Bell Witch is back for the first time since their 2017 opus Mirror Reaper with some pretty big news. Bell Witch will release their new, one-song album Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate on April 21 (yes, this week) that clocks in at a whopping 83 minutes. The Clandestine Gate is the first of a planned triptych of longform albums named Future's Shadow, so expect more from Bell Witch!
"Eventually, the end of the last album will be looped around to the first to make a circle," said bassist Dylan Desmond of the triptych. "It can be continuously looped, like a day cycle. This would be dawn. The next one would be noon. The following one would be sundown, with dawn and sundown both having something of night."
According to the band, Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate offers more varied vocals – "I wanted the vocals to be more active, rather than being on top of the soundscape," said drummer Jesse Shreibman – and more instrumental experimentation reminiscent of their Stygian Bough Volume 1 collaboration with Aerial Ruin.
Bell Witch will perform Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate on its release date at the Roadburn festival in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
"We have always had incredible experiences at Roadburn and cannot think of a better place for the live debut of our new record," said bassist Dylan Desmond. "We can't wait to return to their stage on Friday for the premiere performance of The Clandestine Gate."
Check out a trailer for the record below. Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate is out April 21 digitally, with physical copies out on June 9 via Profound Lore. Pre-orders are available here.
