Cheers to Cleveland, Ohio’s Frayle on getting picked up by Napalm Records for the release of their next album. It was kind of a matter of time for them to be signed by one or the other of the larger metal-world imprints. Kind of inevitable, huh? Frayle have been upward trajectory since the word go, a career-minded act with a defined aesthetic and a fresh-ish take on familiar ideas. They can appeal across subgenres in a way not a lot of doom-adjacent anything ever could.

Frayle‘s latest album, Skin & Sorrow came out in 2022 through Aqualamb and Lay Bare Recordings — both what I’d consider to be labels of marked taste — and while I don’t know if a reissue is in the works and the focus here seems to be on moving forward with new stuff, you wouldn’t blame them if one showed up.

The PR wire, making it official:

FRAYLE Signs Worldwide Contract with Napalm Records

New Music Expected in 2024!

Fast-rising American doom outfit FRAYLE have officially joined forces with Napalm Records, signing a worldwide contract with the premier Austrian rock and metal empire.

Cleveland, Ohio’s FRAYLE crept onto the scene after forming in 2018, helmed by original members Sean Bilovecky (guitars) and Gwyn Strang (vocals). Since then, the band has been lauded by fans and media critics alike, merging the heaviness of occult-driven doom and blackgaze with Strang’s distinctively eerie vocal stylings. FRAYLE has since expanded into a four piece, welcoming drummer Jon Vinson and bassist Jason Knotek to the fold, allowing the band to fully realize their “lullabies over chaos” musical vision. Noted first by Revolver Magazine as a band to watch in 2023, and then again by Knotfest for the coming year, the band continues to invigorate their already buzzing sway on the scene. Following gloomy performances in Europe and the United States at festivals such as Damnation, Desertfest, Soul Crusher, Gloomnar, Post Fest and Inkcarceration, FRAYLE vows to enrapture audiences with new music in 2024.

FRAYLE says about the signing:
“We are thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Napalm Records. Napalm has always been the label that artists strive to be a part of and we are honored to bring our unique blend of heavy witch gloom to their impressive roster.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to say we are extremely fortunate to be part of the Oracle Management family, and are grateful for them helping us realize our goal of signing to Napalm Records. It was Oracle’s existing relationship with Napalm that helped to seal the deal. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Sebastian Muench, Senior A&R at Napalm Records, adds:
“FRAYLE have been enchanting their fans with their unique way of interpreting doom metal since 2017. Their artistic vision and past live performances have fascinated us and enticed us to work together as partners on the next step in the band’s career. I can guarantee that the new studio album will be simply amazing!”

Stay tuned for more FRAYLE news coming soon!

FRAYLE is:
Gwyn Strang: Vocals
Sean Bilovecky: Guitar
Jason Knotek: Bass
Jon Vinson: Drums

https://www.frayleband.com
https://www.facebook.com/frayleband
https://www.instagram.com/frayle_band
https://www.frayle.bandcamp.com

Frayle, Skin & Sorrow (2022)

Frayle just wrapped the UK portion of their Fall 2022 European tour, and are currently kicking around the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and more Germany to wrap up. No doubt Damnation Festival was a highlight, but it inevitably would be. As they go, continue to go, the Cleveland, Ohio, witch doomers and apparent light-bondage aficionados — not shaming, judging, particularly caring; it’s just a thing to mention as it’s clearly a part of their aesthetic and live presentation, like the one dude’s dreadlocks — further announce they’ll re-press their two full-lengths, the latest of which, Skin and Sorrow, was released in September, to rectify prior sell-throughs. That’s the EP, The White Witch, Skin and Sorrow, and their debut LP, 1692. Sometimes a band moves records. Kind of nice when it happens, actually.

Info, preorder links and whatnot all came down the PR wire:

Frayle announces the repress of The White Witch, 1692 and Skin & Sorrow for their European tour

Cleveland based Heavy Witch Doom coven are excited to announce that they will re-pressing all 3 of their albums on vinyl to co-coincide with the band’s European Tour which they are currently on.

Formed in Cleveland in 2017 by Sean Bilovecky and Gwyn Strang they band made their debut with the ‘The White Witch’ EP in 2018 released on vinyl by Lay Bare Recordings. The White Witch was followed by two full length albums: ‘1692’ and ‘Skin & Sorrow.’

