ALBUM REVIEW: Deadly Charms – SpellBook
Emerging from the Pennsylvanian mists and hailing from the small city of York comes SPELLBOOK, a 1970s rock inspired band bringing a veritable feast of tales and stories from their local area and beyond. Spawned during the 2020 lockdowns, SPELLBOOK follow up their debut album Magick & Mischief with the equally exciting Deadly Charms. Bringing in a new line-up which sees the talents of Les Yarde and Patrick “Patty” Benton enter the fray, the twosome’s talents enable the band to utilise a multi-faceted twin-guitar assault. Deadly Charms sees the band move into themes of horror, including but not limited to demonic possession, witch doctors, vampires, and witch trials. With anthemic riffs and catchy hooks, you are treated to a magnificent, all out retro rock showcase.
With a penchant for vivid and captivating storytelling there is plenty of conceptual meat to feast upon throughout SPELLBOOK’s epic journey through the dark worlds of demons and witchcraft. What more could you want in the lead up to Hallowe’en? For example, Rehmeyer’s Hollow follows the story of Nelson Rehmeyer, a Pennsylvanian witch doctor who was murdered in 1928, and The Witch Of Ridley Creek uncovers the first details of Pennsylvania’s first witch trials that pre-date the more infamous events of Salem in the 1690s.
Around this evocative imagery is a plethora of catchy, memorable and spellbinding riffs that have been influenced by a whole host of 1970s rock greats and 1980s metal titans, bands such as IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN and ALICE COOPER. It is abundantly clear that SPELLBOOK’s policy for this album was to stuff it with as many melodic hooks as possible, and given the aforementioned influences there is something for every rock fan in Deadly Charms. With the album’s eerie and ominous opening 1928 setting the scene, your imagination conjures up a word full of retro horror, ghouls, gremlins and creatures of all kinds to encircle you as you enjoy the ferocious vintage riffing.
The album incorporates all the things we love about the 70s/80s metal: squealing solos, blues rhythms and thunderous drums. Whilst it doesn’t reinvent the wheel musically, it is a zany and zesty album that will satiate many a classic rock need. The twin guitars are epic throughout Deadly Charms, providing harmonised melodies that would make Adrian Smith and Dave Murray proud. This newly expanded sound has taken the band to the next level, allowing Nate Tyson’s vocals melodies to have a bigger impact as they are supported by the intricate guitar work. Rhythmically, Deadly Charms is a foot tapper and head mover, with old school bass grooves locked in with SABBATH-esque swing rhythms all wrapped up in a wonderfully retro sounding production. All this has elevated the band’s sound considerably, and puts them on track to make a name for themselves in the future. With its fast-paced nature, ultimately this album is a slab of nostalgia, metal cheese and good fun all rolled into one.
1928 opens the album, a tense building 30 seconds of organ melodies, very reminiscent of something GHOST and LORDI would do to introduce their album. Rehmeyer’s Hollow is a balls out rock track, with a catchy groove, epic solo and memorable hook that becomes a significantly ingrained earworm the more you listen to it. Goddess opens with a cannonade of thunderous drumming before settling into a steady beat and telling the tale of a goddess figure that the song’s protagonist adored. It is also worth noting that in this track the bass gets a real chance to shine before the solo comes screaming into your ears.
Pandemonium sounds like IRON MAIDEN if they wrote their songs at BLACK SABBATH pace; the half time groove is infectious and catchy, and the same applies to the more ballad styling of Her Spectral Armies. The Witch Of Riley Creek is a dark, spooky and brooding track with a hulking riff to match. The title track breaks from the theme and tells the story of a friend lost to heroine addiction. It’s a sombre song that contrasts with the rest of the album, but Tyson’s vocals and melodies are at their best here. Night Of The Doppelganger is a seven-minute classic rock epic, with licks and riffs galore, and epic vocals. Album closer Out For Blood provides one last flourish for the record and it finishes in style. The twin guitars are in full flow and everything sounds tight and locked in, bringing the album to an emphatic end.
Whilst it doesn’t bring anything new to the rock and metal table, Deadly Charms is a fun and catchy album. SPELLBOOK’s musicianship and creativity is awesome, resulting in a good, strong and steady album to vicariously live your retro horror dreams through.
Rating: 7/10
Deadly Charms is set for release on September 23rd via Cruz Del Sur Music.
Like SPELLBOOK on Facebook.