Spellbound Circle is a direct, driven, prog-rock three-piece from Northern Italy. Or, as their Facebook bio describes them, “Two nice guys and a kind lady bashing strings and skins in the name of music.” I prefer my description…
The band released their debut LP Escalation back in November and it’s been blowing my ears off for the last few days. What’s immediately evident is the chemistry and passion the band has for making music together. Like our very own God Is An Astronaut and Overhead The Albatross, Spellbound Circle masters the tricky art of instrumental on this record.
Without vocals to direct the songs, instrumental rock can sometimes be difficult for listeners to connect with. That’s not the case here however, as Escalation stirs reaction by way of dense intensity.
Take “The Coin Under The Tree” for example, a song that builds in sections, retreats momentarily and then relapses into an even greater cacophony of drama. It’s all encompassing, violent at times and heavy throughout, even in the lulls. That said, I could say the same for most songs as each becomes its own story. “County Devil”, “Orange” (video below) and “Awakenings” are just three more tracks that you could drop into and become immersed in.
As a whole, Escalation is a journey and, more importantly, one that doesn’t bore or cause you to drift off for even a second.
Escalation is available on Spotify and I would advise turning the volume down BEFORE you press play.
And for all things Spellbound Circle, follow the band on Facebook, Bandcamp and Instagram.
Love,
G.M
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