Frayle’s “lullabies over chaos” approach to songwriting allows them the freedom to explore what is possible with heavy music. They strive to balance the heaviest of riffs with the approachability of Gwyn’s haunting vocal melodies. Complex layering and tone stacking is a hallmark of their music. Each musical element is thoughtfully composed resulting in a unique combination of midrange-heavy guitars, syncopated rhythms, and unexpected vocal progressions. Gwyn tells stories of heart break, anger, hypocrisy and resolution, asking the audience for empathy, and in turn inspiring vulnerability.

The coloured vinyl comes with full colour inlay (300pcs). A repress of the ‘White Witch’ CD (300pcs) will be available at Lay Bare Recordings and on Frayle’s bandcamp (300 vinyl, 200 CD) and available EXCLUSIVE on their EU/ UK tour.

Pre-order – https://laybarerecordings.com/release/white-witch-lbr020-r

In this 2nd repress version of 1692 ‘Ring of Fire’ from Johnny Cash is added. Frayle delivers their own epic version of the song written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore and popularized by Johnny Cash in 1963.This version comes in a/ side b/side: white/ gold colored vinyl.

Pre-order – https://laybarerecordings.com/release/1692-by-frayle-lbr028-r-iii

This is the first repress of the critically acclaimed album that was released 23rd of September 2022.The new version come on heavy weight 180g 12” coloured vinyl (grimace purple / sea blue) in a gatefold cover.

Pre-order – https://laybarerecordings.com/release/lbr038-r

Tour Dates
9th November 2022 – Alte Meierei – DE
10th November 2022 – Stengade – Copenhagen – DK
11th November 2022 – Plan B – Malmo – SE
13th November 2022 – Revolver – Oslo – NO
16th November 2022 – Backstage – Munich – DE
17th November 2022 – Comma Club – Gera – DE
18th November 2022 – Zolkatine – Bremen – DE
19th November 2022 – Gloomar Festival – Neunkirchen – DE
20th November 2022 – MTC – Cologne – DE

https://www.frayleband.com
https://www.facebook.com/frayleband
https://www.instagram.com/frayle_band
https://www.frayle.bandcamp.com

https://laybarerecordings.com/
https://www.facebook.com/laybarerecordings/
https://www.instagram.com/laybarerecordings/
https://laybarerecordings.bandcamp.com/

http://www.aqualamb.org
http://www.aqualamb.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/aqualambrecords/
http://www.facebook.com/aqualambrecords

Frayle, “All the Things I Was” official video

In what I seriously doubt will be their last trip abroad supporting their new album, Skin & Sorrow, Ohio witch doomers Frayle have announced a stretch of European tour dates for next month. That includes a stop at Damnation Festival in Manchester, UK, and the Gloomar Festival in Neunkirchen, Germany, for which I’ve no doubt they’ll be suitably gloomy. They’re fresh off a run with Cradle of Filth, and I could be wrong, but I think that officially puts them in the realm of ‘kind of a big deal,’ so as their audience increases thanks to crisp songwriting and striking visuals like those in the video for “Bright Eyes” at the bottom of this post, the chance to see them at spots like The Black Heart in London and Backstage in Munich — these venues very much on the circuit for heavy underground touring acts — may be limited. That is to say, the rooms are only going to get bigger.

I don’t know that I’ll review the album or not — I’m challenging myself on why I wouldn’t, other than the usual crunch of time and space — but Frayle have a thing and are clearly making a go of it and from where I sit you have to respect the hustle. Safe travels and well wishes, and so on. The dates came from the PR wire:

Heavy Witch Doom quartet Frayle set to embark on a European tour in November

Frayle makes music for the night sky.

Hot off the heels of their latest release Skin & Sorrow, Cleveland’s Frayle have announced a European tour kicking off on November 1st, 2022. The tour will see the band playing shows and festivals in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, UK, and Germany.

The group was formed in 2017 by guitarist Sean Bilovecky (formerly of now-defunct Man’s Ruin recording artists Disengage) and vocalist Gwyn Strang, a singer with an alluring voice and an equally compelling flair for imagery. Frayle’s “lullabies over chaos” approach to songwriting allows the group the freedom to explore what is possible with heavy music; its gorgeously ominous sound a result of complex layering and tone stacking while simultaneously overseeing the perfectly delicate balance between heaving, heavy riffs and haunting vocal melodies.

