PHANTOM
BLUE
Guitarist Michelle Meldrum passed away on May 21, 2008 as a
result of a cystic growth on her brain.
Phantom Blue (Roadrunner) 1989 
Despite the powder blue and pink album cover, Phantom Blue's debut is not a lightweight pop-rock affair. Rather, California's Phantom Blue are a straight-forward, guitar-driven, aggressive heavy metal band. They are the type of band you'd expect to see in a dirty club tearing up the stage with throngs of head-banging fans crowding the floor in front. These gals have an arsenal of chugging riffs, tasty chops and aggressive vocals. There are no opera vocals or depressing goth vocals here.
The album opens with an upbeat metal song that features some excellent guitar soloing. This band has chops and cannot be accused of just being a gimmick. The song packs a wallop musically with a slight Iron Maiden inspiration. "Why Call It Love" is the obligatory ballad on the album, but it's not a cheesy radio ballad, but rather a bitter-sweet song with a dark feel not unlike Megadeth's "In My Darkest Hour" or Priest's "Before the Dawn". "Frantic Zone" is a heavy hitting metal songs, while "Last Shot" is a little less inspired. The album ends with one of the best songs, "Out of Control". The song has a heavy, mid-paced song with a take-no-psisoners attitude, a solid hook and a great guitar solo.
It's sort of a shame the album cover gives the wrong impression. While the band may look like The Bangles, Poison or and ad for Aqua Net hairspray, their music is tough as nails, guitar-driven, rock and roll.
Phantom Blue - Built to Perform (Geffen) 1993
1. Nothing Good (3:28)
2. Time to Run (4:19)
3. Bad Reputation (2:31)
4. My Misery (3:44)
5. Little Man (3:29)
6. Better Off Dead (3:48)
7. Anti Love Crunch (3:07)
8. Loved Ya to Pieces (3:13)
9. So Easy (3:33)
10. Lied to Me (3:15)
11. A Little Evil 3:06)
12. You're Free" (4:27)
This album proves once again that it is not necessarily talent and looks that gets you to the top. Phantom Blue are an incredible all female metal band based out of LA. Without a doubt these gals blow bands like Rock Goddess or Lita Ford out of the water. The fact is they blow many male bands out of the water as well. I have a hunch that a large part of the reason this album didn't blow down doors was because of the tongue-in-cheek cover art. (Basically it's cheesy.) If you can get past the cover and actually pop the disc into the CD player, then I can honestly say you will discover one of the best female bands to ever grace the hallowed halls of heavy metal. What makes this disc essential for me, and the reason I even checked them out in the first place is the Thin Lizzy cover, "Bad Reputation." Phantom Blue's rendition smokes! Michelle Meldrum is a guitar shredder. Also worthy of mention is that this disc was mixed by Max Norman, who has also mixed albums for Megadeth, Dirty Looks and Death Angel, among others. Making a guest appearance is Marty Friedman, also of Megadeth fame.