Bell Witch - Demo (2011)

Demo, Unknown/Independent
October 3rd,  2011

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

If you enjoyed Atriarch's debut then you will want to check this out. Seattle based two piece Bell Witch put this first demo of theirs up completely free, and it is a creaking tower of crushing doom no doubt. Like Atriarch the vocals move between droning cleans and rasping yells/growls, the drumming is precise and deliberate while the bass is the focal point here; growling, droning and fuzzed out.

The intro track "Behind the Mask" is a particularly haunting, slow melody on bass under a excerpt/sample (don't know the source film "Masque of the Red Death", thank you †HAXAN† from Forever Cursed for the link) that is equally foreboding and gives you a good sense of the direction the rest of the demo is heading. "I Wait" and "Mayknow" make up the core of the album.

"I Wait" hits just over 11 minutes with mostly harsh vocals over huge bass grooves leading to a sick pay off near the end. "Mayknow" is the longer track, starting off very melodic with an operatic/clean passage that then dips into brilliant, sluggish grooves and harsh gowls. Both have an occasional well-placed solo mid-way through adding to the sludgy atmosphere. The demo closes with "The Moment" which (much like the intro) does a great job of sealing it all up with a few melancholic riffs.

Paced well, very heavy, raw, hypnotic, and haunting. Bell Witch's first demo is a colossal slab of quality droning doom and I definitely recommend giving them a listen (especially for fans of Thou, Anhedonist, Aldebaran, Loss, Ensorcelor, A Storm of Light, etc.). You can hear it and download it in full here or below.

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