“We look forward to seeing everyone again in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium as well as meeting new fans and friends in the UK, Denmark and Sweden. This album has been a long time in the making and we can’t wait to share these new songs with our fellow Heretics.” – Frayle

Tour Dates
1st November 2022 – Willemeen – Arnhem – NL
2nd November 2022 – Patronaat – Haarlem – NL
3rd November 2022 – VII – Rotterdam – NL
4th November 2022– Ragnarök – Bree – BE
5th November 2022 – Damnation Festival – Manchester – UK
6th November 2022– Black Heart – London – UK
8th November 2022 – Simplon – Groningen – NL
9th November 2022 – Alte Meierei – DE
10th November 2022 – Stengade – Copenhagen – DK
11th November 2022 – Plan B – Malmo – SE
13th November 2022 – Revolver – Oslo – NO
16th November 2022 – Backstage – Munich – DE
17th November 2022 – Comma Club – Gera – DE
18th November 2022 – Zolkatine – Bremen – DE
19th November 2022 – Gloomar Festival – Neunkirchen – DE
20th November 2022 – MTC – Cologne – DE

https://www.frayleband.com
https://www.facebook.com/frayleband
https://www.instagram.com/frayle_band
https://www.frayle.bandcamp.com

https://laybarerecordings.com/
https://www.facebook.com/laybarerecordings/
https://www.instagram.com/laybarerecordings/
https://laybarerecordings.bandcamp.com/

http://www.aqualamb.org
http://www.aqualamb.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/aqualambrecords/
http://www.facebook.com/aqualambrecords

Frayle, “Bright Eyes” official video

Nearly two years ago, Descendants of Crom IV did a full unveiling of its lineup for a fest set to take place that October. You know the story from there. That’s the bad news. Good news is that many of the acts announced for that lineup are carrying over to this one. And as that includes the likes of Rebreather, Heavy Temple, Horseburner, Horehound (yeah that’s right; I know it’s her festival; I actually think her band is good), Orodruin and Evoken, the news is even better. The roster of acts was announced the other day, but the schedule is new info — I happen to be somebody who appreciates a good timetable — and tickets are on sale as of right… now.

Hey, you know what? You go right ahead and you have yourself a great day. Maybe that means buying tickets for a thing? Don’t you kind of want to get it all in as quickly as possible before the next variant hits and we’re huddled down again, desperately hoping Costco has the Scott back in stock while trying not to breathe or to inhale from the side of our mouth that that person is standing way too close on? I do. Spend that fucking money.

From the ticket page:

DESCENDANTS OF CROM IV

A GATHERING OF THE HEAVY UNDERGROUND

Tickets: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/dociv

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/437759083832580

The fourth annual Descendants of Crom, A Gathering of the Heavy Underground, will be held again this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on both floors of Cattivo Nightclub. The events begin early Friday evening and are followed by an all-dayer Saturday.

The underground scene of heavy music is healthy and Pittsburgh is the perfect location to host such an event. We’re feeding great regional bands to a hungry crowd and utilizing legendary, international fan-favorites to entice music fans in the door with the support of our amazing local artists. Descendants of Crom began in 2017 and has been a strong contender among other established underground music festivals. We aspire to become the premier music event of the Northeast and I invite you to become part of the 2022 event! After all, we are all Descendants of Crom.

This event is 21+, ID Required
Your commitment now helps us prepare better so, mark your calendars and get your tickets today!

LOCATION
Cattivo
146 44th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

DATE & TIME
June 3, 2022, 6:30 PM – June 4, 2022 – 11:30 PM

SCHEDULE

6:30 PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 3
Makeshift Urn 7:00 PM
Pillars 7:45 PM
Heavy Temple 8:30 PM
Howling Giant 9:15 PM
Rebreather 10:00 PM
Orodruin 10:45 PM

4:00 PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 4
We, the Creature 4:30 PM
Quiet Man 5:05 PM
Tel 5:40 PM
The Long Hunt 6:15 PM
Witching 6:50 PM
Ironflame 7:25 PM
Horehound 8:00 PM
Foehammer 8:35 PM
Bridesmaid 9:10 PM
Frayle 9:45 PM
Horseburner 10:20 PM
Evoken 11:00 PM

https://www.eventcreate.com/e/dociv
https://www.facebook.com/DescendantsOfCrom/
www.instagram.com/descendantsofcrom/
http://descendantsofcrom.com

