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Bell Witch - Mirror Reaper



8.4 | 201 votes |
Release date: 20 October 2017
Style: Funeral doom metal

Owners:

120 have it
20 want it
1 trades it


01. Mirror Reaper (As Above)
02. Mirror Reaper (So Below)

The Best Extreme Doom Metal Album Of 2017
Top 20 albums of 2017: 6

Additional info
Cover Art: Mariusz Lewandowski

Format: 2xCD/2xLP/Digital

Staff review by
ScreamingSteelUS
Rating:
8.7
Bell Witch already had a broader emotional span and more colorful sonic palette than most funeral doom bands, but informed by the untimely death of former drummer/vocalist Adrian Guerra last year, Mirror Reaper embodies something even heavier and more personal. The sober, reflective nature of the band's sound feels even more palpable than before. Thrice now they have produced a serious contender for doom album of the year.

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published 20.10.2017 | Comments (6)

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Comments

Comments: 38   Visited by: 798 users
07.08.2017 - 17:37
3rdWorld
China was a neat
This.looks.insanely.cool.

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07.08.2017 - 17:39
Desha
delicious dish
Cover looks amazing and they haven't let me down yet, but I really am unsure wether I can be hyped for this album. A single 83 minute track (or 2 tracks according to bandcamp EDIT: I think that might be the song size limit of bandcamp? Other single song albums get split up as well) might be too much for my tastes. Let's hope they can mix things up more than before, or else this might end up being way too long for its own good.
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You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
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08.08.2017 - 14:00
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Written by Desha on 07.08.2017 at 17:39

Cover looks amazing and they haven't let me down yet, but I really am unsure wether I can be hyped for this album. A single 83 minute track might be too much for my tastes. Let's hope they can mix things up more than before, or else this might end up being way too long for its own good.

Ive spun Four Phantoms today and its the best genre offers imo, it certainly doesnt need any " more mixing up". Ive never understood people who listens to albums and then wants them to be different or sound like another genre. This is funeral doom and then the most interesting thing you can do with it is taking the genre to its limits. So I am hoping that this is the most boring, repetetive and drag out album of all time - then it will appeal to my funeral doom taste.
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08.08.2017 - 14:21
Desha
delicious dish
Written by Guest on 08.08.2017 at 14:00

Written by Desha on 07.08.2017 at 17:39

Cover looks amazing and they haven't let me down yet, but I really am unsure wether I can be hyped for this album. A single 83 minute track might be too much for my tastes. Let's hope they can mix things up more than before, or else this might end up being way too long for its own good.

Ive spun Four Phantoms today and its the best genre offers imo, it certainly doesnt need any " more mixing up". Ive never understood people who listens to albums and then wants them to be different or sound like another genre. This is funeral doom and then the most interesting thing you can do with it is taking the genre to its limits. So I am hoping that this is the most boring, repetetive and drag out album of all time - then it will appeal to my funeral doom taste.

Four Phantoms is probably my favourite in the genre as well (at least of the more emotional funeral doom variety), but Four Phantoms is really different here. Those are 4 songs with distinct features and themes, ranging from 10 to 20 minutes roughly. Especially Suffocation II sticks out a whole lot and is one of my favourite songs of all time. But would it have been if it was 90 minutes long? I doubt that. What I mean by "mixing things up", is that they have enough distinct parts for me to not get bored. Not necessarily that they experiment a ton or bring in other genres. You know, something like Suffocation II or the end of Rows (of Endless Waves). I'm also more of a song person (as in that I rarely listen to albums from beginning to end), so for me the album also has to overcome that hurdle. In just one track I'd like a bit more variety than Four Phatoms had.
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You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
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08.08.2017 - 14:34
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Written by Desha on 08.08.2017 at 14:21

Written by Guest on 08.08.2017 at 14:00

Written by Desha on 07.08.2017 at 17:39

Cover looks amazing and they haven't let me down yet, but I really am unsure wether I can be hyped for this album. A single 83 minute track might be too much for my tastes. Let's hope they can mix things up more than before, or else this might end up being way too long for its own good.

