BELL WITCH

PHOTO BY BY LAUREN LAMP

BELL WITCH and dying,” Desmond admits. “Aerial Ruin focuses on ‘ego death’ whereas Bell Witch focuses on a sort of space between the two that could be conceptually parallel to ego death in some respects. Erik often sings about a ‘veil’ which is used to represent mortal perception. I think gest an inescapable servitude and the closeness of a violent death. As with any mythology, this can be seen as a representation of elements within the human sub-consciousness as whole. I find it quite interesting that people have ultimately changed very little in our history.

INTERVIEW WITH BASSIST AND VOCALIST DYLAN DESMOND in many ways that perception is no There is a great irony illuminated BY MARIKA ZORZI different than the middle ground about our nature in this that our between life and death that Bell greatest aspirations can be our own “ The challenge was basically starting a new band with a sound unique to itself while also having lished a foundation that continued onto the other records. He has sung on each one since. Witch has always focused on.” Lyrically, the themes explored by undoing. This in itself could be the foundation for a metaphor of human life. a healthy amount of both Bell Witch Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin are inand Aerial Ruin elements to it,” says However, ‘Rows’ was the second song dependently from different angles, “I think the story displays several bassist and vocalist Dylan Desmond Bell Witch wrote in the early days and but they come mainly from similar universal elements of all human of Bell Witch. had a different feel. Erik’s presence spaces, in this case mythology. psyches that will certainly be agstretched that feeling even further, in gravated in certain circumstances,

Authentic collaborations between my interpretation. We wanted this col- “‘The Golden Bough’ is named after for various reasons,” Desmond says. two sets of artists are rare, but for laboration album to be as if a sepa- a tree in ancient Italian mytholo- “Our current events are no different. their new album, Stygian Bough Vol- rate band started in the direction that gy where a slave is anointed as a Whatever situation we find ourume I, the members of doom duo ‘Rows’ established.” priest-king only by slaying the pre- selves in will always have a glimmer

Bell Witch—Desmond and Jesse Sh- vious priest-king after stealing a of it, if not an utter reflection. That reibman (drums and vocals)—didn’t Even if Bell Witch’s songs have branch from the Golden Bough,” being said, I think that a wise people just team up with dark folk musician always focused on the space be- Desmond explains. “On one hand, would aim to identify this element in

Erik Moggridge of Aerial Ruin, they tween life and death, while Erik this system allows anyone to rise our nature and work to create sysfully integrated the two outfits. Moggridge’s work with Aerial Ruin almost instantly from a slave to a tems where such destructive and is more focused on a spiritual, king. This could be seen as a posi- belligerent tendencies can be bet“With this new record we wanted to sub-personal expression of sorts, tive and inspiration notion. However, ter understood and processed to revert to the style of the Bell Witch they managed to find a meeting inherent in that same notion is the encourage a less violent and more song, ‘Rows (of Endless Waves),’ point between their musical ap- knowledge that they too will soon egalitarian world. I do believe this which was the second track on our proaches. suffer that same fate by the hands is worth working for, and importfirst record, Longing,” Desmond con- of another slave. ant steps towards knowing who and tinues. “Erik Moggridge did guest “I think both concepts meet some- what we are. Yet implicit in this myth vocals on this song, and it estab- where in territory between death “This poses many questions that sug- is that history repeats.” �� �� �� NEW NOISE