Artist: Spiritual Healing
Country: Japan
Label: Self-Released
Formats: Digital Demo
Year: 2026
As a Death Metal band, calling yourselves ‘Spiritual Healing’ is a bit of a tricky business. Being compared to one of Death’s finest albums is, of course, inevitable, but more importantly, you also raise quite high expectations. Judging by the artwork and the music these Japanese musicians present on this self-titled demo, it’s fair to ask whether they might actually mean something else by “spiritual healing”…
But, regardless, it is still Death Metal what this is all about. Just a different brand of Death Metal. If we need comparisons, Spiritual Healing is a band that takes the best bits and pieces of mid-era Broken Hope, old Skinless, Malevolent Creation and, above all, Cannibal Corpse. Of the latter, it is particularly the albums from ‘Gallery Of Suicide’ right up to the most recent ones that Spiritual Healing brings to mind. It is a fine blend of old-school Death Metal and a more modern sound that these Tokyo-based musicians have crafted into a thoroughly enjoyable and well-executed three-track demo. In that respect, there is nothing here that brings to mind any particular phase of Death’s career. It is all very riff-oriented (with a delicious driving Slayer riff, particularly in the final track) and features a great-sounding and dynamic drum section, free from complex modern elements or mid-tempo grooves. The vocals also deserve a special mention, as they too clearly bring Cannibal Corpse to mind. I don’t know who the singer in question is, but the lad’s certainly got what it takes!
‘Spiritual Healing’ is a fine example of the fact that, if you look hard enough (and are patient), there are more than enough good bands in the genre. I think it’s only a matter of time before this band is picked up by a label; these lads have undeniable talent, both in their mastery of their instruments and their knowledge of the genre, including in terms of production, which is nothing short of impressive for a debut demo. I am not sure if my spirit needed healing, but it sure cheered me up!
