-=- SHGZ -=- * Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal * ARTIST..: Holy Fawn ALBUM...: Realms GENRE...: Indie STYLE...: Shoegaze, Post Rock, Indie Rock, Ambient, Experimental YEAR....: 2015 LABEL...: Not On Label / Holy Fawn Self-Released ENCODER.: LAME 3.98.4 -V0 BITRATE.: 268 kbps avg QUALITY.: 44.1kHz / Joint Stereo SOURCE..: CD TRACKS..: 6 SIZE....: 65.72 MB URL..: http://www.facebook.com/holyfawn - TRACKLIST 1 Can We Lie Here? 5:08 2 Colossus 5:18 3 Amulet 5:34 4 Foal 5:41 5 Gl≤andi 5:51 6 Lo 6:37 Total Playtime: 34:09 There's almost a fierceness in the way that Holy Fawn express the relinquishing of control to the wilderness. Holy Fawn's conception of nature, both violent and nurturing, focuses on sensory notes: the chill of cold winds or dense fog, found in the guitars' icy reverberation; a more abstract wrath embedded in the walls of feedback, which usually avoid a complete overpowering of the instruments. Realms, in all its harsher shoegaze leanings, can be disarmingly gentle - "Amulet" is illuminated with soft washes of synthesizer and a simple, chiming guitar line. But Holy Fawn have a tendency to make abrupt transitions - feedback interjecting on "Foal", then interrupted by the near-silence of a lone guitar, then quickly forcing its way back in. "Bury me, I want to feel the soil smothering," they sing languorously on "Gl≤andi"; the ground, normally conceived of as a passive device, becomes life-giving (and life-taking) soil. Personification, or even the giving of agency, abounds - Holy Fawn tell us of a sun who dies, a moon who watches, the waters of the creek that never behave. It dwarfs you as an individual human. The abandonment that Realms presents is equal parts mellow, dreamlike, and relentlessly masochistic. A song settles comfortably into the lull of patient strumming and slow, deliberate picking; the diaphanous vocals, drenched in echoes, are so fragile that they must be layered to remain on the conscious plane; and all the while, Holy Fawn sing about wanting to be cut open, to be bled out in a forest. It's a personal blood sacrifice, a twisted appeal to the sanctity of nature that relishes in its irrationality. Vicious feedback, hovering right behind looping melodies, attacks from outside the reverie, as if to confirm that storm-clouds loom over with inevitable lightning. Beyond the hypnotic motifs lies further restlessness and irregularity: lyrics associated with the verse of "Can We Lie Here"" cut into the chorus; the drumming is animated with quiet flourishes and triplets. Therein lies the insidiously effective method of seduction by Realms: a slow pulling into a world where the lyrical surprise, nearly dormant in the swirls of sound, is to be sought out. In comparing Realms with a later work, the single "Arrows", I can see that the seeds Holy Fawn planted did eventually germinate. The vocals of Realms, which rely heavily on the production to obscure weakness in falsetto passages, become more of an afterthought in "Arrows"; they smartly give way to spiralling resonance, and let themselves be lost in the cacophony that results from the song's utter collapse. The transitions (or rather, lack thereof) have grown bolder, composure being shattered ever more violently than before. What's also curious is the shift of perspective: Realms centres on the willing victim, "Arrows" on a vengeful force that devastates during the song's storm of static. The knowledge that Holy Fawn's music can become further unhinged shines light on Realms - it will stop at nothing to return to the place that pains it. But there's something exquisite about being overwhelmed by what we cannot control, being at the mercy of that which embodies life and can so easily take it away. It's a certain freedom. * There is a long-running joke at the publication that I have called home for the past few years, Arctic Drones, that revolves around senile "Gramps" (at age 37, I am currently by far the oldest writer on our staff) consistently forgetting what he has previously written, and declaring that every album he reviews is a "potential album of the year." It has become so well-documented that, out of the desire to be as professional a writer as possible and avoid repetitious phrasings, I have made a very conscious effort to shy from such wording over the past year. Why lead with this potentially perplexing anecdote? Because Holy Fawn has finally released their first full-length record, Death Spells, and it is without hesitation and with full clarity of mind that I declare that it as, to this point, my choice for the best album of 2018. Holy Fawn has been building quite a reputation for themselves over the past two years, since the 2016 release of their EP Realms. Much of this hype was driven via social media by This Patch of Sky frontman Kit Day, who proclaimed Holy Fawn the best live band he'd ever witnessed and could often be seen singing their praises all around Facebook. For a band that doesn't really present as a post-rock band, they nevertheless began to establish quite a following in numerous circles within that genre. For me, this marked the beginning of a grand mystique swirling about them; a little-known indie band from Arizona being touted as the next big thing by respected musicians isn't something I'm likely to gloss over lightly. Upon checking out Realms