This past July, Murder by Death released their much anticipated 9th album, Spell/Bound. Each of their albums is incredibly disparate from the next, ranging from themed space-western-opera to alternative country to experimental folk punk, with his latest album leaning heavily into lonesome Western vibes. A tight 40 minutes, Spell/Bound’s skeleton is full of sweeping guitars and echoing drums featuring prominently throughout (especially on “Incantation”), providing the bones around which each track is built. Fleshed out by the gravely warmth of lead singer Adam Turla’s last-glass-of-whiskey-tinged vocals and the soothing undertones of the cello and violin, Spell/Bound is the sonic equivalent of riding alone into a gothic, dilapidated town in the middle of the high desert. The lyrics of each track begs the listener for closer inspection, each a story in and of itself, lived in and rickety buildings housing tenants with stories of loss and despair, held together through sheer willpower and glimmers of hope a-flicker in greying eyes. Traveling through the album, the listener is met with tales of lost loves with coin-covered eyes, skeletons turned to dust, and past lives led and buried: a reflection and lesson learned, to be passed on to those travelers who come next through this desolate town. One of their most cohesive albums in years, Spell/Bound is a morality tale not to be missed.
On August 31st, 2022, Murder by Death brought Spell/Bound on tour, co-headlining with Amigo The Devil on their “Tour From the Crypt”. Murder by Death played for just over an hour, in front of a dusky desert backdrop fitting for both the album and this southern Arizona stop. Touring Spell/Bound, a good amount of these tales made the set list (“Riders”, “Everything Must Rest”, and “Never Be” were standouts). The set was filled out with a series of songs off past albums (“Comin’ Home”, “Brother”, “Foxglove”, “Lost River” each were accompanied by passionate chorus from the crowd). While Murder by Death finds their audience in a very similar base as Amigo The Devil, not everyone in attendance was immediately familiar with their brand of gothic Americana. Although this wasn’t a hard hurdle for them to overcome; their self-described “whiskey devil music” resonated with those new in the crowd, converting many into newfound fans (one apparently new convert was overheard at the end of their set saying “What the hell just happened to me and how come I’ve not witnessed them before?!”). To say that Murder By Death left their audience spellbound is as apropos as it is fitting.
Murder by Death is currently on tour, dual headlining with Amigo The Devil, with Katacombs playing opening support. You can catch them on the west coast leg of their Tour from the Crypt now through mid September.
