Formed in 2010 from my hometown in Seattle, Washington, Bell Witch are a funeral doom metal band who’s been highly remarkable and been classified as one of the important bands to come out in the genre. Mirror Reaper is the latest chapter prior to 2015’s sophomore effort of Four Phantoms which was a wake up call to the band’s most powerful, established and well achieved records to date. With Mirror Reaper, the album is split into two parts where Part I titled As Above clocks in nearly 49:00 and Part II, So Below just stretching at 35:00 featuring the band’s elements for their signatures of sustained bass chords, distorted drum fillers, sludge metal-esque vocal deliveries and a atmosphere incredibly haunting Mirror Reaper once again proved the genre that can execute and captivate greatness upon perfection.
For a two track album it’s highly understandable to see a two piece band can take their inspiration for modern day doom metal with bands such as Ahab, Loss, Lycus and Worship can take the bell tolls to sustain and engage some of the most shivering, haunting and atmospheric passages of wonderfully arranged musicality is something out of this world. Lyrically Mirror Reaper is another top notch story driven album as it continues where Four Phantoms left off portraying stories about grief, isolation, ghosts, death and horrendous pain will make the listener analyse themselves hearing disturbance and frightening passages trapping yourselves into a Universe that’s twisted, brainwashed and soaring. Production here is fantastic as the mixing and instrumentals sound natural, sharp and crystal clear without any forces feeling out of its own place or leaving traces behind.
This album is dark, gloomy, beautiful, imaginative, scary and the overall artistic expressions Bell Witch created is one of the best Doom Metal albums of all 2017 has to offer. If you previously enjoyed Four Phantoms, Mirror Reaper showcases maturity, progression, intelligence and a summery so insightful that I cannot express myself physically and mentally how appreciative I was hearing this album front to back. Easily one of the best, if not most monumental pieces of funeral doom/sludge metal you’ll ever come across listening to.
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Review by Jake Butler
