Filthy Music Review - 'Haiduk: Spellbound'

Haiduk – Spellbound (2012)

Review by Jude Felton

Whether it be music or movies, there are always comments out there, in the ether, that there is nothing good coming out any more. I beg to differ. There is so much exciting new music, in particular, that I rarely find time to get to all of it. This makes it a lot tougher, for me, when it comes to choosing what to review, and what not to, as I rarely waste my time, or yours, on covering material that I don’t like. Spellbound is no exception.

Haiduk is another in a long line of artists/bands that comprise of just one person; in this case it is Luka Milojica. What is it about Canada and creating these terrific solo projects? Ov Hollowness is a personal favorite of mine, and is just the one fella and some damned fine tunes, and also from Canada.

Anyway, Spellbound is an absolute maelstrom of blackened death metal and thrash metal, and wastes absolutely no time in assaulting the listener. Lich starts off the album with a bang, thundering through its 2 ½ minute running time. The heavy thrash groove is truly blistering, with Milojica’s vocals growling away. The guitar and bass throughout is top-notch, and blends the genres perfectly.

Where some might find an issue is with the drums, which are supplied via programming. More often than not this takes away from the organic feel of the music, but in the case of Spellbound they actually compliment the machine gun style of music, and only occasionally feel out of place. When utilized properly, drum machines can be effective, and quite honestly I would rather hear programmed drums over drum triggers.

That is a minor aside though, as throughout the album’s 33 minute running time the raw energy here is a joy to listen to. Spellbound is a primal and punishing journey into the dark recesses, and is perfect for letting off steam to. There is a darkness in Calgary, Canada, and Haiduk want to guide you straight into its depths. 

Track list:

1. Lich

2. Stormcall

3. Black Wind

4. Maelstrom

5. Forcefield

6. Hex

7. Tremor

8. Fire Wield

9. Lightning

10. Vortex

Spellbound is self-released and is available now. You can buy it here.