Rebreather, “Drown” (feat. Frayle) official video

Kudos to Cleveland’s Frayle on getting out of the country. I didn’t even know the EU was taking us filthy, disease-spreading Americans at this point, and now that I think about it, it’s kind of a surprise they ever did. Nonetheless, supporting last year’s 1692, the witchly outfit head abroad starting at the end of this month for shows in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, where they’re set to make a return to Desertfest Belgium at its first Ghent edition — they also played in 2018. I guess Sean Bilovecky and Gwyn Strang have a knack for paperwork as well as atmospheric heavy. Fair enough.

They also have a new cover of Bauhaus‘ best known track, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” which was posted last week to go with this announcement. Yes, I’m still getting caught up after the Quarterly Review. Sue me. That’s a lot of paperwork too, you know.

Hey, Frayle. Safe travels and have a great time for all us poor bastards who don’t currently have flights booked.

From the PR wire:

Cleveland Heavy Witch Doom Act FRAYLE Announces European Tour Dates For This Fall!

In support of their latest 2020- album, 1692, Cleveland, USA- based heavy witch doom act FRAYLE has announced a series of European tour dates, and no, not for 2022 but kicking off THIS October!

FRAYLE makes music for the night sky. The group was formed in 2017 by guitarist Sean Bilovecky (formerly of now-defunct Man’s Ruin recording artists Disengage) and vocalist Gwyn Strang, a singer with an alluring voice and an equally compelling flair for imagery. Ever since their 2018- debut EP The White Witch, FRAYLE’s “lullabies over chaos” approach to songwriting allows the group the freedom to explore what is possible with heavy music; its gorgeously ominous sound a result of complex layering and tone stacking while simultaneously overseeing the perfectly delicate balance between heaving, heavy riffs and haunting vocal melodies. With its first full-length, 1692 (Aqualamb Records, Lay Bare Recordings), FRAYLE pushes the immense intensity and gorgeous ache of its unique sound and style through to uncompromising new plateaus. While there is much darkness on the record, it’s also contrasted superbly with beauty, both fragile and fierce, in a way that feels weightless rather than plummeting, as if release truly is a possibility.

Complex layering and tone stacking is a hallmark of their music. Each musical element is thoughtfully composed resulting in a unique combination of midrange-heavy guitars, syncopated rhythms, and unexpected vocal progressions. Extraordinary vocalist Gwyn tells stories of heart break, anger, hypocrisy and resolution, asking the audience for empathy, and in turn inspiring vulnerability. Drawing inspiration from bands like Sleep, Portishead, Beastwars, Blonde Redhead, Kyuss, Massive Attack, Down, Chelsea Wolfe, and many more, FRAYLE exists at the intersection of doom and dream pop.

Today, the band has not only announced to hit the European roads in just a couple of weeks, but also released a gripping cover version of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by British dark wave giants BAUHAUS. Says vocalist Gwyn Strang:

“I was nervous to cover “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”.

It’s what I consider a perfect song; ambient and creepy and it crawls along, keeping your attention the entire time. I wanted to make sure we did it justice so we took some extra time with it to make it something we’re happy to share. The first half of our version pays homage to the original while the second half is definitively “Frayle”.

“We are excited and eager to get back to Europe,“ The band comments. “The past few years were spent crafting our sound and building upon what was started with our debut release “The White Witch”. The pandemic halted our plans to tour our most recent record “1692” so this will be the first time we have been able to fully support our record. Also expect some surprise material that we have been working on.”

