Metal is not only about music itself. It has many features that encircle an album that are important, so you must take care about each aspect. It doesn't mean that music isn't the most important thing, but we must enjoy ourselves. And as Metal is provocative sometimes, it's needed to tell you all to take care about Italian quartet SADIST work, for "Spellbound" has many deep secretes. Their musical genre is a form of Technical/Progressive Death Metal, done with fine melodies (created by keyboards parts), and some good technique in each musical instrument, along good grunts and very good rhythmic changes. Of course the genre already exists, but the quartet way to do things is personal, so we can say that they're really a very good band, with a charming and energetic musical work.

The only "but" on the album rests on its sound quality. It's not something that our senses can't understand, but it sounds a bit "smoky" (that feeling that a smoke cloud is above the songs), and that means that the rawness level is above the right point. And the instrumental tunes could be better as well (especially on bass guitar). But don't get these words wrong: it's not bad, but it's not the best for their music. And on the artwork, the cover is really something somber, but the pic of the band will cause complains from the "police" of the political correctness (it's really great, with a clear black comedy atmosphere).

Musically, the band is really good. And songs like "The Birds" (charming keyboards parts filling the grasping harsh/technical instrumental), "Spellbound" (slow and bitter, showing fine parts from bass guitar and drums, with a Jazz touch in the middle of brutality), "Bloody Bates" (very good experimental parts, vocals and broken tempos), "Stage Fright" (very good energy and hooking moments that make our heads shake spontaneously, and another great moment from guitars), "I'm the Man Who Knew Too Much" (a great moment of the album, with charming contrasts between aggressive, melodic and technical parts, and a great exhibition from guitars), and "The Mountain Eagle" (a hooking song, with very good melodies, great keyboards and fine work from vocals) will conquer you all easily.

"Spellbound" is a really a very good album, but these mad Italians still have potential to use, so the future is really promising for SADIST.