Experiences with mirror reaper and bell witch
TW: mental health mentioned
Mirror Reaper is a song by the funeral doom band Bell Witch. It’s impossible to ignore because of its sheer length—1 hour and 23 minutes—but it’s so much more than just an impressive runtime. At first, you might think it’s a drawn-out drone piece meant to be overwhelming, but once you really sit with it, the meaning behind it hits hard. The song was written while the band was mourning the loss of their former drummer, Adrian Guerra, who passed away from cardiac arrest in 2016. It’s a deeply sorrowful, yet strangely beautiful and meditative track, unfolding like a story told through sound.
To me, Mirror Reaper represents the seven stages of grief, each movement reflecting an emotional shift:
1. Shock & Denial (0:00 - 10:00) – The droning organ and slow build feel like the numbness and disbelief that hit after loss.
Anger (10:00 - 25:00) – Harsh growls and crushing weight mirror the frustration and raw emotional outbursts that follow.
Bargaining (25:00 - 40:00) – A shift in melody creates tension, like searching for meaning or pleading for things to be different.
Depression (40:00 - 55:00) – The slowest, heaviest section, where everything feels suffocating, mirroring the deep sadness that sets in.
Testing (55:00 - 1:10:00) – Erik Moggridge’s clean vocals introduce a fragile sense of hope, like the first steps toward healing.
Acceptance (1:10:00 - End) – The music swells and resolves, repeating familiar motifs with a sense of finality, embracing the inevitable.
Each section bleeds into the next, making grief feel like a cycle rather than a linear process. Mirror Reaper isn’t just a song—it’s an experience, a meditation on death, and a reflection of mourning in its rawest form.
Bell witch is truly a beautiful band and has saved my life in multiple ways. I really wish I could share my gratitude towards the members especially Dylan Desmond and his beauitful vocals and bass. The night I first discovered bell witch was one of the worst nights I’ve ever had. I was sitting at my desk questioning horrible things (you can probably infer what it was about) whilst I was doing this I was scrolling through playlists and found the song rows (of endless waves). The song was very good at the start but as soon as the outro came I broke down. The song seriously saved my life and this band got me through a horrible time and I need to express my gradituide towards the band. It even inspired me to take a break from guitar and play bass haha. After this I found mirror reaper and listened to the full thing and it seriously was one of the most ethereal things I had ever heard. This band geninleu saved me and I cannot show my gratefulness.
Dylan Desmond if you see this somehow I love you and thank you