Ive spun Four Phantoms today and its the best genre offers imo, it certainly doesnt need any " more mixing up". Ive never understood people who listens to albums and then wants them to be different or sound like another genre. This is funeral doom and then the most interesting thing you can do with it is taking the genre to its limits. So I am hoping that this is the most boring, repetetive and drag out album of all time - then it will appeal to my funeral doom taste.

Four Phantoms is probably my favourite in the genre as well (at least of the more emotional funeral doom variety), but Four Phantoms is really different here. Those are 4 songs with distinct features and themes, ranging from 10 to 20 minutes roughly. Especially Suffocation II sticks out a whole lot and is one of my favourite songs of all time. But would it have been if it was 90 minutes long? I doubt that. What I mean by "mixing things up", is that they have enough distinct parts for me to not get bored. Not necessarily that they experiment a ton or bring in other genres. You know, something like Suffocation II or the end of Rows (of Endless Waves). I'm also more of a song person (as in that I rarely listen to albums from beginning to end), so for me the album also has to overcome that hurdle. In just one track I'd like a bit more variety than Four Phatoms had.

Ok, I can see your doubts. But the cover(in relation to the concept of the album), the bands description of the album and their earlier releases makes me pretty sure that this, despite the length of that single track, will be great. And then there is also this now: "Mirror Reaper sees the band explore the more meditative, melancholy, and introspective aspects to their sound through the introduction of long, lonely organ passages." Those parts could be up to 30-40 minutes and then there isnt much left so this could actually be a bit short
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17.08.2017 - 00:24
Jaeryd
Nihil's Maw
Written by Guest on 10.08.2017 at 12:58

If Beksinski was still alive i'd have wagered it were his work. So good. Love the colour palette.

It's actually Mariusz Lewandowski--indeed his work is somewhat similar to Beksinski, which is part of what drew me to it. He has an awesome Facebook page if you want to see more if his work, and in fact I had never heard of Bell Witch until he shared this album cover on his own page.
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22.08.2017 - 18:55
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted


From what I hear in the clip is that the growls has changed which was expected as the line up isnt the same - with all respect to Adrian the growls here sound awesome. But also that some of the minimalism is gone since there is an organ going in the background? I loved the minimalism on FP but this sounds as good as that with the organ. And they have added a bit of atmosphere or reverb to the cleans as well. Overall this actually sounds like Bell Witch and I havent heard anything....blablabla.
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22.08.2017 - 21:37
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
I don't usually delve into funeral doom all that much but that artwork!
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19.09.2017 - 19:47
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Oh fucking joy just received the download promo for Lords Of Metal. Btw the dowload promo is just one track of 83 minutes. SO it seems the CD en LP version will have the song split up into two parts.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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20.09.2017 - 17:49
Rating: 9
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Admin
Imagine this is gonna be a swell release. can't wait.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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16.10.2017 - 22:04
Desha
delicious dish
Hmmm, really don't think I like those vocals at the beginning of So Below.
----
You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
Loading...
18.10.2017 - 18:22
Desha
delicious dish
Has been basically on repeat the last three days and yeah it's pretty great.
----
You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
Loading...
21.10.2017 - 23:36
Rating: 9
Paz
Elite
This must be here:



It took me a while to really appreciate this band's sound.. Mainly due to the tracks length and modest instrumentation. But damn, the atmosphere compensates for everything else. Terrific album!
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22.10.2017 - 00:12
VIG
Account deleted
Written by Paz on 21.10.2017 at 23:36

It took me a while to really appreciate this band's sound..

Took you long enough
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28.10.2017 - 02:42
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by Guest on 22.10.2017 at 05:12

where's the wallpaper version? D: 2small

Let me know if you find it!
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29.10.2017 - 03:11
carltonh
I appreciate this as something when you want music that does not require the least bit of conscious focus on the music.

