2006-06-19
They may have been created in 1998, but Germany's Spellbound might as well have been active in the late 80's, as this, their debut album, is a carbon copy of several classic thrash albums from the 80's, done with professionalism and enthusiasm.
The main influence on the band seems to come from
Kreator, evident in the harsh screamed vocals and fast riffs, but there are also touches of American made Bay Area thrash, evident in the guitar leads and some of the mid-tempo segments, it all blends nicely in what is a perfectly made retro thrash album.
The opening title song has all of the band's strength's, fast and precise thrash riffing, the screamed vocals, it has a catchy old school chorus with some American groove thrown in. “Arrival Of The Gods” starts out a bit more technical, with strong
Exodus links, maybe some
Testament as well, all the comparisons, by the way, are unavoidable in a band which sounds so much like the forefathers of the genre.
“Spiritual Decline” is one of the album's strongest cuts, smart riffing, vocals move from Kreator to
Destruction tinged screams, there's a break into a riff which reminded me of
Sepultura's “Dead Embryonic Cells” middle riff, it all works well in this one.
This album does not try and be original or modern, this is retro old school thrash at its best, well produced, well played, it's just a familiar taste of a long-gone past which people like me, who grew up on a steady diet of thrash, miss.
Alon Miasnikov
