Eight Bells

Eight Bells was forged in 2010 in Portland, Oregon by Melynda Jackson as a collaborative experimental metal songwriting project and continuation of her previous dark psych act, Subarachnoid Space. Though band members have shifted, Eight Bells’ unique sound—a fusion of progressive rock, doom and post-black metal combined with powerful ambient atmospheres—has continued to evolve, with Jackson as the constant. The band’s first two records, 2013’s The Captain’s Daughter and the much evolved 2016 follow-up Landless, conjure emotive and often bleakly atmospheric soundscapes.
With The Captain’s Daughter and Landless, Eight Bells take a thematic approach that results in powerful and deeply evocative music. By exploring the natural tones and grand visions of the 1970s and combining them with contemporary metal, haunting female vocals, and a 19th-century ghostliness, they’ve created a sound that transcends genre and time entirely.
2020 finds Eight Bells in pre-production for their third album, to be recorded in May with producer and engineer Billy Anderson for release expected in late 2020. Jackson and drummer Brian Burke recently welcomed the addition of Matt Solis (Cormorant, URSA) on bass and vocals, bringing a fresh perspective on the collaboration with a focus on male/female vocal harmonies. The record will explore themes of natural destruction, loss, malice and retribution.

Portland, ORegon