Ascension Of The Watchers’ Apocrypha: Burton C Bell rises from the ashes of Fear Factory

Ex-Fear Factory frontman Burton C Bell ventures into the shadows once more on Ascension Of The Watchers’ belated second album

Ascension Of The Watches – Apocrypha
(Image: © Dissonance)

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When Fear Factory singer Burton C Bell released Numinosum, the haunting debut from his vampiric side-project Ascension Of The Watchers, it hinted that a long exploration of his main band’s more ambient sensibilities lay ahead. Instead, it’s taken 12 years for the follow-up to finally arrive. Amid former Ministry/Killing Joke man John Bechdel’s spectral instrumentation, Burton’s eerie drone is the perfect embellishment for the mournful soundscapes of Ghost Heart and the title track, which opens with a spooky recording of an unexplained sound recorded in the vocal booth. Dark and glacial, A Wolf Interlude and Cygnus Aeon build on the velvet giants of the 80s goth scene – a sumptuous treat.


Dannii Leivers

Danniii Leivers writes for Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, The Guardian, NME, Alternative Press, Rock Sound, The Line Of Best Fit and more. She loves the 90s, and is happy where the sea is bluest.