Cellar Darling - The Spell (2019)

cover

After their brilliant and lively debut “This is the Sound” back in 2017, Cellar Darling quickly established themselves as one of the most promising up-and-coming Folk Metal/Rock bands in the scene. With “The Spell”, the band builds up on their earlier sound and turns into more Progressive territories with 13 superbly crafted tracks. Featuring a wide variety of folk elements , the super talents of Anna Murphy on vocals, and proven song-writing capabilities, the band delivers one of the best releases of their genre in 2019.

Opening with “Pain”, we notice and instant shift into darker and more progressive territories. The band continues to deliver their signature lush vocal arrangements, but in a more conservative and yet engaging manner. As “Death” and “Love” roll in, the band’s sound feels like a combination of Kari Rueslåtten’s folkier works with Anneke van Giersbergen’s charisma and sense of melody. This is quite a killer combination we have to say, however, of course Cellar Darling imprints their own ideas and style in the mix.

While the progressive elements are quite more evident, the Folk origins of the band members is always present, particularly in tracks like the album title track. This song combines lush Folky passages, with heavy distorted guitars and very rewarding vocal layering work. The only track in this release we are a bit iffy on, is “Burn” and its harsh vocals. While not our cup of tea, it feels a bit weird on how the album flows, particularly when followed by the lush and lounge-y “Hang”.

One of our favorite tracks has to be the jazzy “Insomnia”, a piece that is a bit mad but perfectly executed and full of surprises. The only track that fully reminds us of their first release is the playful “Freeze”, with its catchy vocal arrangements. We also really enjoyed the jazzy/improvisational vibe of tracks like “Drown” and “Love Pt. II”, while “Death Pt. II” is certainly a very emotional and disarming closer.

Overall, we are quite excited about the band’s more refined and at times darker sound. “The Spell” is full of great tracks that bring a new side of the band to the spotlight, while maintaining their playfulness and creativity intact. If you are a bit fan of Folk with progressive elements and enchanting female vocals, you are in for a treat with Cellar Darling’s latest release.

Bands: Cellar Darling Album: The Spell

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release: March 22nd, 2019

Homepage Facebook

Genre: Progressive Folk Rock/Metal

Country: Switzerland

Rating: 93/100
Year: 

Recent Image Galleries