I was sufficiently impressed, but it wasn't until the band released the first single from Death Spells, "Arrows," a full year ago that I fully realized how exciting and potentially important this band could be. The slow, simple, fist-clenching, jaw-tightening chug of the riff that follows the second chorus may have been the heaviest thing I heard all year, which is made even more impressive by the fact that the band could very easily categorize their music as "pretty;" the ways in which they balance their divergent sonic palettes is nothing short of breathtaking. "Arrows" was hands-down my favorite track of 2017, building up a substantial anticipation for what Holy Fawn had in store on the horizon this year. They certainly did not disappoint. What makes Holy Fawn so enticing is how disarmingly and lusciously idiosyncratic they are; despite having elements familiar to several genres, nothing else sounds quite like what they are doing. They are wholly unique, which, in 2018, is probably the most refreshing quality a band can have. The best description one could use is clearly shoegaze, but there are qualities they possess û elements of post-rock, metal, post-hardcore and doom û that set them in another realm all their own. Leading the charge regarding distinctive qualities is the hypnotically vexing voice of singer/guitarist Ryan Osterman. It is almost androgynous in its delivery, to the point where I initially thought that Holy Fawn had both a male and a female vocalist before looking deeper into the band's lineup. A typical shoegaze characteristic is the dreamy vocals buried beneath walls of sound, but the approach is different here. Osterman's vocals stand out with clarity, but the entire mix is awash with a variety of effects and sonic manipulations, carefully crafted so that the listener is never quite left on balance, like when your eyes blur and images double, and in the moments before you can blink back to your normal vision nothing is quite as it seems. Like the rest of the instrumentation on the record, it's seriously well-produced, and the equation is just right: pretty noise + heavy noise x unpredictability = Holy Fawn. This may seem like a curious digression but bear with me: as I listened through this record, I couldn't help but conjure thoughts of another strange work of art that has compelled me for the past twenty years. If there is one creation that I could compare Death Spells to it would be Dario Argento's essential 1977 visual and aural assault, Suspiria. Like that film, Death Spells is cut only from its own cloth. For as much music as I have listened to and films that I have watched, there is nothing that recalls the approach of either. Much the same as Argento's lurid, color-soaked rumination on the occult, Holy Fawn's music is equal parts haunting and gorgeous, mystical and sinister, melodious and cacophonous, alarming and transfixing. Just as Argento lovingly transposed artfulness on top of trashiness, Holy Fawn layers its source subgenres with a kind of sonic sorcery that is entirely its own spellbinding brew. This connection may not be too outlandish either, as a sampling of Holy Fawn's music videos suggest an affinity for the horror genre, washed as they are in disquieting imagery and ghoulish subject matter. If you're going to love Death Spells it's likely you'll know it by the 30 second mark of the album opener "Dark Stone," which demonstrates one of Holy Fawn's signature inventions, disorienting transitions from quiet to heavy that are as jagged and seething as most anything you'll hear coming from the metal genres. These careful moments of precision studio tweaking are part of what gives the compositions their power. You simply never know when this record is going to knock you on your ass, and even once you do the experience doesn't diminish. Like the aforementioned post-chorus riff on "Arrows," this is a kind of heaviness that makes you lean back in your seat in awe. That's not a feeling I find myself having very often, and I treasure it when it comes along. But Death Spells isn't all just soft-loud dynamics and spooky atmospherics. You only need to hear the first propulsive seconds of swaying post-punk that characterize "Yawning" to see that this is a band that can write accessible rock tunes when appropriate. It's a track that I could easily imagine hearing layered over an intense moment in a dystopian action flick. It's catchy and has enough familiarity to lock in with listeners, but it also remains firmly entrenched within the Holy Fawn aesthetic. Key moments like the perpetually-building tension of the second single "Drag Me Into The Woods" and the towering slowcore riffage of "Take Me With You" are balanced nicely by tracks like "Two Waves" and "Same Blood," which could have been throwaway interlude tracks but instead have their own distinct character and place on the record, bringing some quiet beauty to counter the grim fury that the surrounding tracks tend to evolve toward. "Sleep Tongue" concludes the album perfectly, tying together all the varying threads of Death Spells into one space, growing from pretty post-rock ambiance into dreamy shoegaze and finally to desperate rage before collecting everything for one last impassioned surge toward to finish line. There are plenty of bands who capture me with a tune, but upon