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Spell Shock
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Spell Shock |
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| Bewitcher are a heavy/speed metal band from the USA formed in 2013, releasing a number of demos before their self titled debut album emerged in 2016. 'Too Fast For The Flames' 7" E.P. was released early in 2019, followed just a couple of months later by the bands second album 'Under The Witching Cross', with third album 'Cursed Be Thy Kingdom' emerging in 2021. | ||||||
| For the bands fourth album 'Spell Shock' (released in 2024), Bewitcher have shelved a little of the "black metal aura" of the previous album to return to the blistering speed metal fury featured across the bands 2019 E.P. and the blackened speed of 'Under The Witching Cross'. The ten songs on offer on the bands new album are fast and ferocious and will have you violently head banging from start to finish, the band taking chances with raw energy to sizzle hotter than the surface of the fucking sun - and at ten thousand degrees Fahrenheit, that's hot! Very hot! The band are literally on fire, setting 'Spell Shock' on its way with the rampant 'Starfire Maelstrom' - the pace simply sensational! The speed is faster than a bullet, the vocals terrifying, enraged and full of anger Bewitcher are devastating towns and cities with a bruising blend of heavy/speed metal to send every mosh pit around the world into fucking overdrive! | ||||||
| A savage opening salvo from the American speedsters, Bewitcher maintain the albums ferocity level at maximum, 'Lavish Desecration' roaring in faster than the previous song - the albums first two songs ripping the space-time continuum to fucking shreds! Good luck keeping pace with the band in terms of head banging, 'cos even the worlds diehard head bangers are gonna struggle here - the title song 'Spell Shock' entering the fray with a more traditional metal feel, for all of the songs first thirty seconds or so, the band resuming the incredible pace of the opening brace! Bewitcher are straddling a number of genres here, with thrash, speed and black metal just three of 'em, the band continuing to howl and scowl with ferocious intent as the album storms on with 'Out Against The Law'. Displaying the classic "metal gallop" so synonymous with the iconic NWOBHM, 'Out Against The Law' maintains 'Spell Shock's (the album's) phenomenal genre spanning, boundary breaking, border crossing brand of metal! | ||||||
| What a devastating rollercoaster ride of "Final Destination 3" terror 'Spell Shock' (the album) is delivering, Bewitcher scaring the heebie-jeebies outta many listeners with an overwhelming twisting and turning display of savage brutality, the band not lifting their foot off the accelerator for a single second as 'Dystopic Demonolatry' surges forth to become the fastest song heard so far! The album's at its most rowdy here too, banging the heads of every mosher and metalhead around the world faster than is humanly possible! And even if it's not, I'm still gonna give it a damn good try - 'Seasons Of Foul Harvest' hitting harder than a tonne of fucking bricks! The band are hammering the ground right now with a force greater than gravity, 'Spell Shock' (the album) remaining in top gear as 'Seasons Of Foul Harvest' batters everyone round the head with a gratuitous display of brutal savagery! The aggression pouring outta the album right here and now is more menacing than a prime time Mike Tyson - and he was menacing, especially during the eighties when he won all of his first thirty seven professional fights, thirty three inside the distance and a stunning seventeen by first round knock-out! 'We Die In Dust' actually slows the pace a little, Bewitcher oozing a very strong anthemic thunder stomp here, the ground shaking beneath the bands feet - feet that slam the pedal firmly to the metal after two minutes to dramatically change 'We Die In Dust' from a mid tempo swagger into a high velocity thunderstorm! | ||||||
| A thunderstorm that's in no danger of dying out anytime soon as 'The Harem Conspiracy' takes off at electrifying speed, the energy level rising higher than ever as the band roar even louder too - 'Spell Shock' (the album) continuing to hurtle across metal territory at tremendous speeds! And when I say metal territory, I mean every inch, corner, nook and cranny, Bewitcher bewildering listeners with a spellbinding array of heavy/speed metal! And it's not over yet as there's still two more songs to come - the first of which 'Pagan Shadows', is a bewitching two minute mellow and serene stroll with so much building tension I fear the album may just explode! But it's the final song 'Ride Of The Iron Fox' that explodes - exploding into life with the fiery force of a thousand incendiary devices all detonating at the same fucking time! 'Spell Shock' (the album) has been foot to the floor since minute one, Bewitcher striding tall and proud across a multitude of metal genres to deliver sky high head bang ability to the bands legions of fans worldwide - along with many new fans too! | ||||||
| Overall, a ferocity driven, high velocity rampage of immensely head bang-able speed come thrash come traditional heavy metal. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal Gods TV | ||||||
| Review is also featured at Metal-Roos | ||||||
| Other Reviews | ||||||
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| Too Fast For The Flames 7" E.P. | ||||||
| "a blistering double salvo of heavy hitting and explosive heavy metal guaranteed to viciously bang your head" Read Review | ||||||
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| Under The Witching Cross | ||||||
| "fierce and furious rampage of savagery and brutality, Bewitcher deliver thirty minutes of breath taking speed, thrash and classic heavy metal" Read Review | ||||||
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| Cursed Be Thy Kingdom | ||||||
| "a snarling, menacing, sinister ride of black metal infused speed metal to delight fans of the black, speed, and traditional, metal genres" Read Review | ||||||
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