Frayle begins its third chapter.
Following several live performances at international festivals, Gwyn Strang (vocals) and Sean Bilovecky (guitar)—accompanied on stage by Jon Vinson (drums) and Jason Knotek (bass)—unveil their new album, Heretics & Lullabies, on Napalm Records.
A heavy tranquility envelops us from the very first moments of Walking Wounded, the first track, which not only captivates our attention but also offers us some airy leads before letting Gwyn lay down her intoxicating vocals. The thickest passages become almost reassuring, creating a contrast with the moments of mystery that lead us to the equally hazy Summertime Sadness, a cover of Lana Del Rey‘s song, whose intensity grows before blowing us away. The entire track exudes a kind of impressive sensuality in which we willingly let our minds wander, joining the jerky dance of Boo, a track with a more aggressive chorus, even offering a little saturated singing that surprises the mid-tempo rhythm. We move on to Demons and its macabre groove, which hypnotizes us while putting us on alert for the return of massive saturation that leads us to Souvenirs Of Your Betrayal and its oppressive melancholy, which doesn’t hesitate to ignite on the choruses, rocking us in its own way and striking regularly. Glass Blown Heart eventually takes its place, slowly revealing itself and then imposing its veil of sweetness with dissonant harmonics and very present percussion that guide our feverish wandering to Hymn For The Living, where the rhythm accelerates slightly, becoming almost playful on the vaporous choruses. The sound eventually fades away to let Run take its place with an almost ironic slowness and a kind of false innocence in the voice, creating a contrast with the much more explicit lyrics, while Heretic immediately establishes a darker mood, as confirmed by the vocal duet with screams. The track is definitely one of the most violent on the album, and Only Just Once, which follows closely behind, is undoubtedly one of the most haunting, thanks to perfectly mastered guitars that bring the album to a close.
Although very mysterious, Frayle reveals his world with an almost extraordinary purity and gentleness. Heretics & Lullabies hypnotizes us from start to finish, delivering its layers of darkness one by one as if they were part of a ritual.
95/100
A few questions to Gwyn Strang, vocalist from the band Frayle about the release of their new album Heretics & Lullabies.
Hello and first of all, thank you very much for your time! How would you introduce the band Frayle without using the musical labels, such as “Doom Metal”, “Post-Metal” or any subgenres?
Gwyn Strang (vocals): We always like to say “Lullabies over chaos” our approach is always a soft lilting lullaby-ish Vocal over a sludge driven guitar tone and aggressive tom-driven drums.
Do you remember how you came with the name Frayle, and how do you link it to the music you play?
Gwyn: We thought the word frail was very fitting for us based on the lyrical content as well as the vocal delivery, so it seemed natural. We decided to break the word apart and put it back together by changing the spelling. Like the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where by fixing something broken with gold, it becomes more valuable afterwards… And somehow stronger.
Frayle will release its third album in a few weeks, Heretics & Lullabies. How do you feel about it? Do you already have any feedback?
Gwyn: We’re excited to unleash it onto the world. As artists, it’s very difficult to hold back and drip out singles, but we also understand that’s how it has to be done. We have heard back from some who have already listened and the feedback has been positive. We feel that with this record we are truly stepping into our own musically. We kind of tuned out what is currently happening in music and just focused on making each other stoked on what we wrote.
How would you sum Heretics & Lullabies’s identity up in only three words?
Gwyn: Heavy, haunting, emotional
Frayle was first a duo, then two other members came in, are they also part of the creation process? How does it happen within the band? Did it become easier to compose with time?
Gwyn: At its core Frayle will always be Sean and I. We write everything. We didn’t want to tour as just the two of us so we invited fellow musicians to tour with us. The line up changes with who is available, but we do have some people who are amazing musicians and who feel like home and are always first on our list to tour. As we continue to develop we are becoming more open to letting others into our creative process.
The band’s sound is made of an atmospheric blend of Doom elements with Post Metal influences to create its own identity, which bands would you quote as your main influences?
Gwyn: We find inspiration all around. We’ve been listening to a bunch of movie soundtracks, horror movie soundtracks specifically which sometimes inform different sections of songs. Vocally, I’m eternally inspired by Beth Gibbons and Allison Shaw. Both very vulnerable and imperfect vocalists which is what stirs emotions in me. Creating emotion through layers rather than a progression of specific notes.
Where do you find your inspiration to create music and lyrics?
Gwyn: The lyrics are inspired by the frailties of the heart and mind. They are very personal and visit different times of my life when I was going through something that had a deep impact on me. The melodies just come to me. I have a library of melodies that I sometimes refer to when it’s time to write a melody for a song, but generally, I just create a sketch over something Sean has written then I’ll flesh out the melody and lyrics as we get further along.
How did you build Frayle’s mysterious aesthetic? Do you think the songs would have the same impact without your outfits?
Gwyn: I think the music stands on its own. Certainly when we first started, we didn’t dress like we do now. At this point the look is really just an extension of the music. We think about what we want to exaggerate or emphasize and build a look/ set from there.
Do you have a favorite song on Heretics & Lullabies? Or maybe the hardest one to achieve for the album.
Gwyn: My favorite song is probably Heretic. I knew when Sean was messing around with a synth melody that we had something special. I couldn’t wait to get up to the studio and sing a melody that instantly popped into my head when I heard it. That ended up being the humming part at the beginning.
Do you think you improved yourself as a musician/songwriter with this new record?
Gwyn: That’s always the goal. To improve and to be able to translate what you’re feeling into words and sound. I think the more you work at something the better you become. I hope to get even better with the next album we write.
Heretics & Lullabies made you enter the roster of Napalm Records, how did this collaboration begin, and how is it to work with them?
Gwyn: Napalm has been so supportive. They really want you to be able to fully realize your vision. They get out of your way and let you do what you want to realize your vision. Having said that, they also push you to be the best you can be. Their team has been amazing to work with!
I never had the opportunity to see Frayle on stage, how do you live a concert from your point of view? Do you have some preshow or post-show ritual?
Gwyn: Prior to the show I always like to take a few minutes and meditate to get into the right mindset. The show itself, for me, is always an experience. I like to pull people into my world and visit their world for a brief time. That exchange of energy is what makes a show feel more like a ritual than just performing in front of people. It’s more performing WITH people.
Are there any artists you would like to collaborate with? Whether it is for just a song, or an album, a cover art…
Gwyn: There are a million people out there that I find inspiring. Some are musicians, others artists or models. Musically I would love to write something with Emma Ruth Rundle or Beth Gibbons.
What will come next for Frayle? Maybe some shows, or a tour?
Gwyn: We are working on a couple of things but we have a show on Oct 11 at the Tennessee Metal Devastation festival.
Have you ever heard of the French Metal scene? Are there any bands you know and like?
Gwyn: Gojira is probably my favorite French Metal band at this moment. They have really made a name for themselves internationally. We played with Bruit two tours ago in Germany. We were just paired randomly with them on a show in Munich. They were incredible!
If I ask you to create a poster with Frayle as headliner and three other bands for the release of Heretics & Lullabies, which bands would you like to play with? Even unrealistic answers are accepted.
Gwyn: There are so many bands that are doing amazing things it’s hard to pick. It would probably be a mixed bag. Let’s say Frayle with direct support from Chelsea Wolfe, then Neurosis, and Portishead to get the crowd warmed up.