Review Summary: Falling and motionless at the same time.
Mellifluous, sustained bass melodies create a safe, secluded sanctuary to hide in for the first 3 minutes of “As Above” and is then greeted by slow, softly-spoken clean vocals. Within this time, Bell Witch establishes an atmosphere of a comfortable loneliness but with the introduction of these vocals, that atmosphere then becomes something more intimately comfortable. A few minutes after, cavernous growls attempt to penetrate the peaceful, lingering chords, constantly bludgeoning them with rasping howls, depressive vocals and downtrodden drums. Light prevails as the growls transform into melancholic moans and the defeated tone plods forward listlessly. The presence of churchly organs heightens the mood further and we’re transported to our sanctuary filled with minimalist bass chords once more. Eventually, angelic chants cower beneath the growls permeated with nightmarish spite and infect the slumberous rhythm with a tragic, mournful tone full of cascading melodies and dominant drum beats intermittently trampling over the serene organs until nothing remains of the tranquil setting.
In this current state of nothingness, Bell Witch create a hollow environment at the start of “So Below”, filled only with incredibly delicate ripples of cymbals washing over glittering bass melodies. Eyes closed, standing on a craggy precipice looking across the unbroken sea, you can hear the oceanic waves of the subtle synthesiser and rolling white horses of cymbals crashing against the rocks. Like beads of blood dripping into water, every note, vocal harmony, cymbal crash, lingering organ key and progression blends into a singular form so naturally. Nothing lasts forever though; in this case, only 22 minutes... Eyes suddenly open, the tone changes as the ponderous, peaceful tone is obliterated by remorseful doom. Lifeless, helpless, you take a small, fateful step forward. Falling, as the deafening sound of strained winds fills your ears, angels sound their chants in lament of another soul lost and submerged beneath the waves of oceanic synthesiser, sinking further, further into the enveloping dark, the rippling sun gazes down at you until you see no more.
Funeral doom is the least accessible subgenre of metal to listen to, and so it should be. One has to be in a certain frame of mind to truly appreciate the profound atmospheres and evocative imagery that this genre illustrates over its characteristically extensive durations. This kind of music is designed to be a challenging, demanding and an immersive experience, but, when you get it, when you permit bands such as Bell Witch to take you on those journeys, the effect the music has is phenomenal. Like Shape of Despair’s
“Monotony Fields” and Thergothon’s
“Stream from the Heavens”, Bell Witch’s latest offering stands as another absolute masterpiece of the funeral doom genre and a loving tribute to the group's former drummer and growling vocalist, Adrien Guerra.
