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Release Date: August 21st 2026. Record Label: King Volume Records. Formats: CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl
Faerie Ring - Tracklist
1.NEW GODS
2.FATTEST WITCH
3.BIGGIEST HIT
4.LOST BOY
5.FLAIL
6.DRAGGIN
7.HOWLING AT THE MISTY MOON
8.GARGOYLE
9.NO SURRENDER
10.CHAMPION
Members
James Wallwork - Electric Guitar/Vocals
Kyle Hulgus - Electric Guitar
Alex Wallwork - Electric Bass Guitar/Vocals
Matt McGuyer - Drums & Cymbals
Review
Faerie Ring made quite a name for themselves with their first two records which showed the band had a mighty promise for all things Doom, Sludge and Stoner Rock that was lovingly wrapped in a cocoon of distorted slice of psychedelic heaviness. However, it feels the band have gone back to basics for their third album and went straight back to the drawing board. For a start, this is a self-titled album which opens a new chapter for the band. They’ve stripped their music down to the bare essentials and you’re left with a quintessential vintage sounding record that’s main creative strengths lies within its great use of modern day technicolour melodies and cinematic flair.
The album sees Faerie Ring use elements of Seventies Hard Rock, Proto-Doom and Heavy Metal whilst adding a backdrop of modern day Prog Metal, Sludge Rock, Stoner Rock and Fuzz Rock grooves. There’s a wicked style of Garage Rock ferocity that’s used for the creepy level of distortion that’s hidden in the background and pulling all the strings for when the heavy sounds fully appear.
Taking cues from the likes of The Sword, Mastodon, Thin Lizzy, The Obsessed, King Buffalo and ELDER whilst creating an album solely in your own image is no small feat but Faerie Ring pulls this off magnificently. The band opens up with the stunning opening tracks of New Gods and Fattest Witch which allows them to lay down their new found creative credentials with a massive melting pot of WEEDIAN SMOKE buried amongst those vintage burning amps and distorted sludge metal surroundings.
They add a great fantastical style of storytelling into their lyrics which is epic in scale with massive amounts of OVER THE TOP themes just allowing the listener to fully go along with the whole record. Faerie Ring slowly start changing their music through every track with a stubborn musical energy being played that makes them simply unbeatable on the day on tracks such as Biggest Hit, Flail, Draggin, Howling At The Misty Moon, Champion and No Surrender.
Faerie Ring aligned themselves more to the burgeoning modern day Psych Stoner Rock scene championed by the likes of ELDER, King Buffalo and Howling Giant on the later stages of the record. However, I also noticed instances of TORCHE based Doom Pop atmospherics which isn’t surprising with Jonathan Nunez on mastering duties on this record which I only discovered until very recently.
This is the type of album that I wanted The Sword to continue making to this day instead of some of the more mainstream efforts they actually released. This record is going to be a game changer as it’s heartfelt when it matters and DOOM AS HELL when that heavy slab of DOOMED OUT aggression is needed.
As I stated previously in this review, this record has a core Seventies Heavy Rock aesthetic embedded within its whole DNA and the way how the music is played and wholly delivered, this record feels like it was recorded over fifty years ago but finally being discovered in the modern age for the very first time. The album has that huge vintage feeling but with a superb modern based delivery at the same time.
Faerie Ring’s self-titled album is an absolute breathtaking record from beginning to end and one that’s packed full of classic sounding tracks throughout. This could actually be a game changer for the band and even elevate them to the same status as King Buffalo and Howling Giant in the next eighteen months or so.
This is another ALBUM OF THE YEAR contender. Add this record to your collection now. END OF!!!
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Pat at Poetica Marketing for the promo.
Faerie Ring is available to buy now on CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl.
Links
Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram