HOLY FAWN- ‘The Black Moon’
Holy Fawn’s 2018 album, ‘Death Spells’, was a very special record indeed. But it didn’t necessarily come easy for the Arizona outfit, the result of years of focussed passion, hard work and careful planning. This is different. Where before there was only the band– writing and recording and mastering everything themselves- here there is Triple Crown Records and veteran producer Matt Bayles to help spread the load. Where before there was a campaign- singles and press and promotion- the three tracks of ‘The Black Moon’ have been released without build-up or fanfare. The end result sounds like a deep breath, a glorious exhale. Oh, there’s still tension in the band’s tornado swirl, but there’s less structure here than before. And, if it’s at all possible, there’s more atmosphere. ‘Candy’ flows between dark ambience and intense, almost militaristic metal, ‘Blood Pact’ is seven minutes of slow-motion, slow-degrading dream pop, and ‘Tethered’ is digital mist, another fine example of the band using synths and electronic percussion while still sounding wholly organic. A record to get lost in.
