Siegbachtal Rock Opera is a new international musical project of Pios Phantom from the creative mind of singer, songwriter and yoga instructor Balarama. The project consists of a series of 3-song EPs released over the course of the past year. Originally inspired by the music and art scene in the small German community of Siegbachthal, since September 2020 the group has been creating music with the goal of uniting people from all over the world in kindness, respect and tolerance.
Balarama works with musicians and producers from around the globe to create Pios Phantom’s genre-defying mix of Pop, Rock, Folk and EDM tracks. For many years Balarama traveled the world as a pilgrim. The songs are inspired by his own life stories. The project’s full title is “Siegbachtal Rock Opera – Love and Peace – I is a Journey From Earth to Heaven.” Since July 2021 the group has released 7 EPs for a total of 21 tracks.
From the upbeat Pop/Rock of “Over the Hills” to the quirky Alt-Pop of “Is It Si or is it No,” Pios Phantom takes us on a musical journey that riffs on themes of love, tolerance and spirituality, as well as highlighting holy sites all over the world. With a broad spectrum of talent onboard, he explores multiple genres and subgenres of popular music. “Here Comes The Sun” was followed by “The Kopps Cliff” Which introduced a harder Rock edge, including a dose of Acid Rock guitar on the title track and the Power Pop kick of “Ohm Site.”
Many of the tracks feature a classic 80’s Alternative vibe, like the Smiths-style jangly guitar Rock of tracks like “Baby I Love You” from the Hey Hey Girl record, “A Lonely Pilgrim” from The Black Stone and “Muttony Stone” from Four Dead in Washington. The title track of the latter EP introduces a political edge with a narrative about the January 6 insurrection in DC set to an acoustic Indie-Folk tune and a Hip-hop beat.
Balarama sings on the majority of the tracks. However on occasion a female vocalist takes the lead, as on the Lo-fi Indie-Pop tunes “Hey Hey Girl,” “Here Comes the Sun” and “Peace in the Doom.” The message of finding serenity amidst the chaos of a mad world is a recurring theme of the Siegbachtal Rock Opera. We can hear it loud and clear on tracks like “Peace in the Star” and the melancholy Pop ballad “Dove 4 Love.” It is a beautiful notion and one much needed at this difficult time in history.
Check out the Siegbachtal Rock Opera playlist below. You can also hear the song “Is It Si or is it No” on the Deep Indie Dive playlist, or listen to Pios Phantom on your favorite streaming service. Follow the links below to connect with Balarama. Get on his socials and join him on this musical journey of peace and love.