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PHANTOM SPELL “Heather & Hearth”
PHANTOM SPELL “Heather & Hearth”
By Colonel Angus
I have been seeing this growing trend of “bands” that are really a single musician who handles everything. Recent bands that I have come across are MIDNIGHT, HELLRIPPER, ICE WAR, and HIGH SPIRITS to name a few (Not to mention legions of bedroom black metal bands—Lord Mality). Now I can add PHANTOM SPELL to that group and what a group it is. All of them possess this single vision of what they want their music to sound like without sacrificing quality.
“Heather & Hearth” is the second record for Kyle McNeill under the PHANTOM SPELL moniker and it is a great collection of songs that bring together the best of the best when it comes to 70s prog rock. There is a hint of NWOBHM here and there but overall, this is a prog rock record through and through. Take for instance the opening number “The Autumn Citadel”. Musically, there are instances where you might think that you were listening to an older YES album but McNeill adds in some Dennis DeYoung style vocals and peppers in a slight bit of KANSAS to create a unique blend of all the best prog elements. This eleven plus minute workout goes by quickly and doesn’t fall into some of the traps of 70s prog where the song doesn’t go anywhere. All the different parts work together moving the piece along without sounding boring or disjointed.
While the title track is another longer composition, there are a few tracks that don’t crack the four minute mark. “Siren Song” starts off with a soft acoustic intro but turns into a URIAH HEEP inspired song that captures the bombast of early HEEPbut with a modern twist. Speaking of acoustic work, the last track “Old Pendle” gives off this folk vibe but with some really cool percussive work. Even though I can’t pinpoint it, I get some JETHRO TULL-ish moments that brings in another 70s prog element.
“Evil Hand” is probably the most straight forward tune on the record and even within a short span, McNeill is able to meld the more rocking parts of KANSAS with some great HEEP style organ. Oddly, with the rest of the material being slower, this tune should stand out like a sore thumb but it doesn’t feel out of place and fits the whole vibe of the album. Kicking in at almost six minutes, “A Distant Shore” is the sleeper track on the “Heather & Hearth”. After a few listens, this is probably my favorite as it contains all the previously mentioned prog components but somehow manages to become greater than the sum of its parts. This tune will insidiously grow on you until you succumb to its multi-part soundscape and keep throwing the disk on repeat after this piece.
As mentioned previously, the other long song is the title track and this one has a plodding tempo that gives off a melancholy feel. There is also a renaissance inspired sound that carries through a good part of the song. For extra color, some keyboard sounds are added that sound like “Grand Illusion”-era STYX. But before you think of this as a slow tune, half way through it speeds up and starts to rock out (in a prog way, of course).
I don’t often get a new record that takes me back to the 70s prog material that I grew up with but “Heather & Hearth” has done just that. The production and bits here and there make me realize I am listening to something newly recorded but the music and vibe is definitely rooted in 70s prog rock. I can’t imagine there would be another record like this released anytime soon by an artist that authentically captures the era so well. If you grew up during that timeframe like me, this is must have in your collection.
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