NEWS4U JUNE 2023 | MUSIC
FAERIE RING EVANSVILLE'S DOOM METAL MERCHANTS EXPAND EUROPEAN FOLLOWING WITH PUMMELING WEARY TRAVELER
S
eems James Wallwork isn't much of a
pre-pandemic, dreamed up at their day jobs
personal life since the previous album but also
fan of doom metal, finding the majority
in between pizza deliveries. By the time the
drew inspiration from video games like Elder
of it to be stale and uninspiring -
Wallwork brothers were brought into the fold,
Ring. Somehow it all tied together brilliantly;
which is ironic seeing as he fronts the area's
most of the songs for 2019's The Clearing, the
when all was said and done, the guys had a
preeminent doom metal band, Faerie Ring.
band's full-length debut, had been written -
minor masterpiece on their hands - a six-song
"That sound has just been done a million
instrumentally speaking, that is. "They didn't
avalanche of unstoppable sludge that no
times," he says, "but we're trying to bring a very
have a singer, so I stepped up and put my
listener could ever run from. Like being buried
unique vibe to a really boring genre." Mission
spin on things vocally and got them motivated
alive but in a good way.
accomplished; because there's absolutely
to record," James notes. Going against the
nothing boring about Weary Traveler, Faerie
grain, his vocal approach eschewed the typical
Since the release of Weary Traveler in April, the
Ring's sophomore release that's garnered
guttural growl heard in most doom metal;
band's European following has only expanded
much attention, particularly from over in Europe
instead, he favored a cleaner, higher-pitched
and rave reviews continue to appear online.
where the group has amassed an impressive
wail drenched in reverb but every bit as loud
One recent high-profile doom metal chart
following. The album's onslaught of pummeling
and powerful, hovering mightily over the din...
listed the new album in the top five, ahead of
guitars - courtesy of Wallwork and Kyle Hulgus
strangely ethereal in a way. While The Clearing
many popular bands of the genre. Keep your
- and bludgeoning rhythm section powered by
wasn't an entirely democratic creation nor
eyes peeled for upcoming shows and be sure
bassist Alex Wallwork and drummer Joey Rhew
professionally produced, it received good
to check out Faerie Ring's bandcamp page
make for some of the heaviest music being
reviews both here and abroad and laid the
where all manner of clothing and merchandise
produced in 2023.
groundwork for a full-band collaboration.
is available to purchase along with cassette, CD
Faerie Ring was formed by Hulgus and Rhew
Life changes and Covid slowed the process, but
and vinyl editions of Weary Traveler. several years after Faerie Ring's
For more info, follow Faerie Ring on Facebook.
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
32 | JUNE 2023 • www.evansvillemediagroup.com
"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."