Veteran indie rock band Murder by Death released a new album titled “Spell/Bound”, an album full of immersive and diverse tracks.
Spell/Bound’s Early Success
Murder by Death is a band that is over 20 years old, first created in 2000 in Bloomington, Indiana. Since then, they have released 9 albums, with “Spell/Bound” as the most recent addition to their incredible collection. They have garnered a devoted following, with hundreds of fans always traveling down to their annual cave concert. It is no surprise then that when the band announced a Kickstarter for the presale of the album, the fans raised nearly $450,000. This total made this sale one of the highest Kickstarters in indie rock.
Spell/Bound Displays a Variance of Tones
“Spell/Bound” has a blend of genres in each song. While “Everything Must Rest” sounds more like a pop track, “Incantation” sounds more like a slow rock song. The acoustic guitar in the instrumental coupled with Adam Turla’s, the lead vocalist, style of singing also gives the songs a distinctive country feel.
And yet, with the soft acoustic feel and slower pace of most of the songs, each track is layered with eerieness. Songs like “Riders” have creepy lyrics such as: “I spy a palomino in the front – but something isn’t right – slack-jawed – meat hanging off their bones – death in their eyes”. The song “Incantations” has a shouting chorus that chants the threatening lyrics: “I name you – fade with haste – may you turn to bonemeal – and be laid to waste.” The cello is also prominent in the instrumental, bending notes and giving a haunting overlay.
Other songs aren’t as eerie, however. “Strange Song” has a more hopeful tone, full of resolved minor chords. “Everything Must Rest” uses the cello as a beautiful layering rather than as creep factor.
“For this album we leaned hard into some less obvious influences that have inspired Murder By Death over the years, like Massive Attack and Portishead, emphasizing a sound that is both chill and dark,” the band says. “We wanted it to be a record that was lush but not necessarily a wall of sound.”
What’s Next for Murder by Death?
Murder by Death is on tour during August and September. They will be visiting many states throughout America, such as Chicago, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York. See where else they will perform by clicking here!
