Described as a musical love letter to his favorite prog artists of yesteryear, Phantom Spell is the brainchild of Seven Sisters frontman Kyle McNeill. A tribute it may be. However, Phantom Spell is more than a mere copycat experiment. Those who have followed McNeill's work over the years have come to expect a certain level of originality and attention to detail. Phantom Spell follows that same tradition. After releasing the Keep on Running single in July 2021 to much praise, the stage was set for the band's debut album, Immortal's Requiem. Independently released in August 2022 to immediate critical and fan acclaim, the album will receive a proper vinyl release in early 2023 via Cruz Del Sur Music. Phantom Spell presents a spellbinding sonic journey throughout Immortal's Requiem -- a journey in which fractured thoughts of a deteriorating clairvoyant are given form as cascading guitar harmonies and weaving mellotronic passages. Songs like Dawn of Mind and Seven Sided Mirror effortlessly navigate shifting sonic textures with purpose and unabashed curiosity akin to the theatrical majesty of those dear Kansas and Yes gatefolds tucked away in record collections worldwide. The driving, electrified rhythms of Up the Tower clear the heady smog of spell-craft and make way for a direct message. The album's instrumental track, Black Spire Curse showcases McNeill's aforementioned guitar work perfectly that navigates complex melodies and Hackett-like dreamscape soloing with equal dexterity, while Blood Becomes Sand features dynamic peaks and troughs that make it a slumbering beast. With Immortal's Requiem, Phantom Spell presents a complete work that is rounded and satisfying enough while presenting avenues of exploration for a later date. A fitting opening chapter to a new story!
