Spellcaster – Night Hides the World (Review)

Spellcaster are a US heavy metal band and this is their third album.

This is traditional heavy metal with a good pinch of NWOBHM. Spellcaster have created a fiery and passionate modern take on the classic style, meaning that the band play music that’s instantly recognisable as what it is, but with an up-to-date production and youthful vigour.

This is high energy, enthuiastic stuff. There’s no jaded, going-through-the-motions renditions of tired, heavy metal tropes; instead everything that Spellcaster do is presented with boundless passion and a real lust for metal. It’s a joy to hear and is inspiring in its honesty.

This kind of thing requires, nay, demands, a vocalist that is capable of stepping up to the task. Spellcaster’s singer is, thankfully, just what is needed. His voice flows as smoothly as silk and contains both power and personality. He belts out melodies with ease, and his voice is largely exquisite.

The rest of the band back up their talented singer very well, and they also seem to be more than talented enough for the demands of the music. Good riffs, tasty solos and mellifluous leads are in great abundance across this very pleasing 45 minutes. The word shred was coined for a band like this.

Spellcaster have a knack for writing catchy, memorable tracks and the song-writing in general is of a high standard. These are songs that are easy to enjoy on first listen, but also have enough depth to them to ensure longevity.

Spellcaster have produced a thoroughly enjoyable heavy metal album that I can easily imagine successfully appealing to any fans of the style, be they thoroughly rooted in the old-school or more appreciative of the new. Either way, the songs on this album are enough to break barriers and make friends wherever they find themselves.

Give this a listen as a priority.