Doom Metal up and comers Bell Witch has teamed up with Erik Moggridge, who operates under Aerial Ruin, to release the album Stygian Bough Volume 1. Today we're digging into their new track "The Bastard Wind", which truly does not disappoint. From the Bell Witch bandcamp: "The collaboration results in five hauntingly beautiful, strikingly heavy songs on an album of deep, dark undertows and careful respite." I couldn't have said it better myself.
Dylan Desmond is on bass and vocals, Jesse Shreibman is on drums and vocals, and Erik Moggridge is on guitar and vocals. The track starts with an acoustic opening with Pink Floyd-esque vocals. The effects on the vocals are perfect. It is hymn-like, or like the quiet song at the beginning of a journey into the unknown on a foggy morning. It's haunting and delicate, like the slightest gust of wind could cause it to topple over. There are some sonic textures happening in the background that might be a synth or some guitar/bass effects, but they add a delightful layer of mysticism to this quiet moment.
At ~3:10 it switches to this haunting moment with a slower quarter note riff repeating over and over, backed by the occasional cymbal crash, and this weird hum from a synth, or slight feedback from an amplifier. It very much feels like fog rolling into a small coastal town shortly before a terrible snowstorm. It's calm, yet very foreboding.
Classic Bell Witch kicks in at ~4:07 with some crushing tone and ominous layers of instruments. The only thing that feels off is the mix which is a little muddy, but this quite possibly was a creative choice. It still holds that delicate beauty of the beginning, but it's juxtaposed by this blanket of immense Funeral Doom that counterpoints it well. ~6:08 brings the listener into a new section. The bass drops down into a lower and more evil sounding riff. Surrounding this riff is some excellent tonal texturing that grips the listener, strapping them into a journey into the blackness of Doom.
There's a return to the verse riff at ~7:25. The repetitious riff hangs in the air like a thick fog. The vocals are a deep growl just audible over the music as if they are being spoken from the deepest depths of your mind. Another change happens at ~ 9:57. The tension is increased up by this new riff and is soon joined by the bass which brings some darkness to the fog. It sounds like slowly slipping into a black hole.
The band introduces a new moment at ~11:53 with clean vocals again. There's a slight OM/Middle Eastern vibe to the vocals, and they alternate around these huge single strummed chords. It's gripping and scary, and sounds like a ritual summoning an unnamed horror from below; it's a cool moment. We return to a variation on an earlier movement at ~14:07. This moment feels like a small reprieve from the crushing nature of the previous section.
The band introduces a new moment at ~11:53 with clean vocals again. There's a slight OM/Middle Eastern vibe to the vocals, and they alternate around these huge single strummed chords. It's gripping and scary, and sounds like a ritual summoning an unnamed horror from below; it's a cool moment. We return to a variation on an earlier movement at ~14:07. This moment feels like a small reprieve from the crushing nature of the previous section.
It segues to a small but beautiful section at ~16:32. There are mammoth chords with an eerie solo. It feels like the end of a journey. Vocals ring out once more, hanging in the thick wall of sound, just breaking free in the mix and bring the song coasting to a close.
I can't stress this enough. If you like Doom Metal, and more specifically the sub-sub-genre (microgenre perhaps?) Funeral Doom, you should check this out! Minor mix issues aside, which could be a creative choice, there is very little about this I don't love. Ringing in at 19 minutes and 9 seconds, this is a massive track. Tracks of this length run the risk of getting boring, but Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin have threaded the needle by having enough movements and variations to keep it interesting yet cohesive as a single track. This shouldn't be too surprising since Bell Witch's last release Mirror Reaper clocks in at over an hour and is a single track.
Bell Witch is a Doom Metal duo comprised of Dylan Desmond and Jesse Shreibman who released their first demo in 2011 and have been working under Profound Lore Records since 2012. They are based out of Seattle, Washington, and have been enjoying praise and acclaim around Mirror Reaper. Aerial Ruin is an acoustic solo project coming out of Portland, Oregon helmed by Erik Moggridge. Stygian Bough Volume 1 is dropping 6/26/2020 through Profound Lore Records and is available for pre-order now.
Pre-order Stygian Bough Volume 1 here
You can find Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin on Facebook.
You can find Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin on Facebook.
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