Review: “Empty Reflections” by Befell

Rising to prominence with 2021’s EP “Solitude“, State College Pennsylvanians Befell have made their name as a 2003 era American Metalcore band with Thrash leanings who have been for a ride in a DeLorean with Doc Brown after a night of drunken debauchery and wound up in 2020. Getting their greasy paws on some downtuned seven string guitars and the rest is history with 2022’s third EP “Grave Of The Condemned King” being particularly impressive. A year and a holy trinity of stand alone singles later the band return with chapter four, produced by drummer Jace Ebersole alongside at guitarist Mitch Caprio’s house in Bellefonte. It was later mixed and mastered by Pete Grossmann (Mouth For War, Melting Rot, Decline) at Bricktop Recordings in Chicago Illinois…

The reputation of Befell is for making music that is fresh and yet familiar so that it has an instant appeal and a nostalgic quality while at the same time having a satisfying crunch that will have you coming back for more. “Empty Reflections” as a trio of new freshly baked cuts straight from the oven is no different because if it ain’t broke, why fix it? The title track has favours of Unearth and Wage War with a blood thirsty opening verse and savage staccato riff breaks, the rhythmic patterns mosh worthy breakdowns in their own right. The verse finds vocalist Bruce Boring joined by Obsolescence to bolster the clean parts which while adding a sing-a-long quality could easily be disposed of in favour of keeping the cut straight heavy. It’s a stylistic point that a lot of later era American Metalcore bands have stumbled on however here Befell carry it off in style because there is no slow down for the clean vocals; the energy is instead kept high while a solo in the final moments shows a little more technicality to bolster the DJent fuelled Metalcore bounce. Second cut “Tightrope” keeps things moving in fine fashion, the groove bass riff from Jon Perini undeniable while the band get creative with their vocal parts. Here the cleans feel more important to the spine of the track, perhaps because of the use of several different unclean voices, the haunting riff touches adding a bit of spice to the punch. The clanky bass sound of the previous cut bleeds into this one as a style choice that adds a new depth and texture to the bands sound, the pulsating drum patterns from Ebersole helping drive the message “this moment won’t pass me by!” home. A climbing solo befitting of a Killswitch Engage tune is well placed with the band continuing to have all the hallmarks of one that are on the edge of exploding onto the scene and making a serious splash with it [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Empty Reflections (ft. Obsolescence)
2. Tightrope
3. Atrophy

“Empty Reflections” by Befell is out now via Romanus Records and available over at bandcamp.