Album Review: "Under the Spell"

In a previous post, I discussed White Wizzard's "The Devil's Cut". White Wizzard is one of the leaders of a new wave of artists who are making  headway in the metal scene by playing an updated version of early-80s heavy and speed metal. One of these bands is Spellcaster out of Portland (bet you didn't see that coming!). Founded in 2009, Spellcaster are still underground, but have the potential to be leaders in the New Wave of Traditional Metal.

Much like a lot of the bands, they play an up-tempo speed metal reminiscent of Accept or Venom. They also write some pretty dark lyrics based around mythology and fantasy with a bit of the glory of metal and even sci-fi. They only have one full-length album out at the moment, but they've announced they should have a new one out this year. That being said, let's take a look at their debut, "Under the Spell".

Unlike "The Devil's Cut", "Under the Spell" clocks in at just under 40 minutes, which is pretty short by today's standards. Also unlike "The Devil's Cut", "Under the Spell" is much darker and more intense. Okay, enough with the comparisons. Quite simply, I liken this to Slayer's seminal "Reign in Blood". While the comparison to that is a little strange, there are reasons why.

First off, this album sounds great on the technical side. There's no reverb, so the guitar sound is razor-sharp, much like "Reign in Blood". The band is intense and focused, starting from "Chainsaw Champion" through "Spellcaster". Tyler Loney and Corey Boyd are phenomenal, especially when weaving their guitar parts together. While there are few dual solos, they're still fine solo work.

What really sells the album, however, is vocalist Thomas Adams. It's a real shame the guy departed since then, because his range is phenomenal. He can turn from melodic in one moment, operatic the next and into a growl the next depending on the situation.

As for the rhythm section, they keep things tight. Shad Covert is a hell of a drummer and I like Gabe Franco's bass lines.

Despite its short length, "Under the Spell" is a solid debut album for a rising band. My hope is that not only will they continue to succeed, but I'll see their album some time this year! Sorry, I just don't like waiting a long time between albums. I'd like to see  Spellcaster build on this and continue what made it successful. It's not very long, but it's very solid. I give it 8/10.