Make sure to catch FRAYLE live on their upcoming Isolation’s End Tour at the following dates this Fall:

27-10-2021 Cologne DE @ Sonic Ballroom
28-10-2021 Nijmegen NL @ Merleyn*
29-10-2021 Utrecht NL @ DB’s*
30-10-2021 Ghent BE @ Desertfest
31-10-2021 Breda BE @ Mezz*
1-11-2021 Bilzen BE @ South of Heaven*
4-11-2021 Stuttgart DE @ Club Cann*
6-11-2021 Terneuzen NL @ The Pit*
7-11-2021 TBA
* with THE FIFTH ALLIANCE + MOULD

https://www.frayleband.com
https://www.facebook.com/frayleband
https://www.instagram.com/frayle_band
http://www.frayle.bandcamp.com
https://www.laybarerecordings.com
https://www.aqualamb.org

Frayle, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”

Big update from Desertfest Belgium 2021. After recently unveiling some cancelations and following up with a list of the precautionary measures being taken to deal with happening during a pandemic, the Antwerp and Ghent-based editions of the festival both receive a round of lineup additions. Greece’s 1000mods will take part in both, while the likes of Electric Moon and Stoned Jesus join Ghent, and Monkey3 and Slift and Temple Fang confirmed for Antwerp. I’m not sure ultimately how many acts the two Desertfest Belgiums — Belgii? — will share between them, but with Ghent happening on one day and Antwerp happening across three, there’s bound to be significant variation. Looks like that’s happening here already, and take note of Ohio’s Frayle making the trip for Ghent. Hope they can get out of the US to make it in time, or that the EU hasn’t banned our infectious asses by then.

It’s nice to think about these things every day, isn’t it? Doesn’t it just feel like the way humanity was meant to live? Not at all a drain on one’s entire being.

I digress. Constantly. Here’s info from the PR wire:

DFBE21: A MASSIVE 20 NEW NAMES FOR ANTWERP & GHENT!

1000MODS playing both events, Monkey3, Stoned Jesus & much much more

Strap in folks, because this is going to be a ride.. after all the hassle with COVID and cancels, let’s have some great to even greater news about both festivals shall we? We have a whole slew of names for you and if we may say so ourselves: we’re positively STOKED about all of these. Scene favourites, new and upcoming acts, local gems to discover.. we have it all. Here we go!

First of all: the Greek stoner sensation 1000MODS will be playing Antwerp as well as Ghent. We love ‘em, you love ‘em, their mother loves ‘em – everybody loves ‘em, okay! They need no further introduction so let’s move on to another favourite that will grace the stage in Ghent: STONED JESUS is coming to town, and you all know what that means. Killer grooves and a mighty good time. We’re also extremely excited to have DELVING on board which is the new project of ELDER frontman Nick DiSalvo. This will be one of their first shows after the album dropped in June, and we can already tell you this one’s gonna be something special.

ALL NEW NAMES FOR DF GHENT: 1000MODS, STONED JESUS, DELVING, LILI REFRAIN, ELECTRIC MOON, NERO DI MARTE, HEMELBESTORMER, FRAYLE, IGNATZ, MODDER

Moving on to Antwerp, we’re looking forward to revisit the audiovisual extravaganza of MONKEY3 who completely killed it at our last edition. For more spaced-out craziness, YURI GAGARIN is always a safe choice so let’s go with that. With VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY we have the second Greek band on the bill, with a more leftfield sound but no less essential.

ALL NEW NAMES FOR DF ANTWERP: MONKEY3, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY, 1000MODS, YURI GAGARIN, SLIFT, ALKERDEEL, ATOMIC VULTURE, TEMPLE FANG, DAILY THOMPSON, BISMUT, FAKE INDIANS.

We still have a few names up our sleeve, but we hope this whopper list goes a long way to get you stoked. Please remember that we have installed a COVID info page on our websites, where you can check what to do in order to come fully prepared to the festival. We’re updating it as we go, and we try to help out our non-EU visitors as well. Make sure to read it to avoid disappointments at the entrance.

http://www.desertfest.be/
https://www.facebook.com/desertfestbelgium/
https://www.instagram.com/desertfest_belgium/

1000mods, “Pearl” official video

As a genre, doom is a long way from gender parity. It’s perhaps an optimistic viewpoint to take to say that the current generation of bands is past the point of seeing women artists as a novelty or downplaying their contributions to male bandmates or counterparts, but frankly I’m not even sure that’s true on a universal level. The inherent sexualization of performance — often willfully and hilariously ignored by men watching other men on stage — subjects women artists to a masculine gaze that at times is problematic even as it also serves as an expression of feminine power. As to what it means to be a woman artist in “doom,” or as to what “doom” is — where it starts and ends — I’m no one to speak to either experience, so I look at the Women of Doom compilation, highlighting women artists in and out their respective bands, as kind of a sad celebration. It’s well worth underscoring the stylistic contributions these women are making — and in a society that saw women paid 79 cents per every dollar a man made in 2019, well worth giving women every nod they can get, if not things like universal health coverage and reproductive rights — but a bit of a bummer that we’re not in a place where the norm would make such a compilation superfluous.

