Fantom Warior

Lore & Background

Fantom Warior began as a heavy metal cover band named Phantom Lord in 1984 in Union, New Jersey, with an original lineup that included vocalist Dave Montini. After several lead vocalists, including Jason Glicken (alias Raeph Glicken), the band changed its name to Fantom Warior in early 1985 due to another New York band using the name Phantom Lord. The first live performance as Fantom Warior was at the Show Place in Dover, New Jersey, in May 1985.

In March 1986, the band released a five-track demo tape titled Morbid Invasion, which was distributed worldwide and received positive reviews in metal magazines in the US and Europe. Critic Esben Slot Sorensen of the Danish magazine Blackthorn wrote that the demo was a candidate for 'demo of the year 1986,' and Mike Exley of the UK magazine Metal Forces called it 'a classic.' In April 1987, Fantom Warior appeared on the compilation album Merlin Music Presents... with the track 'E.R.C.' (Eat the Rotting Corpse). In October 1987, the band released a ten-track album, Fantasy or Reality, under their own label Token Records.

Fantom Warior built a worldwide fan base through reviews and contact information published in metal magazines and fanzines, though they primarily performed in New Jersey and New York. The band co-headlined with fellow Union, New Jersey, metal band Insaniac. The lack of professional management and a major-label contract, combined with the downturn of thrash metal in the late 1980s, led to the band's disbandment in 1989. The group reunited in 2012 and has since performed at venues with bands such as Raven, Black Anvil, and Grim Reaper, and released a remastered archive CD and a limited-edition vinyl of Morbid Invasion.

Reader's Guide

Fantom Warior represents a notable example of the underground thrash metal scene of the 1980s, particularly on the East Coast of the United States. Their music, described as hardcore thrash with elements of speedcore, was noted for its blend of speed and technical development that was uncommon among some contemporaries. The band's self-distributed demo Morbid Invasion received critical acclaim in both US and European metal magazines, helping them establish a worldwide fan base without the support of a major label. Their inclusion on the compilation Merlin Music Presents... alongside artists of varying genres highlights their reach beyond the thrash niche. The band's eventual disbandment in 1989 reflects the broader challenges faced by unsigned thrash metal acts during the genre's downturn in the late 1980s. Their reunion in 2012 and subsequent performances with established metal acts, as well as the release of archival material, demonstrate a lasting interest in their work. Fantom Warior's legacy is tied to the DIY ethos of the 1980s underground metal scene, where fanzines and mail-order distribution were crucial for reaching audiences. Their story illustrates how regional bands could achieve international recognition through persistent self-promotion and the support of the metal press.

Did You Know?

• The band originally formed as a cover band named Phantom Lord in 1984.
• Their demo Morbid Invasion was reviewed by Danish magazine Blackthorn, which compared the vocalist to Tom Araya of Slayer.
• Fantom Warior co-headlined performances with another Union, New Jersey, metal band called Insaniac.
• Former vocalist Jason Glicken (Raeph Glicken) later drummed for hardcore punk bands S.F.A., Kill Your Idols, and The Arsons, as well as black metal band Black Anvil.