Spectre - 'Hero of The Illusion' (Lonesome Gambler 2023)

By silver sails they come
the rising tide of war
grand assault galloping through the stars
invincible force manifests to take arms

A hero you may be
but this is only an illusion

Into the starlit night
from the fathomless depths below
ageless light
we shall know

Gaze through the eye of time
a second sight is born
far beyond the limit of the sun
our time's run it's course
Now converge into one

A hero you made me
but this is only an illusion

Into the starlit night
from the fathomless depths below
ageless light
we shall know

Ενδιαφέρουσα προσωπικότητα ο Will Fried. Τον βρίσκουμε στους Tarot (υπογράφει ως The Hermit, αναμένουμε τον διάδοχο του υπέροχου "Reflections"), στους The Wizar'd (ως Ol' Rusty), ενώ στους Torpedo, στους Dracula και στους Spectre υπογράφει ως Will Spectre.

Στεκόμαστε στους τελευταίους, οι οποίοι είναι ουσιαστικά το προσωπικό του σχήμα. Σχηματίσθηκαν προ εξαετίας κι έχουν κυκλοφορήσει τρία singles ("Silver Invaders / Stand Alone" 2017, "Hard Attacks" 2018, "Drifter / The Black Jewel" 2022).

Το νέο τους δισκογραφικό πόνημα είναι ep τεσσάρων τραγουδιών (η έκδοση σε cd και κασέτα θα έχει και επιπλέον πέντε μουσικά κομμάτια). Φέρει τον τίτλο "Lonesome Gambler" και αναμένεται στα τελειώματα του δεύτερου καλοκαιρινού μήνα...

Δελτίο τύπου: «Dying Victims Productions is proud to present a brand-new EP from Australia’s Spectre, Lonesome Gambler, on CD, 12” vinyl, and cassette tape formats. The CD and tape versions will include five bonus tracks from the band’s preceding singles and splits.

Spectre is the sterling heavy metal vison of Will Spectre. Formed in 2017, the band made its recorded debut that summer with the two-song Silver Invaders / Stand Alone single on the cult Heavy Chains label, which Dying Victims released on 7” vinyl later that year.

Spectre’s primary influences are heavy metal and hard rock of the late ’70s and early ‘80s, and they continued that streak with the Hard Attacks digital single in 2018. Four years would pass before the next Spectre recording, the two-song Drifter.

On that record, Will Spectre was joined by his heavy friends Jake Glas (Outcast/Teuton) on vocals and David Harrington-George (The Wizar'd/Tarot) on bass. Expanding their purist palette, here did Spectre sprinkle spices from Will Spectre’s other musical conjurings - namely, The Wizar'd, Tarot, Dracula, and Crypt Vapor.

Despite its brief length, Drifter was undoubtedly a pivotal recording for Spectre, and now the duo of Will Spectre and David Harrington-George return with arguably their best and bravest record yet, Lonesome Gambler. With the average length around five minutes per track, the four songs comprising Lonesome Gambler display an “epic compactness” which wholly suits the moodier material here.

Taking the bathos and pathos of its predecessor further, Spectre conjure a mystical realm where private-press NWOBHM, dark AOR, and even early deathrock reside: the rocking is measured but not too hard, the melodies are melancholic but not totally depressing, and back on the mic, Spectre’s vocals are somehow anthemic and sagely simultaneously.

The vintage synths color these road/life/space-weary ruminations with tastefully dramatic effect, putting Spectre squarely on that precipice between 1979 and 1980, equally excited about and fearful of the future. It’s a subtle refinement altogether, but one that proves there’s plenty of magick still to be mined.

Bringing the past into the present, the CD and tape versions of Lonesome Gambler will include five bonus tracks - all from the band’s aforementioned short-lengths, thereby making this a currently complete discography of Spectre. Roll the dice and turn the wheel!»

Band: Spectre
Country of origin: Australia
Location: Hobart, Tasmania
Formed in: 2017
Genre: Heavy Metal
Years active: 2017-present

Album: "Lonesome Gambler"
Type: EP
Release date: July 28th, 2023
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Format: CD, Vinyl, Cassette, Digital

Track listing:
1. Hero Of The Illusion
2. Wolfbane
3. Lonesome Gambler
4. Turning the Wheel

CD + Tape bonus tracks
5. Drifter
6. The Black Jewel
7. Hard Attacks
8. Silver Invaders
9. Stand Alone

Line-up:
Will Spectre - all Instruments, Vocals
David Harrington-George - Bass