further inspection the results are ever-diminishing. It is rare for a band to come through with a fully-realized work that enthralls from front to back. Beyond that, it is almost never that an artist can achieve that distinction whilst crafting a path of singularity. Holy Fawn is doing that right now, and it's time for more people to take notice. Of all the great records of 2018 û and there are plenty û this one somehow feels like a landmark, something that we'll look back upon and say "yeah, that was a moment of great importance. If you haven't discovered Holy Fawn yet, you're quickly running out of excuses. * Holy Fawn is the band that has risen from the ashes of Owl & Penny. Lead singer Ryan Osterman reinvented his sound slightly to produce this textural, atmospheric indie rock release that is as quietly aggressive as it is hauntingly beautiful. Clocking in at nearly 35 minutes, Realms is very nearly a full-length, and perhaps it should be treated as such. While the songs "Colossus" and "Amulet" were released as preview singles, they only hint at the grandeur of the rest of the record. Osterman's lyrics are heavily drenched in forest imagery, creeks and, of course, a frightened foal. Opener "Can We Lie Here" is a favorite, with its hurricane guitar delivery and breathtaking vocals. Certainly the singles that follow are as beautiful and dreamy, but choosing this as an opener was a wise decision. "Foal" features amazing pounding drums that define the entire song, adding a darkness and an Earthen rhythm, which is completely appropriate, as Osterman's lyrics are heavily drenched in forest imagery, creeks and, of course, a frightened foal. While he has reinvented his band, it appears that his lyrical obsessions have remained. Holy Fawn truly gets their shoegazing sound on for "Gloandi," which is a slow burner filled with images of death and nature, and probably the most beautiful track found here. The EP concludes with "Lo," which is downright hypnotic and soothing until it explodes into a wall of solid noise. Holy Fawn, like Owl & Penny before them, seem to reside in a mystical dimension where they write beautifully strange music and only emerge to record it and play it live. Osterman proves that he is one of the most fascinating songsmiths in Arizona, regardless of what he calls his band. * Preview before Realms release: Arrows is the first single from Arizona post-rock / shoe-gazers Holy Fawn, coming album. It might be true that there is shoegaze in this song, with its laid back feeling and calm floating vibes. But underneath there's a beast lurking. A beast that is slowly evoked from beneath the subtle rituals that is chanted in the first minutes of the song. This is where Holy Fawn stands out, combining almost a black metal feeling into the music at distinct parts. This interchanging between shoegaze feeling, indie/alternative and sometimes post-rock, spiced with the brutality and heaviness of black metal, really is a force. Arrows gently lull the listener into a trance, only to pop out once with a warning, of what to come, before hell breaks loose. And indeed it does. The ending of Arrows is powerful with guitars weighing tons and heartfelt screams from below. A Journey The road to affliction and agony is one beautiful, determined, soothing and fluid journey, embellished with dreamy ethereal vocals. Everything served with a melancholic tone. Extremely well written and convincing. I enjoy that tangible, repetitive mood that covers everything with an aura of being one with your surroundings. That whole build up, towards the end, is at all times, holding a firm grasp on the listener, as if spellbound. I specifically enjoy that subtle warning after approx 2 minutes. Only thing I could wish for, is a bit longer ending. That roaring fury would have been a joy to listen to, for several more minutes. But at the other hand it's also working quite well, with the song ending abrupt and with a flatline. In the roaring part there's a very nice detail at 5:13, I like the way the background drilling guitars kick in before maybem is cut loose. One word on production. I think Holy Fawn nailed the production to perfection. The way the drums are really in the background in the first part of the song and kicks in for real at the end. They way the vocals are also mixed quite low, fits the soundscape so good. Well done ! Shoegaze ? If I should try to compare Holy Fawn with similar artists, I would say that they do remind me of Whirr and also somewhat of Swirlies. Their more dreamy parts are almost Slowdive. But Holy Fawn is way more heavy sounding in their roaring parts. Here it reminds me more of belgian post-metallers Oathbreaker and maybe also Deafheaven a bit . That said, I think Holy Fawn are pretty much their own, and in general, I think they have something really interesting going on for them. The songs they write are just that better and even though this review is only describing one of their songs, you should really do yourself a favor and listen to the full back catalog of Holy Fawn. -=- SHGZ -=- P.S. ** Thanks *** *** BCC FNT IPC SSR *** *** For Knowing Where The Music Is At *** *** Props to CaHeSo, awesome Asian Indie/Shoegaze *** *** And to FANG/HOUND for supporting all the Indie lovers out there *** --===-- ********************* * NuHS we miss you! * *********************