Next up on Audioeclectica.com’s 2022 End Of The Year Lists, the Top 10 Bassists. The only stipulation is that, an album/EP had to have been released this year.
Vote for your favorite in the comments section. At the end of the month, I will release the results of the readers poll.
This list is also in NO PARTICULAR ORDER!!!
Next up on Audioeclectica.com’s 2022 End Of The Year Lists, the Top 10 Guitar Duos/Trios. The stipulation is that, an album/EP had to have been released this year.
Vote for your favorite in the comments section. At the end of the month, I will release the results of the readers poll.
This list is also in NO PARTICULAR ORDER!!!
01) Stephen Brodsky and Adam McGrath- Cave In
02) Ryan Osterman and Evan Phelps- Holy Fawn
03) Will Benoit, Joel Reynolds and Mike Repasch-Nieves- SOM
04) Robb Flynn and Vogg Kieltyka- Machine Head
05) Jesper Stromblad and Nicholas Engelin- The Halo Effect
06) Ashla Chavez-Razzano and Ari May- Faetooth
07) Jasan Radford and Ryan Stuber- Centershift
08) Justin Martin and Kevin Clark- If It Kills You
09) Brian Sullivan and Russ Savarese- Thoughtcrimes
10) Mark Morton and Willie Adler- Lamb Of God
Last week (Thursday 11/3/22), I finally got to see a band I’ve been wanting to see for some time. Ever since I heard their album, Death Spells, I knew I had to go see Holy Fawn live. This year, Holy Fawn released their spectacular and absolute gem of an album with Dimensional Bleed. After hearing that album, I told myself, when they come through Los Angeles, I’m going and they did not disappoint at all. There was something about the night and how perfect it all came together.
One thing I’ve been trying to do more of is not check out the bands that are opening the show. This way, I can go into a show with a completely open mind and not have any preconceived notions. I’m glad I did too because every band this evening was perfectly chosen and provided the right vibe to make this one hell of an explosive night. The first band of the night was Grivo. This three piece band delivered a set that mixed bits of doom, shoegaze and 90’s alternative. While listening you could pick up bits of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and even a little bit of The Smashing Pumpkins (Gish/Siamese era). They were heavy without being “heavy” and set a tone for the night that only got louder and more exciting. Grivo are the type of band that fit very well at The Echo. Looking around at the crowd, you could tell that this was the start of a very exciting night.
Next up was SOM and I was seriously blown away by them. Their self proclaimed “doom-pop” style is summed up perfectly. They have this perfect harmony of heaviness, atmosphere, melody and melancholy that makes for a sound that creates an ebb and flow of emotions that when the music, lyrics and vocals all hit, you are completely swept up by it all. By the second song I was completely immersed into their music. It was one of those moments that going to a show is all about. Being consumed by the music and letting it take over. Their new album, The Shape Of Everything is a stunning and deeply immersive album that you can listen to over and over again and get lost in it (in a totally great way). The band live was super tight and each member seemed to be drawn into the songs just as the audience making for a performance that left me high tailing it to the merch table after their set for a quick chat and to procure a few things for myself! Definitely go see SOM when they come through your town!
The main event of the night, Holy Fawn, was everything I was hoping for and more. They were hypnotic and mesmerizing as they delivered great song after great song. Their post-metal style has allowed them to explore other sub-genres and create music that not only is sonically bombastic but also thought provoking in a way that you find yourself even more drawn into the atmosphere that is created and the next thing you know the intensity awakens you and it’s like you’ve stepped outside yourself. Being able to shift between genres in songs is not an easy thing to do and still keep the audience engaged is astounding. Every song they played this evening was its own experience. One of the things about Holy Fawn that I love is their ability to shift between light and dark. They have this ability to draw you in with these delicate moments that shine the light then when you think it will explode with even more light, they flip the switch to the “heavy” and the dark shroud takes a hold and the emotional purge you feel from the music and vocals takes you to that other dimension.
What a great show this was. Each band brought the goods and delivered sets that were stellar. SOM and Holy Fawn as a 1, 2 punch was outstanding. This was a show that I not only knew I needed to go to but now will have to go see these bands each and every time they come through Los Angeles. SOM is definitely a band you need to check out and I will be featuring here on Audioeclectica very soon. Holy Fawn is one hell of a band that you really should take time to listen to and their new album, Dimensional Bleed is in my top 5 of the year. Shows like this don’t happen all the time but, when they do, you remember them for a long time. Thank you Grivo, SOM and Holy Fawn for one hell of a night to remember!
