Review by Vladimir on September 29, 2024.

When it comes to the rich branch of black/speed metal bands, there’s simply no shortage of good albums, because you will always find something worth the while whenever you look at it, even in this year of 2024. Case in point is the Portland, Oregon-based band Bewitcher, returning with their fourth full-length album Spell Shock that was released on September 27th, 2024 via Century Media Records, previously teased by the three-hit singles 'Starfire Maelstrom', 'Out Against The Law' and 'Dystopic Demonolatry'. Is this a journey worth experiencing? Stay tuned to find out folks… 

Kicking things off with 'Starfire Maelstrom' and we already have Bewitcher striking hard with fury as the journey of Spell Shock commences. From the very get-go, we get plenty of nasty blackened speed metal action, enriched with maniacal overdrive and devilish rock ‘n roll burning the highway in full throttle, showcasing an incredible display of catchiness and all-around heaviness that dominates in the band’s tight performance. Although the album instantly gets you going from the start, it’s only the calm before the storm, because along the way things will get more interesting, especially when the songs become even more engaging with their intense energy that just doesn’t drop its balls, because every song this album just keeps it strong and tight as we progress further, even when you have some slower moments on 'We Die In Dust' that nicely transitions from the mid-tempo heavy to the fast rocking. Speaking of progression, Spell Shock truly is a hellish ride from start to finish when you just go along with the flow, and what more could you ask from a black/speed metal album full of banger tunes that successfully maintain their edge, and if all the black rock ‘n roll wasn’t enough for you, you get a very good folky atmospheric interlude track 'Pagan Shadows' that builds up the grand finale with 'Ride Of The Ironfox'. As for the final track, now this is a real punchy one because it doesn’t just put a dot to this story, but instead, it really goes all the way to bring the wall down with its power and glory, and it serves such grand pay-off to this entire journey with the last bit of that Spell Shock. 

The songwriting of Bewitcher seems as simplistic and straightforward as it can get for black/speed metal in general, but on the other hand, it really made itself quite useful throughout the entire album, and in this case, I’d say that the overall execution was incredibly effective. The approach to the songwriting is indeed met with a lot of stylistic consistency that carries over from one track to another, although it doesn’t feel empty or repetitive, because the band always manages to find room for more fun riff ideas that will keep it strong all the way through. I guess it goes without saying that this album really went to such great lengths that they left no head un-banged, and honestly, I couldn’t imagine that happening, especially with all the excitement going on and the fun moments that the songs provide. Sure, Spell Shock may not be a standout album or a one of its kind, but it certainly isn’t a “merry-go-round” if you ask me, because this is something that the hardcore and loyal fans of black/speed metal will love, appreciate and blast it on their speakers loud and proud. Aside from all the musical entertainment, other things worth highlighting would be the phenomenal blue tone cover art designed by the Italian artist Luca Martinotti (aka Solo Macello), who provided something so beautiful to look at that is very fitting to the essence of Spell Shock, and the great production by Lars Frederiksen who really cranked this beast up to eleven with a top-notch sound that does justice to the album. 

If you are looking for an album full of solid riffs with a killer oldschool black/speed metal performance, then look no further than Bewitcher’s brand-new album Spell Shock. It’s a great testosterone driven experience that will satisfy anyone who is heavily into bands like Speedwolf, Midnight, Hellripper, Wraith, Bütcher, Toxic Holocaust and Wastëland Riders. Bands like these keep it true all the way through, and the faith of their fans keeps it alive for years to come. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10