ALBUM REVIEW: Demon Spell – Blessed Be The Dark

In 2024 a band called Demon Spell released a killer EP called “Evil Nights”. This occult heavy metal coven now present their debut full length album, via Dying Victims Productions on the 24th of April.

Menacing organs begin with an unsettling ambience combined with fuzzy guitars. Shortly after some pounding drums kick us into the onslaught of pure heavy metal thunder with sharp riffs that harken back to the debut Mercyful Fate EP but with their own flavour. The eerie vocals have this funereal and yet piercing feel to them, evoking the old spirits of morbid metal while delivering with total power to match the high-octane instrumentals ripping underneath. There is a really crisp old school mix to this record that fits the band perfectly. Galloping and jolting with energy, there is this wickedly unbound feeling to the music which picks off gloriously where their aforementioned EP left off. Some of the theatrics remind me of Hell, the English band, while sticking with that King Diamond influence that burns so brightly within them. Of course other bands such as Attic, Portrait and Midnight Priest have walked the same path, but to me each is quite different and this is the case with Demon Spell. Their sound is more akin to the EP or debut album “Melissa” than the more polished and melodic works to come after. Bewitching vocals soar atop crushing guitar riffs and excellently varied drumming; this is real heavy metal the way it was supposed to be.

Utilising their effective skills at conjuring this Hammer Horror sort of atmosphere; Demon Spell invokes something sinister and remarkably enjoyable that all headbangers will surely appreciate. There is a direct, no-nonsense approach to these tracks which go straight for the throat rather than wasting time. The shorter running time of the album means every second is used properly. Energy and momentum do not get lost and impact is never dulled. The conciseness definitely being an important factor in this. Back to the songs themselves, they follow a fairly similar format but do so in a way that is enchanting rather than grating. The variety in the vocal pacing and drumming embellishes those power-chord riffs to keep adrenaline flowing while the gritty mix only adds to the authentic feel of the record. Occasionally hitting more doomy moments with full power, these will certainly have some necks breaking before ripping back into the more intricate verses or scolding leads. Definitely a superb example of less sometimes being more, this album is moody, gloomy and effective in conveying majestic and dark metal with no pretences.

A lot of the finer details in the rhythm section such as the bass lines and drum fills give a huge push to the records energy while the vocals and guitars are consistently magical in their occult and eerie presence. Heavy metal and mystical have always gone hand in hand and the way in which Demon Spell craft their material perfectly aligns the two. Some of the slightly faster bits really ramp up the epic feelings on the album while keeping that menacing atmosphere intact. Similarly the solos are full of life and really inject more fury into things. The primitive rocking to the melodious electricity balance gloriously on this triumphant tome of evil and magic. Right ’til the end this album will grab you by the throat and keep you rocking to the macabre ways of old and you’re going to love every minute of it. There is little to say but how enjoyable and killer this record is. No messing around, just pure and simple great heavy metal that has a touch of mystique and a lot of charm to boot.

A scolding cut of classic heavy metal; the genre that cannot be tamed. Hearing the ancient metal of old created so profoundly well in 2026 brings me joy. This record is a ferocious listen that keeps firing on the archaic cylinders of true heavy metal with sparks flying in all directions from start to finish. “Blessed be the Dark” is a haunting and wicked opus of metallic might that old school rockers cannot afford to miss. Having such a mysterious atmosphere while keeping to-the-point is a balance that Demon Spell have nailed on everything they have done and this album is another glorious stride into the underground for them.