Over the years, we here at Defenders have chronicled our fair share of one man bands. From the hellish black ‘n’ roll damnation of Midnight, to the uplifting hard and heavy triumph of High Spirits (just to name a couple), it never ceases to amaze me when one individual boasts so much musical talent that it overflows to multiple instruments and all aspects of the writing and recording process. Such is the case for today’s band in review, Phantom Spell. Formed in 2021 by Kyle McNeill, guitarist/singer for English traditional metallists Seven Sisters, Phantom Spell serves as an outlet in which McNeill can fuse classic prog, old school metal, and whatever other genres he pleases into affairs that are nothing short of epic.
Their latest effort, Heather & Hearth, is their second full length, which is rather remarkable considering this project only came into fruition a few short years ago. I didn’t catch on to their 2022 debut, Immortal’s Requiem, until after the fact, otherwise a review would’ve absolutely been in order. Blurring the lines between grandiose prog arrangements, NWOBHM-infused riffing, and hard rocking power, Immortal’s Requiem played like an unearthed ’70s gem, one that would fit comfortably on the turntable in between spins of Kansas’ Leftoverture and Angel Witch’s eponymous debut. With Heather & Hearth, Phantom Spell haven’t just doubled down on their prog leanings: They’ve tripled down, crafting an effort that’ll appeal to the prog crop as strongly as it will headbangin’ heshers.
With all due respect to Immortal’s Requiem, the production on Heather & Hearth is far crisper, cleaner, and sonically enthralling, sounding genuinely out of the ’70s from start to finish. This becomes extremely evident just from the opening epic that is “The Autumn Citadel”. Despite its nearly 12 minute runtime, this suite breezes with ease and finesse: A colossal slab of heavy prog romanticism, complete with those aforementioned NWOBHM tinged riffs and even some pastoral folksiness for good measure. It’s a mixed bag, that shouldn’t work on paper, but it does, rather brilliantly. This is what prog is all about, folks, and I’ve heard few execute it as competently as Phantom Spell as of late.
This lengthy kickoff is then followed by three shorter, or rather “conventional” songs by comparison. “Siren Song” boasts a Wishbone Ash on steroids vibe, heavy and vengeful with a warrior spirit, while my choice cut, “Evil Hand”, is a full throttle blast of pure Purple metal, complete with uptempo drumming, neoclassical instrumentation, and those unforgettable Hammonds as a cherry on top. Nothing prog about this one; just traditional metal straight out of the glorious year of 1970! “A Distant Shore” expands upon the light vs. dark formula of “The Autumn Citadel”, its gentler moments recalling a Styx album cut, while its ‘eavy jam section screams Byron era Heep. This culminates in a final suite in the title track, which is one part gentle prog soundscape, one part NWOBHM-fueled brawn, giving listeners the best of both worlds.
Although far from “progressive metal” in the modern day, mapped out, sterile Dream Theater sense, Phantom Spell truly captures the essence of the genre better than most acts today ever could. Heather & Hearth is a throwback to the days when heavy acts like Purple and Sabbath could flex their prog muscles when need be, while prog gods like Yes and Genesis could occasionally crank up their amps to 11, proving they could rock with the heaviest. That middle ground in between, and that “anything goes” spirit of pure musical adventure, is what Phantom Spell are all about. You can’t stop the prog!
9 out of 10
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Genre: Progressive Rock
For fans of: Hällas, Uriah Heep, Kansas