Whatever else doom is, it’s not there, but if Blues Funeral Recordings and Desert Records — both labels run by men, speaking of areas where women are underrepresented — wanted to, they could easily turn Women of Doom into a series. While Women of Doom brings together luminaries such as Amy Tung Barrysmith of Year of the Cobra, Doomstress Alexis of Doomstress, Mlny Parsonz of Royal Thunder and introduces two projects of former SubRosa members in The Otolith and Rebecca Vernon‘s The Keening, along with bands like Heavy Temple, Frayle, Sweden’s Besvärjelsen and France/Ireland’s Deathbell, there are a few conspicuous absences. Perhaps most glaringly, Windhand frontwoman, Dorthia Cottrell, is nowhere to be found, likewise an all-women act like Blackwater Holylight. And the same goes for a generational pioneer like Lori S. of Acid King, but it is inevitably a positive to say that it would be nearly impossible for Women of Doom — in a single go — to be so comprehensive. And as it is, the comp does well in setting an atmosphere across its full tracklisting, which reads as follows:

1. Nighthawk and Heavy Temple – Astral Hand 05:12
2. Amy Tung Barrysmith – Broken 06:04
3. Besvärjelsen – A Curse to be Broken 06:47
4. Mlny Parsonz – A Skeleton is Born 04:57
5. Frayle – Marrow 04:53
6. The Otolith – Bone Dust 04:31
7. Doomstress Alexis – Facade 04:47
8. Deathbell – Coldclaw 04:24
9. The Keening – A Shadow Covers Your Face 05:05
10. Mlny Parsonz – Broke An Arrow (Bonus) 03:25

The accomplishment of Women of Doom finding cohesion despite the variety of songwriting and performance modes is not to be understated. Beginning with Heavy Temple — here billed as Nighthawk and Heavy Temple — taking on a purely classic epic doom sound with the willfully Candlemassian “Astral Hand” sets a high bar, as grandiosity suits the Philly unit almost oddly well. They are maybe the odd-band-out in terms of aesthetic on Women of Doom, which is doubly ironic given “Astral Hand” is the most traditionally doomed song on the nine-plus-one-tracker and it’s not a style Heavy Temple generally play, but the darkened atmosphere they build sees immediate flourish in the piano-led composition “Broken” by Amy Tung Barrysmith, who only confirms through her work here that Year of the Cobra have only just begun their greater creative exploration. As one of two non-US acts present, Besvärjelsen are, as ever, a showcase for the vocal presence of Lea Amling Alazam, but their moodier post-doom on “A Curse to Be Broken” picks up well from “Broken” in more than just the similarity of titles.

By the time it’s a third of the way through, Women of Doom has already run a marked gamut in sound and dynamic, and that’s pretty clearly the intent of the thing. As arguably the most known performer featured, Mlny Parsonz, bassist/vocalist of Atlanta’s Royal Thunder brings a boozy classic rock powerhouse delivery to “A Skeleton is Born.” She returns for the bonus track “Broke an Arrow” in more subdued fashion to close out, and if mainstream rock and roll needed a woman figurehead — which it does, badly — she’d be a good candidate for the position in terms of craft; her work is equal parts dangerous and accessible. Frayle‘s “Marrow” carries mystique as a defining element, and The Otolith and Doomstress Alexis make a fitting pair for their use of strings. For The Otolith, that’s a trait inherited fairly enough from SubRosa, but it’s something of a surprise from Doomstress Alexis, who meets it with a likewise unexpected thrashiness in her guitar. Though maybe not as well known as some of the others, Deathbell stand out in such a way as to leave little to wonder why Kozmik Artifactz picked up their 2018 debut, With the Beyond, for a vinyl release. Their “Coldclaw” does not come from that outing, so perhaps portends something new in the works, and if so, is all the more welcome.

As the first offering from The Keening, “A Shadow Covers Your Face” is of particular interest, as was The Otolith‘s “Bone Dust,” but both projects have in common a nascent feel. That’s particularly true of The Keening‘s inclusion, which is a relatively minimal work of solo piano, placed in a way that answers Amy Tung Barrysmith‘s “Broken” earlier but has the distinction of being instrumental. Both works are evocative, but Rebecca Vernon‘s piano in “A Shadow Covers Your Face” seems to use the otherwise unfilled space surrounding it as an instrument unto itself. That shift in presentation at the conclusion is a well placed reminder of the breadth of what greater gender equity in heavy music has to offer, though frankly, if the case needs to be made by then — or at all — you as the listener have probably missed the point. Still, at its most basic level, removed from a context that sees women continually objectified and typecast in artwork, bands, and listener expectations, Women of Doom is a collection of new and encouraging tracks from a diverse array of up and coming artists and acts. Even the most established artist here, which is Parsonz, is reaching beyond what she’s done before, and that too is an important message that shouldn’t be ignored.

Blues Funeral Recordings on Thee Facebooks

Blues Funeral Recordings on Bandcamp

Blues Funeral Recordings website

Desert Records on Thee Facebooks

Desert Records on Bandcamp

Desert Records BigCartel store

The basic mission of Women of Doom — celebrating women as a traditionally in recognition of being a marginalized group both within bands and as groundbreaking artists in general — is noble enough, but I have to think it was the personnel involved in this particular project from Desert Records and Blues Funeral Recordings that led to it trouncing the Kickstarter funding goal well ahead of the end date. New music from ex-SubRosa members, from Year of the Cobra‘s Amy Tung Barrysmith, but Frayle and others — hell, I just saw on Thee Facebooks a bit ago that Laura Pleasants (ex-Kylesa) had finished recording a new song for a yet-to-be-revealed compilation with her band The Discussion; that could easily fit here — and more announcements to come seems like an excellent start and I’ve no doubt the end result will be a comp that’s forward thinking in more than just its approach to issues of gender.

And whatever the inherent politics of the thing, I’m looking forward to seeing who else gets confirmed and how the songs sound when it’s all put together. There’s certainly a wide enough aesthetic sphere to draw from.

Info from the PR wire:

Ambitious WOMEN OF DOOM Project Announced, feat. Members of SUBROSA, YEAR OF THE COBRA, FRAYLE, DOOMSTRESS and DEATHBELL

Kickstarter for project celebrating female heavy artists surpasses goal easily, with more artist announcements to come during last 12 days

Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Desert Records, in collaboration with Blues Funeral Recordings, has announced the concept for its forthcoming Women of Doom album project.

The carefully-curated release will feature new songs from female heavy/stoner/doom/riff/psych solo artists and bands with prominent female members, with the specific goal of spotlighting their immense talent and massive artistic contributions to all things heavy.

Women of Doom was announced via Kickstarter and social media on July 26th, and, after being singled out by Kickstarter as a project it loves, has already surpassed the initial funding goal with about half of the campaign duration left to go.

Some of the artists announced as participating with brand-new performances are:

Kim Cordray and Sarah Pendleton of the renowned and recently laid-to-rest SubRosa, collaborating with their new experimental project Avarice
Amy Tung of Year of the Cobra with a solo composition
Deathbell, featuring Irish doom siren Lauren Gaynor
Rebecca Vernon, also of SubRosa, with the first appearance of her new project The Keening
Alexis Hollada of Texas metal institution Doomstress
Frayle, featuring the spellbinding vocals of Gwyn Strang
More to come

Discussing the project’s genesis, Desert Records founder Brad Frye says:

“I started Women of Doom with the idea to highlight and celebrate the heavy music that female artists have brought us through the years. These are some of my favorite musicians, and I hope that heavy music fans around the world will discover their own new favorite musicians and bands through this one-of-kind project!”

With support and advisement from female music industry empowerment group Women in Vinyl, Desert Records and Blues Funeral will finalize the lineup on the project by end of Summer, with finished songs submissions already starting to come in.

The collaborative release is planned for arrival early next year, with a possible Women of Doom stage at a May 2020 festival being considered as well.

Further info and background on the project as well as personal video clips from some of the participating artists can be viewed on the Kickstarter, which runs through August 25th at this location: kck.st/2Y4RdE3

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Deathbell, With the Beyond (2018)