Leatherwitch reveals its powers.
Created in Poland by multi-instrumentalist Marta Gabriel (Moon Chamber, formerly of Crystal Viper), the project signed to Listenable Records released its debut album, First Spell, in 2026, the year of its inception.
The musician is joined by guitarist Giuseppe Taormina (Sirrush, Tiyris, ex-Crystal Viper, ex-Xenos A.D.) on certain lead parts.
We start off gently with Heroes And The Dice’s melody but you can feel the rhythm section coming in strong, and with it Marta’s powerful voice, which doesn’t hold back from the very first moments of the track, then pushes into the high notes on the chorus. There are a few polished lead guitar parts that blend seamlessly into the track, then Beast Inside takes over with an energetic and catchy approach, along with a fairly simple yet unifying instrumental that keeps the vocals front and center. Bound By The Night next returns with a touch that’s half-joyful, half-belligerent, perfect for a live setting and its share of audience interaction. Next up is Silver Stallions, which sweeps us along with its galloping rhythm and intoxicating bassline which sometimes takes center stage, giving us a moment to catch our breath before Living In The Fast Lane takes over, delivering raw, infectious energy that I believe will be another standout asset for the project’s future live performances. The pace slows down with The New Beginning, which serves as an emotional power ballad moment featuring tortured leads alongside a soothing calm, before returning to fury on Two Tons Of Steel and its furious rhythm that will trigger plenty of headbanging fits between air guitar sessions. The musician follows up with In The Middle Of The Night, a fairly gentle composition that’s sure to feature some retro keyboards, and the same goes for the intro to the bonus track, Walls Of Jericho / Ride The Sky, a Helloween cover that takes over and, once that moment passes, delivers one last wave of Old School energy in the form of virulent Power Metal to close out the album.
With First Spell, Leatherwitch pays homage to her furious heavy roots while staying true to the style’s recognizable conventions. While the musician isn’t reinventing Heavy Metal, she’s definitely made me eager to see her in action on stage!
75/100