I can't imagine wanting to attend a concert of this, unless the concert included a massage table. The tempo is slower than a heartbeat and should not include standing while listening.
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29.10.2017 - 14:58
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Nice mournful doom, I usually don't like long songs whit weird titles , but in FD that works fine. Nice doom, melancholic journey, mice way to wake up after time zone changes
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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30.10.2017 - 10:46
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
Contributor
Funeral doom metal? These guys sound like ________ - insert band here.
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rekt
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30.10.2017 - 16:34
VIG
Account deleted
Written by tea[m]ster on 30.10.2017 at 10:46

Funeral doom metal? These guys sound like ________ - insert band here.

What do you mean?
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30.10.2017 - 16:34
VIG
Account deleted
Written by Bad English on 29.10.2017 at 14:58

I usually don't like long songs whit weird titles

It's not that weird of a song title..
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30.10.2017 - 16:40
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Guest on 30.10.2017 at 16:34

Written by Bad English on 29.10.2017 at 14:58

I usually don't like long songs whit weird titles

It's not that weird of a song title..


doesn't fits my nature and surroundings, as I use to like and still like song titles,
----
I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
30.10.2017 - 16:42
VIG
Account deleted
Written by Bad English on 30.10.2017 at 16:40

doesn't fits my nature and surroundings, as I use to like and still like song titles,

I'm sorry, I can't really understand what you are trying to say with your Bad English
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30.10.2017 - 16:47
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Guest on 30.10.2017 at 16:42

Written by Bad English on 30.10.2017 at 16:40

doesn't fits my nature and surroundings, as I use to like and still like song titles,

I'm sorry, I can't really understand what you are trying to say with your Bad English


OK Mirror reaper maybe is good title but there are bands what has untiteled 1, 2,3 APOG ,Xc// song tittles as those examples, those are lame.
----
I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
30.10.2017 - 16:50
VIG
Account deleted
Written by Bad English on 30.10.2017 at 16:47

OK Mirror reaper maybe is good title but there are bands what has untiteled 1, 2,3 APOG ,Xc// song tittles as those examples, those are lame.

Oh I see what you mean.. I think
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04.11.2017 - 16:50
Desha
delicious dish
So as final thoughts, basically most of what I feared I'd dislike due to it being a single song came true (albeit my complaints here are not as bad as I initially expected). There's basically two parts to this - both of which fit into eachother at first sound very different (due to the harsh cut from one to the other) but ultimately fit fairly well when you think about it. Which is both the biggest strength and biggest weakness of the album imo. The first part has some downtime before things really kick into gear after 25 minutes or so. Oddly enough it's not as sad as Four Phantoms was to me. Though that tends to be the case when bands write albums about people close to them dying.

Overall I like it about as much as Longing (maybe a bit more, while Longing's "Rows (Of Endless Waves)", "Beneath the Mask" and "I Wait" hit me as much as the best parts of Mirror Reaper, the other tracks aren't as good as the not as exciting parts of the new one), but nowhere near as much as Four Phantoms.
----
You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
Loading...
04.11.2017 - 18:42
Maco
Pvt Funderground
I only needed to listen to this once so I can rate it.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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11.11.2017 - 17:07
Rating: 9
Paz
Elite
Written by Guest on 22.10.2017 at 05:12

where's the wallpaper version? D: 2small

This is the biggest version I've found.
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12.11.2017 - 01:26
Rating: 9
Paz
Elite
Written by Guest on 12.11.2017 at 01:21

we're getting somewhere!

Who cares about wallpapers anyway? You can get the print here. Meow
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12.11.2017 - 22:02
Rating: 9
InnerSelf
proofread free
Written by Paz on 11.11.2017 at 17:07

This is the biggest version I've found.

Desktop Background, Mobile Background, forever.
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He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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01.12.2017 - 12:06
Rating: 7
Kuroboshi
Seriously awesome artwork.
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