During the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692, a total of 20 men were accused and put on trial for their alleged involvement in witchcraft. These men were among the 200 individuals who faced accusations during this period of mass hysteria and panic. The accusations against these men ranged from practicing witchcraft to forming covenants with the devil. Many of the accused were individuals who held positions of authority in their community, such as ministers and businessmen. This led to a widespread fear and distrust among the people of Salem, as it challenged their beliefs and values. As with the women accused in the witch trials, the accused men faced severe consequences if found guilty.
As with the women accused in the witch trials, the accused men faced severe consequences if found guilty. The punishment for witchcraft during this time was death by hanging. The trials often relied on spectral evidence, which involved witnesses claiming to have seen the accused in their dreams or visions, communicating with the devil.
Sonemic Interview: Bell Witch
Funeral Doom Metal is a niche subgenre forged from two other niche subgenres of extreme metal during the early '90s. The blueprint hasn't changed all that much, either: stir the sludginess of doom over some brutal death growls with all the speed of a cement mixer and voila! Funeral doom.
How slowly those genre tags get mixed depends on the band. Even among its earliest disciples, there's a wide range of interpretations. The transcendent, tear-streaked riffage of Mournful Congregation is a far cry from Skepticism's organ-smeared belly crawl. But if funeral doom has ever had a band come close to crossing over into the mainstream, it's Bell Witch.
Of course, that, too, was slow going. Bell Witch has roots in Kansas, but the band started around a decade ago when Dylan Desmond moved to Seattle and met Adrian Guerra. Helped along by fellow Breadbasket transplants Wormwood, Desmond and Guerra taped a demo, which fetched a deal with Profound Lore Records. Those first few songs have enjoyed a long shelf life, but when the duo first listened back to the recordings, it sounded like they were rushing, as if, somehow, they were actually playing too fast.
So, over the next five years and two albums, Desmond and Guerra fleshed out Bell Witch's bare bones, one cryptic piece at a time. They've never needed to add a guitarist. Just by sticking to bass and drums, the band has grown heavier and heavier with each release. In came the tortured clarion call of honorary third member Erik Moggridge, straining to rise above the pummeling "Rows (Of Endless Waves)." By Four Phantoms, Bell Witch weren't writing individual songs so much as they were telling a neverending ghost story.
The story of Bell Witch could've ended here, though. Work had already started on their next album when, in 2016, Guerra suffered a heart attack and died in his sleep. Desmond stepped away from the studio. He wasn't sure if the band should keep going or just stop. Eventually, with tour manager Jesse Shreibman filling in on drums, Bell Witch came out the other side on Mirror Reaper, a staring contest with the abyss that was so intense, such a colossal undertaking, even they assumed no one would listen to the whole thing. After all, the album was only one 80-minute song.
But whether they knew the backstory, were drawn to its iconic cover art, or because the music left you no choice but to sit back and get crushed by its fiery avalanche of grief, people did listen. Heck, Mirror Reaper had a big enough push to break onto the Billboard charts.
How could a band like Bell Witch ever top that? Heck, how is any band supposed to top that?
From a distance, Bell Witch look like they've gone down a similar rabbit hole on Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate. Not only does their new album follow the same one-track mindset, but at 83 minutes, it clocks in at the same run time as Mirror Reaper. Having plotted out the album's arc across several notebooks and a tour's worth of practice sessions, Desmond and Schreibman were ready to lock down The Clandestine Gate with de facto producer Billy Anderson at Seattle's Avast Recording Studios in the spring of 2020. I'll give you one guess as to how that went. But the grinding halt of the pandemic gave them more than enough time to stray from their intended path and try new doors.
Sure, The Clandestine Gate opens with an eerie refrain of Hammond B3 organ, but those familiar thrums are accompanied by layers and layers of synth that swirl like a river of lost souls; familiar territory for Bell Witch. Their songs are born in limbo, condemned to wander, a restless communique between the land of the living and the dead. But reading Nietzsche's take on eternal return put a name to their central thesis and perhaps a greater sense of direction. After all, this album is just the first installment in a much larger triptych of soon-to-be-recorded albums.
Still, The Clandestine Gate unfolds slowly. Rather than build up to a towering height only to come crashing down under its own insurmountable weight, The Clandestine Gate lures you in with clean yet undeniably creepy Gregorian chanting. Though he's still plenty involved with their group side project, Moggridge sits this album out. In his absence, Bell Witch lean heavier into clean vocals and quasi-spoken word epic poetry. Schreiber's death growls still erupt like a blood-spewing volcano, but the first one doesn't rear its craggy head until more than halfway through.
But The Clandestine Gate does move—the album ebbs and flows, guided by the band's unspoken push and pull. Chest-rattling reverb gives way to drums that thump with the punishing slowness of Sisyphus rolling his accursed boulder. Even when all the noise simmers down to a slow descent of bass chords, it feels like Bell Witch are leading you somewhere closer to the light.
I talked with Desmond and Schreiber about their new album, how songs are like houses, Nietzsche's theory of eternal return, chord resolution, riff salad, and where Future's Shadow is headed.
Published on July 11th, 2023 by Will Yarbrough. Part of Sonemic Interview Series. Photo credit: Bobby Cochran
So this album is neat and holds a great track in it, but as I said before it does feel a little tiresome after a while. I say if you like this sort of one hour experience and you don’t mind a really long track then I definitely recommend it, but if you don’t and rather listen to something more catchy or shorter, stuff like that, then this record may not be the best fit for you. It’s a great album, but definitely not for everyone.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, the accused men were held to the same standard as the women. Their fate rested in the hands of the jury, who often relied on biased testimonies and a prevailing belief in the existence of witchcraft. This resulted in the conviction and execution of several innocent men. The Salem witch trials serve as a dark chapter in American history, highlighting the dangers of mass hysteria, prejudice, and a lack of due process. The accused men in this infamous event were subjected to unfounded accusations and unjust trials, ultimately leading to the loss of their lives. It stands as a reminder of the importance of justice, fairness, and critical thinking in times of crisis..
Reviews for "The Accused Men: Victims or Perpetrators in the Witch Trials?"
1. Jane Doe - 2 stars
I found "The Accused Men in the Salem Witch Trials" to be a disappointing read. The book promised to shed light on the role of men in the infamous witch trials, but it fell short in many regards. The author failed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the men's involvement and instead focused too much on repeating the same information about the trials that we already know. The writing style was also grating, with excessive use of flowery language and unnecessary descriptions that detracted from the main content. Overall, I felt that this book missed the mark and did not deliver on its promise.
2. John Smith - 3 stars
While "The Accused Men in the Salem Witch Trials" was an intriguing topic, I found the execution to be lacking. The author seemed to rely heavily on speculation and assumptions rather than concrete evidence when discussing the role of men in the trials. As a result, I felt that much of the information presented was not reliable or based on credible sources. Additionally, the book lacked a clear structure or progression of ideas, making it difficult to follow along with the narrative. Although there were a few interesting insights, I ultimately felt that this book did not provide a comprehensive or well-rounded examination of the topic.
3. Sarah Thompson - 2.5 stars
"The Accused Men in the Salem Witch Trials" left me feeling underwhelmed. While the idea of exploring the involvement of men in the trials was intriguing, I found the book to be disjointed and confusing. The author jumped between different perspectives and events without proper transitions or background information, making it hard to follow the narrative. Additionally, the writing style was overly dense and filled with unnecessary jargon, which further hindered my understanding. Overall, I felt that this book had potential but failed to deliver a coherent and engaging exploration of its subject matter.
4. Michael Davis - 1 star
I was utterly disappointed with "The Accused Men in the Salem Witch Trials." The book provided little meaningful insight into the role of men in the trials, instead opting for a shallow exploration of the subject matter. The author seemed to rely on sensationalism and dramatization rather than rigorous historical analysis. The lack of credible sources and evidence left me questioning the credibility of the information presented. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking an accurate and well-researched account of the accused men in the Salem witch trials.