Prog rock protometal in the style of the 1970s, done in 2025? I've been listening to this upcoming album, but because it's prog, it takes a while to fully grasp with my metal music mind. However, the release date is fast approaching, and two songs are already streaming on Bandcamp. I recommend checking out these two songs, especially if you have an interest in protometal and 1970s-style prog. I don't know anything about the entity named Phantom Spell, so I'll share the official biography I received from official sources. Now you know as much as I do! Before the release date, you can start with these two songs and see what you think. Don't expect screaming and animal-farm sounds from modern angry loud metal. Think something mellower and gentler on your ears instead. This will be nice and easy on your ears!
Phantom Spell
Heather & Hearth
Cruz Del Sur Music
18 July 2025
BIO: Bursting forth from The Black Spire with a charming blend of classic prog rock and NWOBHM-era metal, Phantom Spell has been tantalizing unsuspecting onlookers since emerging in 2021… Dexterous twin-lead guitars entwine with undulating synths and Hammond organ to form the perfect backdrop for Kyle McNeill’s enchanting voice. Like a long-lost soundtrack to your favourite AD&D supplement, Phantom Spell promises adventure and mystery aplenty!
It’s coming up on three long years since Phantom Spell’s debut album, Immortal’s Requiem, left the comfort of its dusty home.
Since then, only whispers have been heard; the odd rumor caught on the wind. Reports of a skulking wizard with a travelling band of roguish bards, appearing only for a fleeting moment before retiring back to the shadows of his tower. Now, the wizard returns with a new set of compositions. Hark!
Phantom Spell’s second full-length offering, Heather & Hearth, is a collection of heartfelt tales, weaving the potent nostalgia of home with vivid fantasy and cautionary storytelling. It retains all the ingredients that made Immortal’s Requiem such a tantalising listen, but adds fragility and subtlety. As the album title suggests, a folk thread is woven into the fabric of each song. Acoustic guitar moves to the forefront, no longer just a supporting role. The artful use of space in the brooding quiet sections amplifies the Hammond-fuelled uproar that follows. There is melancholy in the majesty, but hope is never lost.
Once again, McNeill plays and programs all instruments on the record. Recorded and mixed at his own Wizard Tower Studios, Heather & Hearth is another solo adventure. However, with a now-established live act, it won’t be long before these new compositions take on a life of their own out in the wild. Mastered once again by Justin Weis of Trakworx, the album has been given the utmost care for vinyl, cassette, and CD release. The vinyl will once more be handled by the splendid Cruz Del Sur, with whom Phantom Spell has formed a strong bond. CD and cassette editions will be released via McNeill’s own Wizard Tower Records.
Line-Up:
Kyle McNeill - Vocals / Guitar / Bass / Drums / Keys
Live Line-Up:
Kyle McNeill - Vocals / Guitar
Jose Soler - Guitar
Ramon Romero -Keyboards
Miguel Moreno - Bass
José Vicente - Drums
Heather & Hearth
by Phantom Spell
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