Bell Witch & Aerial Ruin - Stygian Bough: Volume II (2025)

Unleashing one of the most demoralizing and gut-wrenching releases of 2025, today we have Bell Witch pairing with Aerial Ruin to deliver the second volume of “Stygian Bough”. Featuring four tracks and nearly one hour of monumentally crushing Funeral Doom Metal, this album is as bleak as they come. Erik Moggridge of Aerial Ruin perfectly complements Bell Witch, creating a very punishing and lush release that won’t easily be forgotten.

Opening with the moody vocals of “Waves Become the Sky”, they perfectly blend into the weeping Doomy riffs, creating a very desolate and punishing atmosphere. The tempo slowly drowns the listener in misery as the opener seamlessly blends into the bleakness of “King of the Wood”, a more atmospheric piece. The band’s ability to create slow and very uneasy soundscapes is just magical, as these tracks fly by and they are over 12-minutes each.

The folky start of “From Dominion Let them Bleed” nicely shifts the vibe for a few minutes until the gargantuan riffs and crafty drumming inflict even more pain to the listener. We particularly love those slow and drawn out weeping Doomy riffs, creating a very excruciating and powerful aural experience. Closing with the nearly 20-minute behemoth “The Told and the Leadened”, this musical collaboration creates a very Morning Beloveth/Thergothon-esque piece that still manages to blend elements of both outfits very uniquely.

As a whole, “Stygian Bough: Volume II” is one hell of a crushing release that sets a very bleak mood and never lets go. As a perfect soundtrack for a cold and cloudy winter, this release is masterful and definitely one of the finest Funeral Doom Metal releases to come out of North America. This release is highly recommended for fans of slow and painful music, filled with crushing riffs and very slow tempos, that are also wondering what would it sound like if you introduced Neofolk elements to the genre.

Label: Profound Lore Records

Release: November 14th, 2025

Genre: Funeral Doom Metal

Country: USA