I was not prepared for this album. The moment I put it on, I was completely taken aback by the intensity that permeated through my speakers. From that moment, I was hooked and I didn’t want it to end. There is something transcendent about this album and how it all comes together and hits you like a slew of anvils as though Wile E Coyote would be trying to catch the roadrunner. Holy Fawn have created an utter masterpiece with Dimensional Bleed and there is absolutely no denying it.
The way this album grabs you and doesn’t let go is comforting and at the same time contemplative. The way the band shifts between genres is seamless. Being able to go from metal, shoegaze, with bits of doom and ambient is purely astonishing. Then you have the vocals that sway from these delicate melodies to an outright onslaught of near black metal extremes. The songs flow perfectly into each other creating that ebb and flow that a perfect album has. There is a range of emotions (melancholy sadness, aggression, despair, and anguish) that create a whole other dimension while listening. Musically and lyrically they are both striking and can stand on their own. Dimensional Bleed is as explosive as it is ambient without compromising one for the other. Going track by track for this record, like I’ve said on others, would ruin it for you. Instead, I implore you to listen to this album start to finish and let it soak in. Then when it’s over, start it again and pick up on all the little nuances that you missed the first time.
There is a real emotion and power to Dimensional Bleed that when other bands hear this album, they will try to replicate it but, won’t be able to come close to what Holy Fawn did here. I love that Holy Fawn made an “album” and that it really takes you places. The etherial vibe from this record will stay with you even after listening. I’ve listened to this album many times through and I have to say it has become one of my favorites to listen to while I drift off to sleep. It provides quite the soundtrack to some vivid dreams and when you awake, there is a feeling that you just lived through. Thank you Holy Fawn for Dimensional Bleed. I’m completely enthralled by this and can’t stop listening! Top 5 Albums Of The Year For DAMN Sure!
Overall Rating: A
Holy Fawn- Dimensional Bleed:
VIDEOS:
Void Of Light:
Death Is A Relief:
A few years back I became familiar with the band Holy Fawn. It was one of those right band right situation type scenarios and from that point I was hooked. Their sound has intrigued me since that day. Their ability to mix metal, shoegaze, electronic, alternative, and rock is astonishing. The end result is a musical journey that takes you on ride into sonic territories to parts known and unknown. Their new album, Dimensional Bleed continues that journey and then some. The three songs released from the album so far are just a piece of the whole picture. The evolution of Holy Fawn is on display with Dimensional Bleed. On this album they have really explored different realms of the psyche and added a bit of a psychedelic element to their already trippy sound. I have a feeling that this album is going to take Holy Fawn to new heights. It’s an album that is much needed in today’s world!
Dimensional Bleed is out September 9th via Wax Bodega ! Pre-save it here: https://lnk.to/dimensionalbleed
Holy Fawn- Dimensional Bleed:
Holy Fawn- Death Is A Relief:
Holy Fawn- Dimensional Bleed:
Holy Fawn- Void Of Light:
Every so often, a band and album comes out that you hear about but, forget to check out in a timely manner. That happened to me over the course of the last few months with the band of the week. A while back, I saw Riley Breckinridge of Thrice raving about the new Holy Fawn album Death Spells. I put it on my list of things to check out but, for some reason, I kept missing it. Well, that was a mistake. What a tremendous band they are, and their album is superb. This Phoenix, Arizona based band is quite possibly one of the best things Arizona has ever exported. Their blend of shoegaze, 90’s reverb rock, ambient tinges and crushing noise is captivating and hypnotic. There is a real depth to their songs and albums that has anyone listening stand at attention and feel compelled to get lost in the music. There’s an element of danger to this band that when you listen, you can tell they are about to erupt with a sound that is devastatingly beautiful. Their album Death Spells is definitely one of the best of the past decade and worth putting in any collection. Holy Fawn has also released a 3 song EP this past January entitled The Black Moon and it’s pretty damn fantastic as well. Holy Fawn is a band that should be on your radar and should be checked out live to get the full effect.
Holy Fawn- Death Spells:
Holy Fawn- The Black Moon:
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