Bell Witch “Longing” Review
By Dustin Carroll
Imagine the most bleak, depressing piece of literature you’ve ever read. That one book that always stuck with you, even years later, due to its despair and unending emotional battery. Recall the way it made you lie awake at night in lieu of the nightmares you knew you’d have to endure. Yet you always demand to your friends that they simply must read it. It’s almost like you’re inadvertently sharing this terrible feeling of grief and loss.
The latest offering of ritualistic post-doom from our favorite Highline personnel, Bell Witch, is the soundtrack to that book. Longing will bring you into that same austere consciousness that only your own imagination could be responsible for. Six tracks ache through forlorn dirges, joyless hymns, and despondent tales of grief and suffering. That being said, just like that one, unforgettable book, this album is incredibly accessible. Some folks aren’t strangers to the world of doom and gloom, but this album transcends some genre-ground, and will definitely find a dark corner in the hearts of post-rock, black metal, psychedelic and stoner rock fans.
The chilling atmosphere of Longing is undeniable. Dylan Desmond’s 6-string bass chords create swelling walls of frequency, surrounding the listener like an arctic fog, all the while the occasional finger plucked melodies provide the light to keep moving forward. Variations crawl in and out, drawing out some passages past any semblance of comfort, but never losing the listeners interest. Vocals range from black metal rasps to droney doom growls, and even venture into brooding, Gregorian-like chants. Adrian Guerra’s drumming is patient, thoughtful, and seamlessly carries each piece into the next, imploring subtle dynamics that create levels of intensity where there normally wouldn’t be. These songs pull you in again and again, scratching at your subconscious, never letting you forget.
Having already toured pretty regularly in support of the album, Bell Witch show no signs of slowing down, as they have some European tour dates coming up in the near future, along with local gigs with groups such as Mutilation Rites and label mates SubRosa. Keep an eye on Bell Witch, as there are big things on the horizon for them in the coming months.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bell-Witch/136264673108884
http://bellwitch.bandcamp.com/album/longing-4
http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/artists/
[Editors Note: Check out Bell Witch live Tuesday, March 26th, at the Highline with Mutilation Rites, Inter Arma and Crawlin’]
