FAERIE RING

EVANSVILLE'S DOOM METAL MERCHANTS EXPAND EUROPEAN FOLLOWING WITH PUMMELING WEARY TRAVELER

Seems James Wallwork isn't much of a fan of doom metal, finding the majority of it to be stale and uninspiringwhich is ironic seeing as he fronts the area's preeminent doom metal band, Faerie Ring. "That sound has just been done a million times," he says, "but we're trying to bring a very unique vibe to a really boring genre." Mission accomplished; because there's absolutely nothing boring about Weary Traveler, Faerie Ring's sophomore release that's garnered much attention, particularly from over in Europe where the group has amassed an impressive following. The album's onslaught of pummeling guitars - courtesy of Wallwork and Kyle Hulgus - and bludgeoning rhythm section powered by bassist Alex Wallwork and drummer Joey Rhew make for some of the heaviest music being produced in 2023.

pre-pandemic, dreamed up at their day jobs in between pizza deliveries. By the time the Wallwork brothers were brought into the fold, most of the songs for 2019's The Clearing, the band's full-length debut, had been writteninstrumentally speaking, that is. "They didn't have a singer, so I stepped up and put my spin on things vocally and got them motivated to record," James notes. Going against the grain, his vocal approach eschewed the typical guttural growl heard in most doom metal; instead, he favored a cleaner, higher-pitched wail drenched in reverb but every bit as loud and powerful, hovering mightily over the din... strangely ethereal in a way. While The Clearing wasn't an entirely democratic creation nor professionally produced, it received good reviews both here and abroad and laid the groundwork for a full-band collaboration.

Life changes and Covid slowed the process, but several years after Faerie Ring's debut, the band was ready to record the follow-up, intent on serving the songs to the best of their ability. This meant heading up to Indianapolis for sessions at Postal Recording Studio and focusing squarely on the sonic approach of Weary Traveler. "I wanted our guitars to sound like our f*cking guitars - not squashed computer sh*t," James, who enjoyed more creative control this time around, remarks emphatically. Lyrically, he made sure to document much of the craziness and upheaval in his personal life since the previous album but also drew inspiration from video games like Elder Ring. Somehow it all tied together brilliantly; when all was said and done, the guys had a minor masterpiece on their hands - a six-song avalanche of unstoppable sludge that no listener could ever run from. Like being buried alive but in a good way.

Since the release of Weary Traveler in April, the band's European following has only expanded and rave reviews continue to appear online. One recent high-profile doom metal chart listed the new album in the top five, ahead of many popular bands of the genre. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming shows and be sure to check out Faerie Ring's bandcamp page where all manner of clothing and merchandise is available to purchase along with cassette, CD and vinyl editions of Weary Traveler.

For more info, follow Faerie Ring on Facebook.