When Crystal Viper disbanded last August, the Polish power metallers left behind a consistent catalogue of (mostly) good-to-great albums. Shuttering the project left me with pangs of sorrow for what might have been and closed the chapter on a band I’ve followed since Queen of the Witches. In his review of that album, Grier loosed one of his most lucid and succinct observations to date: ‘Marta Gabriel kicks ass.’ That was true throughout Crystal Viper’s discography, and I’m happy to report it remains true on First Spell—Gabriel’s solo debut under the Leatherwitch banner. Yet it takes more than kicking ass to deliver great tunes. Shed of her former band, we must judge whether this Leatherwitch ensorcels with her First Spell, or if the incantation leaves us thinking, ‘Witch, please.’
Fans of Crystal Viper will find the transition to Leatherwitch as smooth as changing lanes on the open freeway, and just as inviting. First Spell boasts a slew of tracks that ache to be played at volumes unsafe for car stereos and eardrums, and that’s repeatedly how I engaged with it. Compared to Gabriel’s former band, Leatherwitch conjures a more stripped-down heavy metal mostly divested of power trappings. Just don’t mistake streamlined for simplistic—First Spell enchants with hook-studded earworms and invokes the likes of Running Wild, Iron Maiden and Warlock. In total, Leatherwitch’s debut punches with the force of a semi at cruising speed, and throughout First Spell Gabriel casts beguiling heavy metal moxie.
Crystal Viper ended on a tremendous burst of heavy power, and given how many responsibilities Marta Gabriel shouldered on their swan song,1 Leatherwitch feels like a natural progression. First and foremost, Gabriel is the consummate frontwoman, flaunting charismatic vocals that spellbind with might and conviction. Songs “Heroes and the Dice,” “Living in the Fast Lane,” and “The New Beginning” showcase her vocal range and grit, establishing her magnetic presence. Unsatisfied to limit her performance to vocals, Gabriel lays down memorable leads (“Living in the Fast Lane”), classic heavy metal riffcraft (“Two Tons of Steel”) and brawny low-end heft (“Silver Stallions,” where the bass tone immediately evokes Seventh Son) across First Spell’s runtime. The only aspect where Leatherwitch falls short is the drumming. It’s perfectly serviceable, but compared to other performances, the kit-work remains conspicuously tucked in the shadows.
Evaluated as a whole, Leatherwitch delivers a catchy album that never errs, yet takes few risks. The strengths of First Spell stem from Gabriel’s vocals and winsome songwriting, a consistent thread carried over from Crystal Viper. While I’m unsure why she made the decision to pursue a solo venture, Marta proves that she more than meets the challenge with Leatherwitch. Across forty-three minutes of unpretentious heavy metal, songs entice me to repeat them immediately (particularly “Heroes and the Dice” and “Living in the Fast Lane”), their melodies firmly lodged in my gray matter. The production aids Leatherwitch’s uncomplicated approach, granting plenty of room for the instrumentation and vocals to stake their claim in the mix without stepping on toes. The only interruption to First Spell’s summoning comes from “The New Beginning,” which offers a reprieve from the album’s otherwise aggressive pacing. While slower songs can mitigate otherwise homogenous tempos, just because a song is slow doesn’t mean it has to be long. At over seven-and-a-half minutes, “The New Beginning” could be trimmed and be more effective for it. Otherwise, Leatherwitch crafts chest-thumping, fist-pumping anthems for metalheads of any stripe.2
First Spell doesn’t change the course of metal, but with it Leatherwitch bestows a worthy entry into the annals of classic heavy metal thunder. First Spell supplies a welcome respite from life’s burdens—music you can get lost in, especially with the windows down and an open stretch of road ahead. Though I was initially disheartened by Crystal Viper’s demise, Leatherwitch renews my hope and convinces me that Gabriel’s vision hasn’t dulled for the change. Whatever hex comes next for Leatherwitch, I’ll be ready for Marta’s magic.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 11 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Listenable Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 29th, 2026
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