“Bizarre reworking from the ground up of Final Coil’s Phil Stiles and his The Anchorhold album as an old school early to mid 90s gothic industrial affair… Certainly brought back some good memories of wild times, no question.” – Third Eye Cinema 29/06/2022
“…what can be said safely is that either way, there will be more good things to come from this quarter. After all. He hasn’t failed us yet.” – Third Eye Cinema (05/01/2022)
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Here we particularly liked the hypothetical central block: the funeral dirge that is “The Wanderer”, the Bristolian floor of “End This Way”, the introspective “Dance Fucker” (beautiful piece) and the tensions of “Reflections From An Echo” Chamber ”(who else can hear about Big Thing, Duran Duran?). Stories of confinement; trespassing stories.” 6.5/10 – Heavy Metal Webzine (04/01/2022)
” Phil Stiles plays a musical style that takes industrial, electronica, post rock and a touch of metal and mixes them together to create a sound of his own as well as using a variety of many different session musicians. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover frustrations and isolation themes.” 8/10 – Dark Underground Music Zine (28/12/2021)
“The progressive gives here the air of his grace but it is the sensations described above that triumph. That and a deep sense of atmosphere. Good surprise, recommend.” 8.5/10 – World Of Metal (27/09/2021)
“Myriad bassists including Roger Morter (Pornographic Sunset), Mark Gatland and Tomek Wolski contribute to the industrial throb of the album, building up the dense and desolate world it conjures” 5/10 – Musipedia of Metal (23/09/2021)
“…a haunting, melodic take on electronic rock, looking at why we don’t seem to learn the lessons of before in a powerful single.” Uber Rock (reviewing End This Way single) (22/09/2021)
“Overall – Reflecting its subject matter well, ‘TA’ does what it sets out to do. Clear, consistent production, featuring tracks bearing out their titles, neat progressions, sustained rhythms and melodic effects, effectively arranged, ‘TA’ retains the high standards for which Phil’s music has become known. Yes, it’s a niche area, somewhat distant from mainstream metal, likely to appeal more to specific target audiences, but performatively and productively speaking, it’s flawless and on message.” 10/10 – Rock Queen Reviews (19/09/2021)
“A production to seek out by metal fans fond of dynamic and expressive creations exploring dark landscapes in a more careful as well as more aggressive manner, and especially those among them with a taste for atmospheric soundscapes and industrial atmospheres.” Viking In The Wilderness Mini Review (21/09/2021)
“The truth is that The Anchorhold has touched the deepest fibers of my mind in a way that perhaps I had not imagined, managing to go through different emotions and sensations that can lead to madness.
Therefore The Anchorhold is an album that seeks to get into your mind, digging here and there to carry a concrete message, your discontent at the imposition of a confinement and the series of feelings with which we all had to deal, and that reaches our ears in the form of musical catharsis.
This, The Anchorhold is a proposal that is more interesting, from any point of view, in which its creator had to know himself very well internally to be able to capture it musically. I expected no less from Phil Stiles.” – Apuesto Al Rock (14/09/2021)
“Overall, The Anchorhold is a complex and imaginative release.” 7/10 – GBHBL (10/09/2021)
““A slide into depravity” begins with whispers, accompanied by a kind of church choirs and distorted guitars, wrapping us up in a soft lethargy. The song develops more strongly as the minutes go by, to immerse us in some lyrics that will make us wake up, something really good! Because the music itself leads to that, this manages to get into your head, it’s really incredible.” – Apuesto Al Rock 19/03/2021
“An excellent new sample of a musician as it should be. Committed to his role as a communicator, aware of the time and society that has touched him to live, politically critical, daring and independent in how to deal with this “The Anchorite”. Electronic? Trip-hop? Also. Guitars? Also. But a lot more things. Give him a few listens and use that melon in your head, if you don’t want Big Brother to think (even more) about you.” 9/10 – Necreomance.eu 18/07/2020
“Overall – A morose, but effective EP, ‘TA’ invites serious contemplation of the contents therein, via its carefully cultivated thematic narration and consistent solemn accompaniments. Food for thought, presented in a precisely performed fashion.” 9/10 – Rock Queen Reviews 17/07/2020
“The vocalist of the British progressive band now presents his solo debut, a debut that moves more through the fields of chillout and even industrial, with quite effective results. Unexpectedly effective. To the point that we think an album would be well received” 6.5/10 – World Of Metal 10/07/2020
“‘The Anchorite’ is everything it promises to be given the circumstances it was written in: introspective, critical and wickedly wintry… PHIL STILES may have a day job as a rock musician, but he could ably carve out a second income from a career in electronic music.” 4/5 – The Independent Voice Ezine 29/06/2020
Even if it is a “simple” ep, The anchorite is the subject of considerable commitment, as demonstrated by the highly effective production… Despite its brevity, The anchorite represents an excellent viaticum for a career to be developed.” – Ver Sacrum 27/06/2020
“”The Anchorite” feels like a dark and atmospheric soundtrack to a dystopian reality. Throughout most of the duration of this EP tasty guitar compositions can be heard. They easily find it’s way into my ears and let me drift apart into a isolated society. This is simply good music that touches the soul.” Heavy Metal Underdogs 12/06/2020
“With ′′The Anchorite′′ Phil Stiles delivers a nice EP with a rather original atmospheric industrial sound” – Snooze Control 11/06/2020
“A mixture of trippy electronica and moody effects with an occasional distorted guitar that hints at bands like Swans, and Jesus and Mary Chain. Plus, I hear the nod to Massive Attack musically and even a wink to Sonic Youth in places, it also conjures up the background music in Blade Runner at times for imagery…” 5/10 – Musipedia Of Metal (03/06/2020)
“I loved this EP. I mean how could I not? It is unique and it draws from so many elements and styles that I love. The whole experience is very well put together and really nails the tone and emotion that they are wanting to deliver.” – Uber Rock 02/062020
“The Anchorite” pleased me from start to finish, its tracks complement each other very well, it maintains a linear and creative segment and portrays the seismic change of the society that is occurring, not only in the UK, but around the world…” – Rock Vibrations 01/06/2020
“…batters down the synapses and ensures the listener is really thinking about what’s being said and delivered.” – Median Man 31/05/2020
Interviews
Interview with Phil Stiles – Bloody News (29/11/2021)
Interview with Phil Stiles – The Independent Voice Ezine (29/06/2020)
Interview: Phil Stiles Of Final Coil – Antichrist Magazine (10/06/2020)
Interview with Phil Stiles (Final Coil) – Flatlines Radio (02/06/2020)