Holy Fawn

Holy Fawn are a band who are gradually making their way onto the radar of the scene, albeit slowly. Much like their music, Holy Fawn revel in patient dynamics, holding onto that feeling you get right before the calm of a storm erupts into an explosive wave and knocks you out.

Their debut “Death Spells” housed so many memorable tracks it’s hard to pick a favorite. “Arrows” might be the one that comes instantly to mind; imagine Andy Hull (Manchester Orchestra) buried his vocals under a sea of swirly guitars and churning drums.

“Dimensional Bleed” is not a direct continuation of where they started––it’s an advancement. The band’s ability to harness dynamics is more refined, the melodies more elegant, and the build ups more explosive. “Dimensional Bleed” finds solace in the gradual; they take their time this time around. Admittedly, this isn’t always a good thing; some of the tracks are nearly 7 minutes long, sometimes a bit too long for most listeners. “Empty Vials” meanders a bit and the production lends itself to the melodies getting a bit lost and buried behind the atmospherics.

However, the second half of the band showcases the band’s perhaps best performance on “Void of Light,” with well blended ambient guitar leads and an excellent rhythmic pace; the bridge is at once beautiful and cinematic. One can quickly identify with the band’s influences––a more shoegaze-y, dreamy Sigur Ros comes immediately to mind; the screams and pacing are deliberate and wonderful here.

Another favorite of mine, “True Loss,” sounds like it could easily fit on the Vanilla Sky soundtrack. The shimmering melancholy meets love song hook is beautiful here: “Sometimes it feels like you’re the only one like me out there…”

While “Dimensional Bleed” might not be a far departure from where the band started, it’s clear Holy Fawn are securing their place as one of the more epic, explosive, and creative acts in the scene right now. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them sharing the stage with larger and larger bands and can’t wait to finally see them this fall on tour.