Ray of Time

Often pigeonholed as also rans with their better known and fellow Italian power/folk metal contemporaries Elvenking, from their inception SpellBlast was charting a fairly unique path. Though their eventual codified sound on their 2007 debut Horns Of Silence would share some similar elements to Heathenreel and Wyrd, the primordial version that was developed from their 1999 inception until the eventual commitment of their 2004 demo Ray Of Time to recording leans a bit closer to the symphonic bands of the early 2000s that were riding Rhapsody Of Fire's coattails. There is a definitely logic to the very 2001 demeanor of these five songs, as the expanded lineup that includes two guitarists and a keyboardist, not to mention the timing of the band's entry into the scene, all coincide with a band that is looking to recount heroic tales of swords and sorcery with less of a woodland minstrel vibe.

As a wholly independent venture in the latter day era of the 2nd wave of power metal, the quality of the production is a bit on the low-fi side, but when compared against a number of final products released through Underground Symphony and Scarlet Records a few years prior, holds up about as well as the performance itself. The songwriting leans pretty heavily on the epic side of the coin, featuring drawn out and extravagant instrumental passages with dense keyboards overlaying a largely Iron Maiden meets Helloween riff assault. The limitations in the production largely reveal themselves in the thin, dry character of the drum sound, though Alberto Baldi does a solid job at keeping the arrangement together. Probably the most compelling performance out of the whole is vocalist Marco Castellano, who rides high in the arrangement without the need of any extensive post-production effects, and comes off like a slightly more reserved emulation of Damnagoras.

Though these songs are in a style that was in its waning years when they first emerged, the level of enthusiasm behind each riff and melodic phrase is a cut above the rest. The opening foray into otherworldly adventure "Lost In The Forest" features a driving speed metal riff set and a noodling harp theme that paint the visual of a mythical land in turmoil quite effective, while Castellano's high flaying wails are occasionally answered by a deep guttural groan, a common fixture of the emerging folk metal craze of the day that was likely imported from Elvenking. The somewhat lighter folksy power metal romp "Sign Of The Unicorns" also rides a swift tempo and features plenty of flashy lead guitar and keyboard gimmickry, yet manages not to come off as wholly cliche. The massive epic semi-ballad turned explosive anthem "Glory To The Gem" checks just about every box in the early 2000s power metal list, and could easily pass for one of the longer mid-paced offerings out of Dark Moor with a few studio tweaks.

For those who have continued to fall hopelessly in love with the unapologetic campiness of bands like Twilight Force and Shadowstrike, this is one of the more compelling rough drafts to come about a decade or more before those bands were blips on power metal's radar. Three of these songs would end up getting a needed studio upgrade a few years later on the 2007 debut LP Horns Of Silence, though sadly Marco would drop out of the band before this would come to pass. But this version is compelling in its own way, and also includes the only version of the more prog-inspired ballad "On My Skin" and a serene acoustic guitar outro "Ray Of Light" that are guaranteed auditory delights to those whom love this style. Given SpellBlast's longstanding disposition as an independent outfit, this demo is easily accessible via online streaming, and anyone who can't get enough of the knights and dragons brand of power metal that was all the rage 20 years ago are sure to be thankful for that.