Faerie Ring - The Clearing (Album Review)

Release date: June 07th 2019. Label: King Volume Records/Kozmik Artifactz. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Clearing – Tracklisting

1.Bite the Ash

2.Lost Wind

3.The Ring

4.Somnium

5.Miracle

6.Heavy Trip

7.Heaven's End

Members

James

Kyle

Handsome Al

Joey

Review

Greetings All,

Those unfamiliar with the tremendous King Volume record label should stop reading this and check them out immediately. Same for Kozmic Artifactz. Then get your happy asses back here and finish reading. King Volume started as a tape label for tons of great underground doom, fuzz, stoner bands. Although recently, they have been turned their attention to some very sweet looking and sounding vinyl. 

If you haven’t checked out their Deathchant record from earlier this year, do yourself a favor and while you are there do yourself another favor and check out this killer debut record from Indiana based Sabbath worshippers Faerie Ring. 

The Clearing is a sonically gifted slab of seven killer tracks of inspired stoner rock excellence. The 4 piece delivers the goods without pause and while their sound is familiar, it has the feeling of excitement that comes with finding an old comfy band shirt or pair of jeans that make you feel alright all over.

Bite The Ash opens the record with a cool, early QOTSA vibe with plenty of fuzz bass to get you moving. A slower intro brings Lost Wind to life before kicking the doors in with crashing cymbals and a satisfying, driving riff.

The Ring comes next with a big drum intro and even bigger rock, dare I say metal, swagger. A slower, heavy bass intro brings in the excellent Somnium that literally explodes with another awesome riff and monstrous cymbal crashes and features a killer spacy/phase laden breakdown.

It is truly something special for me to say my favorite track on a record is an instrumental. I am vocals and lyrics guy, sorry. However, the uptempo instrumental rager that is Miracle is my favorite track. The band really showcases their chops with tempo changes, a massive sized riff and a mixture of dissonant, echo laden guitars. They nailed it with this one. Heavy Trip opens with a bit of guitar noise before unleashing a sweet, Kyuss inspired rock n roll groove. Heaven’s End closes the record out on a high note with a final monster riff and some massive drums that carry the echoed vocals that are called from some-place else.

The Clearing by Faerie Ring is another impressive debut record. The record is amazingly well played and recorded. The sound is amazing and the vocals with their lo-fi detached feel gives the record a unique touch. I honestly can’t say enough good things about Faerie Ring. They are now comfortably perched in heavy rotation and I will be following them closely, as I can’t wait to see what they have in store moving forward. Go get yourself a copy of their record. My green vinyl version just came in the mail the other day (I stupidly slept on the blue vinyl…)

Dig on Faerie Ring (and King Volume & Kozmik Artifactz)!!!

- Todd S - Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou

Words by Todd Stealey

Thanks to Earsplit PR for the promo. The Clearing will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via King Volume Records and Kozmik Artifactz.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp