Bewitcher has always felt different than the blackened speed metal wave that emerged in the last decade or so. I’ve enjoyed some Midnight or Hellripper in my day, but by the late 2010s, it seemed like there were way too many groups offering a stock combination of raspy black metal vocals, bouncy riffs in the style of Exciter or Kill ‘Em All, and a chorus where they shout something about fire or Satan or some shit. By the 666th time I’ve heard a song like that, it just starts feeling tired and disingenuous. Not so with Bewitcher. Not only was their 2016 self-titled debut more ferocious than much of the blackened speed metal it preceded, but Bewitcher also quickly broke beyond the style’s tight leather confines. With 2019’s terrific Under the Witching Cross, this Portland trio began incorporating hard rock elements, an influence that became even more pronounced with their Century Media debut, 2021’s Cursed Be Thy Kingdom. Through it all, the band is more fun, genuine, and inspired than most of their peers. Now, with our resident Bewitcher scribe Holdeneye unavailable due to entirely unsuspicious circumstances,1 I must bear the burden of reviewing Bewitcher’s fourth album, Spell Shock.
Spell Shock feels like a logical continuation of Cursed Be Thy Kingdom. With the resources of Century Media still behind them, the band has crafted another album brimming with sharp hooks, and a modern, punchy production,2 and plenty of hard rock influences. “We Die in Dust” has perhaps the most blatant rock vibes, with stomping beats and crunchy riffs that sound like 80s hair metal performed by Venom. At times, the rock similarities are even more direct. The main riff of barnstorming opener “Starfire Maelstrom” evokes the main riff from HIM’s “You Are the One” repurposed for a speed metal context, while the guitar line in the bridge of the title track sounds like a reinvention of the main guitar melody from Heart’s “Crazy on You.”
Spell Shock finds Bewitcher’s increasing rocky influences not only working but also making the more typical blackened thrash moments hit harder. “Lavish Desecration,” the album’s second track, charges forward with the playful and jumpy riffing we’ve all come to expect from Bewitcher, but fresher and more invigorated. Other tracks strike equally hard. While gang vocals are an oft-used trope in this style, I still can’t help but throw my grimy fist in the air when the chants of “Spell shock!” hit in the title track. “Out against the Law” burns rubber like classic Motörhead, while “Seasons of Foul Harvest” crafts a simple hook using sustained bends that recall heavy metal’s golden age. Through it all, vocalist and guitarist M. Von Bewitcher keeps an eye toward extremity with his gruff and charismatic rasp, sounding better than ever over his kinetic riffing. The man’s leads are also an unholy force to behold, with almost every one of these ten tracks containing slick and wild solos that fly high and reek of vintage charm.
The best thing about Spell Shock, though, is how it feels like a refinement of the last album. Whereas Cursed Be Thy Kingdom felt like a collection of (good) songs, Spell Shock has a better sense of cohesion and structure. Spell Shock’s penultimate track, “Pagan Shadows,” is a two-minute Western Americana instrumental, which is somehow exactly what the album needed at that point. Likewise, the band wisely forego a third iteration of the chorus on the closer “Ride of the Iron Fox,” ending the record more effectively with an extended instrumental outro of clean picking, rocking solos, and a weird atmospheric sample. While some songs aren’t as impressive (“Dystopic Demonolatry”), most of the tracks are great, if uniform; a weird curveball or two wouldn’t have hurt. Lars Frederiksen of punk legends Rancid also does an excellent job on production duties, offering a vibrant guitar tone and an overall sound that’s powerful and clear without being sterile.
If Spell Shock isn’t the best Bewitcher album, then it’s certainly the most fully realized. It’s an improvement over the last album while featuring the same high energy and fantastic hooks they’ve always had. This time, it’s with better production and a renewed swagger. Ultimately, Spell Shock is a terrific addition to the Bewitcher catalog and I’d recommend it to even the crustiest and most jaded of heavy metal fans.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Century Media Records
Websites: bewitcher.bandcamp.com | bewitcher.us | facebook.com/bewitcherofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024
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