Morbyda – Under the Spell (Witch Metal Inferno)
Damn I love this shit. For some reason, though, I didn’t at first, but this is nowhere close to a “grower,” I should have got my shit together from day one son. That’s because Morbyda are the MFing gawds of this kind of metal folks. Do you hear me folks? Is it speed metal? Is it thrash? Is it perhaps blackened? Does it summon the spirits of ancient, sacrificed witches? That’s the more important question! Summon the snakes! Imbibe in the blood of the less than worthy! Suffer at the flames of the inferno as they lick your flayed corpse! Under the Spell is what you are!
I’d summarize this as “witchy,” but that that will lead to bitchy from fans. Morbyda, true to their German roots, have a greater sense of the dark magic that comes with the best of speed and thrash, but yet they’re not exactly either of these, and they’re not fully blackened, either. But this is one you can fully judge by the cover. In fact, it tells you everything you need to know. Under the Spell gathers together all of the proper implements for metal sorcery. The snakes, the blood in a goblet, the empty eyes of a succubus, the lightning, the majestic, threatening crags of mountains, and the skulls of course. I joke, but honestly this is what it’s like. I can’t even pull out band references, because it wouldn’t do it a lick of justice. Morbyda utilize the right amount of vocal echo to fully surround their riff spells, with plenty of variation and familiarity. It’s all woven together into so fine a decaying fresco that not one track is sufficient to satisfy an explanation of its greatness. I’ve heard a lot of bands try to do it like this, but only the Germans can pull off the leather and steel to this degree while still maintaining a thaumaturgical air. Dark, mystical, and sharp, this doesn’t grow, it bursts forth out of your heart, replaced with hot coals driven into the empty space by the hand of demons.
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
Morbyda – Under the Spell
Dying Victims Productions
Cover Art: Bronze and Bones
4.7 / 5
