "Interview – Marianas Trench". Canadian Beats. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  27. ^ Marianas Trench (March 2, 2019), Marianas Trench - Making of "Phantoms", retrieved March 4, 2019
  28. ^ "Marianas Trench – 604 Records". 604 Records. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  29. ^ Danielle Chelosky (March 12, 2019). "Building New Worlds: Marianas Trench on Their Immersive 5th Album 'Phantoms'". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  30. ^ a b "Five Questions With… Marianas Trench's Josh Ramsay". Billboard Canada. March 1, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  31. ^ Amanda Hather (March 7, 2019). "Interview – Marianas Trench". Canadian Beats. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  32. ^ Taylor Weatherby (February 26, 2019). "Takeover Tuesday Playlist: Marianas Trench Soundtrack a Hip Friends Dinner Party With Frank Ocean & More". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  33. ^ "Marianas Trench Canadian Tour". CHAY-FM. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  34. ^ Whitney Shoemaker (September 4, 2019). "Marianas Trench are bringing new worlds to life from album to stage". Alternative Press. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  35. ^ Natalie Roberto (April 29, 2019). "Marianas Trench announce European leg of 'Suspending Gravity Tour'". All Punked Up. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  36. ^ "Canadian Outfit Marianas Trench Announce Aussie East Coast Tour". The Music. December 6, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  37. ^ Emma Whines (July 28, 2022). "Marianas Trench Rescheduled Aus Dates To Go Ahead In September". The Music. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  38. ^ Shannon Shumaker (March 4, 2019). "Marianas Trench - Phantoms". The Prelude Press. Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  39. ^ Amanda Hather (March 1, 2019). "Review – Marianas Trench". Canadian Beats. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  40. ^ Christine Sloman (March 21, 2019). "Album Review: Marianas Trench // Phantoms". Melodic Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  41. ^ Natalie Roberto (December 31, 2019). "Our top albums of 2019". All Punked Up. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  42. ^ "ARIA Digital Albums – Week Commencing 11th March 2019" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. March 11, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 19, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  43. ^ "Marianas Trench Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  44. ^ "Marianas Trench Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  45. ^ "Marianas Trench Chart History (Top Album Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 7, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
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