Sometimes band drama can lead to good things. When Swiss folk-metallers Eluveitie went through personnel issues between members in 2016 (too much to get into here), three members ended up leaving that band behind to continue working in a more positive band environment as Cellar Darling.
From the get-go it was clear that this project had potential. In a more trusting and cooperative environment, creativity thrived and music started pouring out. The first album This Is the Sound arrived in 2017 with an interesting mix of heavy metal, folk, classical, and progressive rock.
Notably, lead vocalist Anna Murphy plays a hurdy-gurdy (an old folk instrument) and flute in addition to synths, adding a lot to the more metal-inspired guitars/bass played by Ivo Henzi and the progressive drum beats of Merlin Stutter. Guest musicians adds violin, uillean pipes and other ingredients.
The Spell (2019) is their second album and (to the band’s surprise) turned out a bit different musically. The first album had been named This Is the Sound as a statement. They thought they had a new and established sound by then, but found that there was still some new music for them to discover.
The Spell is more progressive and complex than the first one, with the classical elements also influencing the writing and playing to a larger degree.
Another key difference is that The Spell is a concept album. Anna wrote the story about a girl who falls in love with Death, inspired by the motive of “Death and the Maiden” which is a much-used Renaissance motif in painting, classical music and poetry.
Anna found it to be a fascinating image and ended up writing a story about the girl’s long and painful journey. The others got behind it, and they started the work of shaping the story as a song narrative.
With each song becoming a chapter in the story, the titles used are all very short and direct (Pain, Death, Love, Sleep, Freeze, Fall, Drown, etc.). The music is very distinctive for each song, providing the necessary emotional bedding for what goes on in that chapter.
The band gave themselves no limitation to achieve the needed textures. Some songs are quite sharp and heavy in their approach, others are ethereal and creeping along, and others almost tribal and rhythmic. In between, the various instruments they have in their arsenal are used to full and excellent effect to make the material stand apart and each chapter of the story have the full benefit of the band’s musicality.
Going all-in on the story, the digipack edition of the album includes the story as an audiobook, and animated lyric music videos has been produced for every track on the album.
As a piece of work, this is highly ambitious and a fascinating listen. With the story being as important as the music, people have a variety of ways to take it on board. I can promise you a very fascinating story, with extremely creative music that takes plenty of surprising turns.
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