The wait is over! Pharaoh returns with their first album in nine years, The Powers That Be! Long-running American metallers Pharaoh emerge with The Powers That Be, a nine-song offering of challenging melodic metal featuring a guest solo from Voivods Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain! Nearly 25 years ago, drummer Chris Black (High Spirits) conceived Pharaoh at a party while listening to Saxon. Shortly thereafter, he emailed one his fellow metal zine writers, Matt Johnsen, selling him on the idea. At the time, Black was focused on Dawnbringer; Johnsen was simply excited to be part of an exciting new project. The object was to create a melodic metal band - a certifiably "un-hip" thing circa the late 1990s - that tapped into their deep well of influences. Once Black and Johnsen landed the services of up-and-coming singer Tim Aymar (Control Denied, Psycho Scream) and bassist Chris Kerns, Pharaohs permanent lineup was born, embarking on a journey that has produced now five studio albums of unmistakable class and quality, the latest being The Powers That Be.