Review by Sonny for Bell Witch - Mirror Reaper (2017)

Firstly we need to put this album into context. It was recorded by founding member Dylan Desmond and new drummer and vocalist Jesse Shreibman after the other original member, Adrian Guerra, had to leave the band due to ill health. Shortly after recording began the former drummer sadly passed away and as a result the tone of the album shifted. Intended as a single 83 minute piece, due to the restrictions of physical formats, it was split into two parts for the CD double-disc release (the titles of which were As Above and So Below) and into four for the double album vinyl release. So, unusually, the digital release is the one that actually presents the album as originally intended.

Now this isn't an album for the impatient, as I'm sure you've figured out by it's length alone and it's subject matter and tone are not going to be to everyone's taste, but for those willing to give it the time, this is an extremely rewarding piece of music. For those unfamiliar with Bell Witch, they have no guitarist with the role being cleverly covered by Dylan Desmond's bass (and organ, to a lesser extent). I think this makes for a gorgeous subtlety in the sound of the album, adding an even greater depth to the already heavily melancholic atmosphere.

The album is made up of three parts, the second of which is called The Words of the Dead and, poignantly, features vocals recorded by Adrian Guerra for the previous album that were never used. Mirror Reaper is several degrees lighter than the usual funeral doom release, due to the lack of crushing guitar work and often minimalist approach, but this makes the atmosphere even more, not less, melancholy. Even so, ultimately the album does seem to reach a hopeful and positive conclusion. This is obviously a very personal piece of music to the band and an expression and processing of loss with which anyone who has felt similarly bereft can identify and maybe emerge on the way to healing, allowing a kind of catharsis, rather than merely an expression of melancholic doom.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the absolutely gorgeous cover artwork from the premier cover artist working currently, Mariusz Lewandowski, who's "Hooded Reaper" illustrations are also gracing several extreme metal releases of the recent past from bands such as Mizmor and False.