Bell Witch, Fuoco Fatuo Live Review
Bell Witch, Fuoco Fatuo
The Bread Shed, Manchester
17/08/2023
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
“My god, Bell Witch!” I shrilled in excitement to my friend. I could no longer contain my excitement. However, we weren’t even in the venue at this point. No, we were about 150 yards away from it out on the street. That’s just how loud the signature bass tone is for Bell Witch’s bassist. I recognised the section clearly, as I’ve listened to the band’s latest album “Future’s Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate” countless times since its release in April of this year.
The US doom duo have caused shock waves throughout the world of music. Not just ‘that band who wrote the 83 minute song’ (which is a feat in itself), but a genre-pioneering juggernaut who have continuously pushed conventions and boundaries in songwriting. They’ve gained a cult following and a fiercely loyal fan base, this is why we and maybe 200 others were there in attendance!
The Bread Shed
We came over an hour before doors, largely to grab some food from the Flour And Flagon, the sister pub in the same building next to the music venue. We discussed the gig here. Who are the support act? What will the turn out be like? Will Bell Witch REALLY play Clandestine Gate in its 83 minute entirety? So many questions, our collective curiosity was peaked! We could see the queue snaking around the building at this point whilst we were still inside, which is a testament to the band’s popularity. Once we had finished our meals (great food for a very reasonable price, it has to be said), we joined the queue to The Bread Shed.
Once inside the venue, we could see another queue, this time from the merch stand. Again, highlighting the band’s popularity. I said repeatedly ‘I need to stop buying band merch’. However, I couldn’t resist getting a souvenir for this occasion so special to me. My t-shirt collection has now grown by 1!
Being in the venue brought back so many great memories! Having played here previously and having seen some phenomenal bands over the years here, it felt great to be back. Tonight, I was about to make more memories.
The Bread Shed:
Flour and Flagon:
Fuoco Fatuo
Opening up tonight’s proceedings was Italy’s own Fuoco Fatuo. An Italian friend told me how to pronounce the name, but I still forget. You don’t need to understand Italian here though as the only language the death-doom know is sheer blunt force trauma! Seriously, there’s absolutely nothing melodic or gentle about their music. This is as brutal and heavy as it gets! I should have known this was coming given the wall of amplifiers on stage. They moved some serious air. My insides were rearranged every time the quartet hit sludge-filled note after sludge-filled note, coordinated in clinical precision and in unholy harmony! Visuals and stage presence is crucial nowadays. The band invested a lot in this. With the black corpse paint, the stage decorated with the skulls of fallen livestock, and the simple yet brutally effective all red lighting, this felt like cult ritual worship. It was an experience for sure.
I believe this was the band’s first visit to this island. I sincerely hope it’s not the last. I’d pay good money to see them again. A ferocious way to start the evening. I had some time to luckily rest my senses and decompress before the main event.
Fuoco Fatuo:
Bell Witch
Having listened to the band countless times over the years, I had always been curious as to how only two people could create such a huge sound on their record. Looking at Dylan’s bass rig, it became clearer. Not one, not two, but THREE cabs, including a towering 8×10 Ampeg bass cab! These were going to cause some serious noise, hence why I could hear it down the street about 3 hours earlier. “These are going to be the loudest band you’ve ever heard”, my friend warned. Luckily, I had multiple
sets of ear plugs on my person. I was sure gonna need them. I could see Jesse’s drum rig being assembled. This was a work of art! A rather modest cymbal collection, but his collection of synth pedals and extra percussive instruments was anything but modest. How many drummers can say they’ve used a gong as part of their live set up? My childish intrusive thoughts surfaced. “What if I ran up to it and hit the gong really hard?”. I didn’t but it was fun to think about.
Once their tools are set up, Jesse gives a subtle thumbs up to the sound desk, then it’s time. The lights go down. The atmosphere intensifies. No usual roar of the crowd. This time silence. Just awe and anticipation of what’s about to go down.
The solemn spine-chilling cathedral organs rang out, piercing through the momentary calm of the room. This was surreal. They’re actually playing ‘Clandestine Gate’! Featuring everything I had hoped for from the album, and more. However, in the live setting everything is enhanced tenfold. Dylan’s bass tone is absolutely crushing! The ground’s rumbling. My legs are shaking. My internal organs rearranged. Another intrusive thought surfaced and I decided to take my ear plug out for a second. I quickly regretted it! This was loud! My friend’s prediction about this being the loudest band I had ever seen was correct.
The contrasting style of vocal within Bell Witch is often something overlooked but definitely worth highlighting. Whether it’s Dylan’s calm and soothing chant-like cleans, or Jesse’s ferocious gutturals, the contrast is remarkable. Tonight, Dylan’s angelic tone fills the room, the reverb phenomenal like we’re in an unholy metal church. How Jesse can operate perhaps the most complex drum rig I’ve ever seen whilst simultaneously unleashing demonic growl after blood curdling growl is remarkable. Nothing is more remarkable than the level of precision and attention to detail required for this music though!
Some joke about doom metal being a case of hitting only two or three notes per minute. However, the mental aspect is like no other genre of music. I’ve played in thrash metal bands where if I made a minor mistake, it didn’t really matter, my other band mates would cover me and nobody would notice. However, there’s nowhere to hide here for either Jesse or Dylan. One false note and we WILL notice. It’ll stand out like a saw thumb. Yet the duo was absolutely flawless on the evening. A testament to their bewildering dedication to their craft.
We’re almost 47 minutes in now. I have always been a fan of Jesse’s bass tone. Just like you will after hearing it for the first time, you’ll question if it’s really a bass there. Jesse is a true master of the 7 string bass, effortlessly providing sludgy distorted low ends and piercing guitar like tones simultaneously. This is most prominent at the 47 minute mark of ‘Clandestine’. Upon hearing this for the first time on record, I rewinded multiple times, to the point where I quit counting. To witness this live was something quite remarkable indeed. Every earth-shaking note pierced through the mix and shattered any remaining semblance of calm in the background! Every single note was used for maximum impact and played with surgical precision. Whatever he lacks in technical complexity, Dylan more than makes up for in raw human emotion and feeling.
We’re almost 58 minutes in now. A dazzling melodic passage, perhaps the fastest section at this point of the song, and what is well and truly the crescendo to this song. The very same section I heard out on the streets of Manchester nearly 4 hours earlier now. I can see heads banging, the crowd were fully engaged. At this point, my soul is about to leave my body. I’ve never taken drugs in my life, but the rush is the closest I’ll ever get. Euphoria, ecstasy from witnessing a truly remarkable passage.
The crowd roared once the music went quiet. We hear the cathedral organs once again, slowly winding down. We’re roughly 60 minutes in now to this marathon of a song. Then the music calmly stopped, and Jesse gently placed his bass down. It’s over, and the crowd erupt showing their admiration. On the record, the song has another 20 minutes+ to go, but ending it here was a good call.
I can hear comments in the crowd; “that was sick”, “unreal”, “what a set”. I can see another huge queue forming at the merch stand. A sign that you, as an artist, have done something right. Both musicians stuck around immediately after and posed for photos. I couldn’t pass on this opportunity and had to show my appreciation. Jesse smiled when I told him my soul had left my body. He’s modest but secretly knows what an impact their music has had.
Tapestry Promotions have been a crucial pillar in the region’s music scene, providing a platform for local bands, as well as bringing in established international heavyweights, like on this evening. Consider that I had only paid £12 for my ticket. I’d have easily paid double! Give Dan and the team all the love in the world!
Bell Witch:
Tapestry Promotions:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Oli Gonzalez and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
