{"id":634594,"date":"2026-04-28T17:42:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T17:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/634594\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T17:42:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T17:42:09","slug":"spell-wretched-heart-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/634594\/","title":{"rendered":"Spell – Wretched Heart Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"There\u2019s a certain kind of music that sits at the crossroads of 70s rock, Goth, and classic heavy metal. Where once I would have dubbed it retro or throwback metal, since 2010, it\u2019s been easier to tag it Ghost-core for obvious reasons. Canada\u2019s Spell fall into that rotpit, with a sound that has come close to what that Swedish supernatural entity did on their early albums. I liked 2020s Opulent Decay<\/a>, but felt it was missing a certain x-factor needed to take it to the next level of stickiness. For whatever reason, I slept on their 2022 release Tragic Magic, but I\u2019m here for 5th full-length Wretched Heart. Mostly because the lead single \u201cLilac\u201d has been stuck deep in my brainpan for the last 2 months, compelling me to grab the promo and get reacquainted with these occult-loving Canucks. Their style still floats between 70s rock and Goth metal, with hooks at a premium, and when they nail their template, you get super-catchy chestnuts of pure rock glory. So, how much nailing can you expect from Wretched Heart?<\/p>\n

More than I expected, actually. Since the last time I spent time with Spell, they\u2019ve become much more consistent songsmiths, and over the course of Wretched Heart, you get a fun, hard-charging collection of tunes with enough raw charm to make you believe in magic. Of course, there\u2019s \u201cLilac\u201d which punches way above its weight with an irrestible blend of Ghost and Unto Others. It\u2019s easily my favorite song so far in 2026, and I\u2019ve been walking around singing the flower-powered chorus constantly, much to the chagrin of Madam X, who thinks I\u2019m turning into a morbid florist. Play this song twice, and it will move into your brain and raise 3 generations of earworms. \u201cTake My Life\u201d is another entertainer with an interestingly weird blend of Goth, hard rock, and edgy emo. The chorus sticks on first exposure, and Cam Mayhem\u2019s vocals at chorus-time pack just the right amount of emo angst to sell things. \u201cUnquiet Graves\u201d is a winning little gem, loaded with an intriguing blend of Goth and punk that checks all the right boxes. You\u2019re treated to a winning chorus again, and the mood recalls the best of early Ghost.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, you\u2019re introduced to \u201cOubliette,\u201d which carries a strong Dawnbringer vibe and sounds like Chris Black dropped by to do guest vocals. It dials up the darkness and heaviness and really zaps the mind. Another highlight is \u201cExquisite Corpse.\u201d It\u2019s like Idle Hands \/ Unto Others had a love child with H.I.M., and that shouldn\u2019t be a good thing, but fuck it all, this song is awesome. The chorus is G-money, and though I suspect it\u2019s about necrophilia, I don\u2019t even care and won\u2019t stop spinning it and singing it in public. No song on Wretched Heart is filler, though opener \u201cDark Inertia\u201d doesn\u2019t put the band\u2019s best foot forward, and the short, funeral home-appropriate interlude \u201cIn Duress\u201d seems tacked on for no good reason. Other than that, it\u2019s an elevator ride to the penthouse with one killer cut after another. At a trim, tidy 41 minutes and with most songs in the 4-minute window, this is an easy-breezy spin, and the good songs are made even better because Spell never step on their own meat by dragging things out needlessly.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I was on the fence with Cam Mayhem\u2019s vocals when last I reviewed them, but I\u2019m sold now. He\u2019s like a cross between Papa Emeritus I-V, Chris Black, and Gabriel Franco (Untoothers). His offbeat delivery suits the songs and provides an identity to what Spell are doing. Everyone in the band is credited with guitar work, and the guitars are a huge part of the Spell experience. They run through 70s prog, hard rock, Goth, and metal, borrowing acorns from each genre and assembling sounds to suit moods adroitly. Some of the stuff here is surprisingly dark and heavy without losing the rocked-out vibe, and that\u2019s a nifty feat. There\u2019s even a healthy bass presence that adds some oomph to the sound. The big ticket is the improved songcraft, which is, at times, nigh impossible to resist.<\/p>\n

Wretched Heart is a sizeable step up from what I heard back on Opulent Decay, and it seems Spell have come into their own. With Ghost gone to mainstream success and sleepy radio rock antics and Unto Others dropping the tooth jar last time, Spell are here to fill the gaps in your metal listening needs. If you want semi-dark music loaded with earworms and a cheery, tongue-in-cheek vibe, and you can look past that dayglow abortion of a band photo, plant this in your topsoil. Pairs well with summer gardening and corpse defiling.<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

Rating: 3.5\/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Bad Omen<\/a>
Websites: spellofficial.bandcamp.com<\/a> | facebook.com\/spellspell<\/a> | instagram.com\/spellofficial<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: May 1st, 2026<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n