Holy Fawn is an American rock band from Phoenix, Arizona. The band currently consists of guitarist and vocalist Ryan Osterman, guitarist Evan Phelps, and drummer Austin Reinholz, with bassist Alexander Rieth also being part of their lineup until 2023. They have released two full-length studio albums and two extended plays.
Holy Fawn | |
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| Origin | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2015–present |
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| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | holyfawn |
History
editHoly Fawn guitarist and vocalist Ryan Osterman began as a musician with the self-described "ghost folk" band Owl & Penny. He left the band as part of a larger movement away from folk music and formed Holy Fawn in Phoenix, Arizona, with bassist Alexander Rieth, guitarist Evan Phelps, and drummer Austin Reinholz.[1] Rieth and Reinholz lived together and invited Osterman and Phelps to their home for a jam session. Osterman recorded their practices, which became the demos for the band's debut extended play (EP), Realms.[2] Realms was released on December 18, 2015.[3] Before forming Holy Fawn, Osterman played guitar with alternative rock band The Maine,[4] while Rieth played in A Distant Calm.[5]
Holy Fawn self-released their debut studio album, Death Spells, on September 14, 2018.[6] In March 2019, Holy Fawn signed with Triple Crown Records,[7] with whom they re-released Death Spells. As part of the re-recording announcement, Holy Fawn also released an official music video for "Dark Stone", one of the tracks on Death Spells.[8][9]
On January 17, 2020, Holy Fawn released a surprise three-song EP titled The Black Moon.[10] Shortly after the EP's release, Holy Fawn began a North American tour with Drug Church and mewithoutYou as support for Thrice, who were promoting the 15th anniversary of their album Vheissu.[11]
In February and March 2022, Holy Fawn embarked on a North American tour with Midwife as support for Deafheaven.[12] On March 18, 2022, in the middle of that tour, Holy Fawn released the single "Death Is A Relief" via Wax Bodega. The song announcement was accompanied by a music video directed by P. J. Koelbel.[13] "Death Is A Relief" was later revealed to be the lead single off of the band's second LP, Dimensional Bleed, to be released September 9, 2022, via Wax Bodega. The second single from the album, also titled "Dimensional Bleed", was released on July 12.[14] While still rooted in black metal and sludge metal, Dimensional Bleed also incorporated elements of electronic music.[15]
Musical style
editHoly Fawn has been described as blackgaze, doomgaze, shoegaze, post-black metal, and post-rock.[5][1][16][17] Osterman acts as the primary songwriter, whose lyrics frequently reference nature imagery.[1] The name of the band is meant to evoke "the sacredness of nature and the presence of psychic connections/extradimensional realms outside of us and within us".[18] They have been compared to Deafheaven and Envy,[17] while taking influences from acts like Slowdive, Band of Horses, Manchester Orchestra, and Deftones.[16]
Band members
editCurrent members
edit- Ryan Osterman – guitar, vocals
- Evan Phelps – guitar
- Austin Reinholz – drums
Former members
edit- Alexander Rieth – bass (2015–2023)
Discography
edit- Studio albums
- Death Spells (2018)
- Dimensional Bleed (2022)
- EPs
- Realms (2015)
- Whelmed Records Holiday Split Vol. 1 with Gauntly (2016)
- The Black Moon (2020)
- Singles
- "Reykur" (2016)
- "Arrows" (2017)
- "Drag Me Into The Woods" (2018)
- "hf:/LHPN/seer/REF2.alt" (2020)
- "The Maze" (2020)
- "Death Is a Relief" (2022)
- "Dimensional Bleed" (2022)
- "Void of Light" (2022)
- "Glóandi" (2023)
References
edit- ^ a b c Naftule, Ashley (January 2, 2019). "Phoenix's Holy Fawn Turns Woodland Folk Music Into Post-Metal Symphonies". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Meet Ryan Osterman of Holy Fawn". VoyagePhoenix. November 29, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Realms (EP)". Bandcamp. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Clark, Peggy (July 13, 2022). "Holy Fawn announces new album 'Dimensional Bleed', releases massive title track". New Fury Media. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Pallais, JP (June 14, 2022). "WFA: Holy Fawn". Everything is Noise. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Death Spells". Bandcamp. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ Tate, Jason (March 29, 2019). "Holy Fawn Sign With Triple Crown Records". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Nelson, Michael (March 28, 2019). "Holy Fawn – 'Dark Stone' Video". Stereogum. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (March 28, 2019). "30 New Songs Out Today". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (January 17, 2020). "Stream Holy Fawn's New The Black Moon EP". Stereogum. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (January 17, 2020). "Holy Fawn release new EP; tour w/ Thrice, mewithoutYou & Drug Church starts soon". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (November 11, 2021). "Holy Fawn and Midwife opening Deafheaven's 2022 tour". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (March 18, 2022). "Holy Fawn – 'Death Is A Relief'". Stereogum. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (July 12, 2022). "Holy Fawn – 'Dimensional Bleed'". Stereogum. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (July 12, 2022). "Holy Fawn announce new LP 'Dimensional Bleed' & tour (new song & exclusive splatter vinyl)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Enis, Eli (April 19, 2022). "5 Artists You Need to Know: April 2022". Revolver. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "We need to talk about the ambient, dreamlike brilliance of Holy Fawn". New Fury Media. November 8, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Fleskes, Tim (October 20, 2018). "Holy Fawn Talk About Their Writing Process, New Album, And Its Conception". Everything is Noise. Retrieved August 12, 2022.