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.

Black LP