It is truth that we haven’t listened to a new album from KING DIAMOND since 2007 or from MERCYFUL FATE much longer, since 1999, for various reasons. Although that statement is valid, it is also common ground that the aforementioned bands, which have as singer the mighty ‘’ Kim Bendix Petersen’’ have created a whole movement in heavy metal and have influenced many genres with their aesthetics, image, music, vocals and lyrics just to name a few. In the early 80’s, bands such as VENOM or MERCYFUL FATE were considered ‘’black metal’’ bands from all the contemporary press and magazines, due to their evil / unholy or occult elements.
DEMON SPELL is a quartet from Italy and I could tell that they are true disciples of the KING and MERCYFUL FATE. They are a new name but their line-up entails two ‘’veterans’’ of the Italian metal scene, such as the drummer Mario Casanova (played with SCHIZO for more than 20 years) and the guitarist Francesco Bauso (founding member stoner-doom band HAUNTED). The line-up is completed with the vocalist Federico Fano and bassist Riccardo Liberti.
These four musicians deliver a quite ambitious and promising mini-album. Of course, they are not playing ‘’black metal’’, as the term is used a little bit differently nowadays. They are playing classic old school heavy metal towards a definite evil direction.
Hell breaks loose with the homonymous ‘’Demon Spell’’ track, which has an obsessive – grabbing irresistible charm with the warm – earthly (not plastic) production and the hooking NWOBHM guitar work. ‘’Wings’’ is following with some eerie falsettos and galloping mid-tempo rhythm with crunchy guitars. It feels like these students of darkness have done their homework well and now can preach themselves as dark apostles. Thus, the high-pitched scary falsettos are taken to the next level in ‘’Dark Deceiver (Woman of the black Oath)’’ which is another great song that brings in mind pictures of pure terror from the scariest rituals. The self-titled ‘’Evil Nights’’ is the fourth and last track of the mini album. Brings in mind the feeling of bands like WITCHCROSS or SATAN’S HOST with KING DIAMOND singing, instead of Leviathan Thisiren (a.k.a. Harry ‘’The Tyrant’’ Conklin).
The mini-album is an excellent appetizer for forthcoming and highly anticipated full-length albums. The band has caught the right vibe and nocturnal atmosphere. Despite the fact that their influences are obvious, which by the way is no bad at all by definition, the outcome is nothing less that super catchy and memorable in an authentic way.
If you have missed this specific kind of distinctive hellfire-burning heavy metal, you should unquestionably check on DEMON SPELL.
‘’Evil Nights’’ will be released on the 26th of July 2024 by Dying Victims Productions and will be available on LP and CD.
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Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
