Bell Witch / Aerial Ruin “Stygian Bough: Volume II”
Pacific northwest doom act Bell Witch launched into the stratosphere and became a name in the funeral doom with the release of their third album Mirror Reaper in 2017. The band united with dark-folk act Aerial Ruin and debut their first collaboration Stygian Bough: Volume I in 2020. The album showcased a unique genre fusion of combining the ominous and bleakness of Bell Witch’s sound, combined with clean sections and vocals by Aerial Ruin’s Erik Moggridge that creates a unique and melancholic hybrid of the two acts that truly works so well together. Now, five years later, the group reunites and set to release the sequel, Stygian Bough: Volume II, out November 14th on Profound Lore Records. But how does the sequel compare to the band’s dynamic and creative original?
The album opens with “Waves Became The Sky”. With ominous and harmonized vocals, over simple, thundering drums by Jesse Shreibman and foreboding guitars by Erik Moggridge, the dreary, almost ethereal and brooding feel of the album is present. As the song progresses, the haunting beauty and delivery in the vocals, combined with the simplicity and post-metal/funeral doom aesthetic just creates this depressing, yet somehow in an odd way, uplifting presence in the guitar/bass strums and pacing when it picks up throughout the twelve-minute plus piece. Drawing more towards traditional doom metal like My Dying Bride, while also still keeping the simplistic but powerful dirge-pacing of the funeral doom genre.
“King of The Wood” has a deep, thundering bass from Dylan Desmond that just hums and hangs through the pounding drums and hanging guitars of Moggridge. Moggridge’s vocal sound soaked in sorrow and melancholy, not only in the delivery but in the reverb behind him truly creating that feeling of loneliness and isolation. The spooky and spacious sound at around the six-minute mark truly creates a cinematic-level of atmosphere in a dream-like sense and gives the listener a kindred and relaxing feeling of lull and inner-peace. That sense of peace drops from beneath the listener’s feet as the song comes roaring back to life near the eleven-minute mark and throughout the remainder of the song.
I adored the opening acoustic guitar on “From Dominion”. Truly creating a folk-heavy opening, and with the lower production on the vocals, continue to deliver that empathetic feeling of loss and sadness. The electricity amps up around the four minute mark, as the campfire tone of the opening moments syncs back into the miasma of bleakness and dread as the band amplifies the hopelessness. And the addition of organ was a nice touch to add near the closing moments.
Album closer “The Told and Leadened” has a very uneasy guitar riff and effects creating a feeling of anxiety as to how the song will go and how the album will conclude. Drums truly add the pulse of the song, adding such a commanding presence and punching through the fog of solitude and regression the guitars and bass bring into the fold. The thundering drums and guitars slowly descend back into just acoustic guitar and Moggridge’s somber vocals at the seven minute mark. With the ringing distortion, wailing organs and drum strikes returning for the closing of the song and concluding the album in a true darkened serenity as the curtain drops on the sequel to the debut.
Stygian Bough: Volume II was a nice continuation of the themes and musical direction of the acts debut. Though, with this album, musically it was a lot more “positive” or “uplifting” compared to the debut (an odd sentence to type when talking about funeral doom). While Volume I still had growls and leaned more towards the heavier Bell Witch side, Volume II focused more on the Aerial Ruin, atmospheric and folky side of the act. The musical evolution was a nice mix-up, showing the band truly fine-tuning this collaboration into an accurate and perfect amalgamation of the two acts. The cleaner, more open passages on this album was a true bliss with a good pair of headphones and an album to truly get lost in. If you want to see how funeral doom can be progressive and have the genre step out the cliches of the genre, while also incorporating post-metal and folk elements, than Stygian Bough: Volume II is the record that will check all those boxes and deliver a sonic experience that will not only appease both Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin fans, but also be a good introduction record to the funeral doom genre.
SCORE: 5 / 5
You can purchase Stygian Bough: Volume II on Bell Witch’s Bandcamp or stream it on their Spotify when the album comes out on November 14th on Profound Lore Records. The band will embark on a European tour in 2026 with support from 40 Watt Sun. Check out tour dates and purchase tickets HERE.
