Blending fantasy, metal, and heavy rock, Swedish band Spiral Skies blends several influences to create a musical cocktail. The listen is definitely an experience on its own. The occult rock group’s debut EP, A Queendom to Come, received lots of attention on Bandcamp upon release. Now, the full-length album, Blues For a Dying Planet, is out.
The opening track, “Black Hole Waltz” is a gothic organ piece worthy of the Haunted Mansion’s soundtrack. It sets the creepy tone for the rest of the album. “Awakening” comes crashing in immediately after, taking the energy to the next level. The song is reminiscent of Iron Maiden’s wailing vocals and catchy guitar riffs.
In the next song, “Dark Side of the Cross,” Spiral Skies channel their inner Ozzy. The song’s guitar is similar to the styles of Black Sabbath, while always being sure to make it their own. In this case, it is the background vocals that haunt me back into the feeling of “Black Hole Waltz.”
“The Wizard’s Ball” is a chilling fantasy song that focuses more on the awesome bassline and vocals than the guitar, a refreshing twist, since metal is generally based around soloing and guitar licks. The song goes to show that Spiral Skies is versatile with their craft. “Danse Macabre” strips the band of their metal roots and goes to a sort of indie rock fusion. “The Prisoner” is a song filled with righteous solos, and serves as a perfect ending for the loaded album.
Spiral Skies Rocks with Frida Eurenius’ Vocals
Along with the solos, morbid yet rocking verses, and the creepy style, Spiral Skies holds a great strength. Frida Eurenius is the vocalist for Spiral Skies, and she absolutely kills it. She sounds horrifying, dark, and still makes you want to mosh at the same time. She rocks with women like Patti Smith, Courtney Love, and Amy Lee. Eurenius follows in the footsteps of great women from many genres. It is important to remember that when we think of rock, we have to remember all of the women that have contributed to the genre (and all genres).
Spiral Skies embodies an amazing occult rock band in the making, and left me wanting to hear more.
