A no-frills heavy metal unit based out of Portland, Oregon, Spellcaster's winning blend of dark melodic thrash and dual-lead heavy-NWOBHM-inspired riffing invokes names like Metal Church, Sanctuary, Metallica, and Iron Maiden. Founded in 2009 under the moniker Leatherwitch, the band changed its name to Spellcaster in 2010 and issued a debut EP, Spells of Speed, via Heavy Artillery Records. They hit the road with Canadian thrash unit Evil Survives shortly after the EP's release, and upon returning home, headed back into the studio to begin work on their first full-length outing. The resulting Under the Spell dropped in 2011, but a flurry of lineup changes and a shake-up at Heavy Artillery ultimately left the group label-less. Undeterred, Spellcaster rallied and took to the stage with a re-tooled lineup, which included Tyler Loney (vocals), Cory Boyd (guitar), Bryce Adams VanHoosen (guitar), Gabe Franco (drums), and Colin Vranizen (bass), and released their eponymous sophomore outing independently. The album caught the attention of L.A.-based Prosthetic Records, who quickly signed the group. Spellcaster's much anticipated third studio long-player, Night Hides the World, was recorded in Portland and Los Angeles with producer Zack Ohren (All Shall Perish, Exmortus) and released in summer 2016. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi