Bell Witch & Knoll - Rebellion, Manchester (13/4/24)

Knoll are a pummeling mixture of grindcore and noise. The stuck pig vocals give it a Wormrot or Agathocles vibe but there's also waves and waves of noise which gives it a dynamism and power reminiscent of Liturgy. There is an odd stage set up, as their assortment of desks and lamps takes up half the stage which effectively cuts off half the venue as a vantage point. When the horns are paired with the noise, it adds a Sunn0))) feel. This is music to make you feel uncomfortable in the same way that Whitehouse does, and as such there's probably only so much of this that I can take. The singer has an intensity about him, stalking the stage like he has a complete disdain for everyone, which reminds me of how Stalingrad were live.

The familiar organ intro to last year's 'The Clandestine Gate' opens and I'm amazed to discover that it's not a backing track but is actually being played by the drummer's feet. This introduction sets the tone for what promises to be a spiritual Bell Witch performance. Watching from in front of the drumkit gives me a different experience, as I can't see the accompanying film but I can see what the drummer is doing and every tom hit thunders through me. The crawling pace is slow and funereal but it is captivating. This crushes, particularly when that stupendously heavy bass guitar tone kicks in. This is cavernous doom from beyond and the reverb drenched vocals add a quasi-religious feel. It's slooooooooow and every element is given room to breathe, and the movements seem to ebb and flow. The music travels in, around and through you. It's punishing yet soothing at the same time. Some of the quieter, more delicate parts are filled with chatter from some parts of the crowd, but it is never enough to take you out of the experience. Some of the passages are genuinely moving, even though you're being slowly suffocated by the smothering nature of the sound. The same organ part from the beginning leads out as an outro, bookending the whole spellbinding performance.

Bell Witch ****

Knoll ***