MANTAR is a musical duo comprised of vocalist and guitarist Hanno together with Erinc on drums and vocals. Hailing from Germany, the duo has previously released two full-length albums, "Death By Burning" and "Ode To The Flame". "The Spell" serves as their first EP and contains three formerly unreleased songs. The duo is known for blending the zestfulness of Punk and the grimness of Black and Doom Metal to produce a unique sound that is both fierce and powerful.

The three-minute opening track "Pest Crusade" starts off by assailing listeners with an onslaught of blasting drumbeats and highly-distorted riffage. Hanno's vocals - which are a blend of harsh singing and growls - rip through the track, infusing it with immense ferocity and viciousness as he delivers a headbang-inducing performance against a loud, grooving soundscape.

In comparison to the first track, "Age of the Vril" might seem slower in tempo, but that does not lessen its overall intensity. In fact, like other tracks on this EP, it is a very much robust song, filled with shredding guitars and rhythmic drumming. It comes to a pause for effect halfway through the track, but soon resumes its abrasiveness with doomy rhythms and riffs. The speedy and powerful guitar and drum solos in this song are also particularly noteworthy.

Featuring Okoi Jones from Swiss Metal band Bölzer as guest vocalist, the title track "The Spell" has a dark, ominous flavor to it, opening with a piercing yet somewhat distorted sound that soon transcends into full-on aural assault. Anger and tenacity are obviously abundant in this song, with both Hanno's and Okoi's voices tearing through the entirety of this track. The song slows down partway and leads into a bridge sung entirely in clean vocals, before exposing listeners to one last barrage of raspy, guttural vocals that soon come to an abrupt end.

Overall, "The Spell" is the perfect hybrid of Punk, Black Metal and Doom chock full of aggression and grit. It brings about a solid performance that punches you right in the gut. Even though this is just an EP, it really does showcase the tremendous effort that MANTAR put into this production. If you are into Blackened Metal with a good dose of Punk and Doom, this EP is one that is surely not to be missed!