Frayle - 1692 (by Mikey Ortega)

Labels: Aqualamb Records (US)/Lay Bare Recordings (Europe)

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 14 Feb  2020

Tracklist:-

1. Introduction (Arise)

2. 1692

3. God of No Faith

4. Monsters

5. Darker Than Black

6. Dead Inside

7. Burn

8. Godless

9. If You Stay

20. Stab

                                                  

For any historians – 1692 was a dark year in the US. In the town of Salem, Massachusetts, 19 women were executed, as they were accused of being witches. It’s a past that will forever haunt the United States and it’s history – just like The Trail of Tears, slavery, and The Black Wall Street Massacre. Knowing about Gwyn Strang’s Roman Catholic upbringing, you can understand why Frayle recorded 1692.

 

For those who aren’t aware of Frayle – they are a band from Cleveland, Ohio, who have a unique take on Doom Metal, which Frayle calls “Witch Doom”. It’s an awesome blend of today’s Doom Metal with 90’s alternative music. My introduction to them is when I heard their Portishead cover of “Wandering Star” (off of The White Witch ep) on Riff Haven (which you can hear every Tuesday night at 9pm Mountain Time on radioboise.org). Their sound is what really caught me and I knew they were a band to keep on my radar. After their EP, Frayle put out a couple of singles – Witches (2018) and Dead Inside (2019 – which gave us a taste of what to expect later. On February of last year, Frayle have finally released their first full-length album, 1692, and it has exceeded everyone’s expectations.

 

1692 opens up with some dark soundscapes and Gwyn’s haunting, yet, hypnotising vocals, which is then followed by Sean Bilovecky’s heavy riffs ‘Introduction(Arise)’. But it would be the title track ‘1692’ that would be getting things rolling. It really brings you in and takes you on a journey. “God Of No Faith” would be a track that really hit me hard. As someone who also grew up Roman Catholic, it just really connected. It also helped that the vocals and riffs were amazing. But if I were to pick my favorite riff off of ‘1692’, it would have to be “Darker Than Black”. To me, when I think Frayle, that’s the sound I expect from them. Now if I were to think their heaviest track, it would be “Godless”. Sean’s tone just sounds so low and gut punching, it’s like standing in front of the abyss.

 

It's a shame that we never got to hear these songs live last year, due to the pandemic but when things start to look okay, I’ll be sure to buy a ticket when they head over here in LA. 1692 would be an album that will define heavy music in this decade. It definitely gives Doom Metal a breath of fresh air and it’s safe to say there hasn’t been an album like 1692.  Any hype surrounding this album – you best believe it. 10 years from now, I can see this album having an impact on the new generation who want to get into heavy music and I wouldn’t mind listening to a band that were influenced by Frayle’s 1692. They just repressed the vinyl if that’s your format. Also available on CD and digital from Aqualamb Records and Lay Bare Recordings. There's also a bundle which comes with a book about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and be sure to check out the "making of" video on YouTube.

You can stream and purchase 1692 on all formats below:-

Frayle - https://www.facebook.com/frayleband

Physical copies are also available from the labels below:-

Aqualamb Records - https://aqualamb.bandcamp.com/merch

Lay Bare Recordings - https://laybarerecordings.com/releases

Aqualamb Records - https://www.facebook.com/aqualambrecords

Lay Bare Records - https://www.facebook.com/laybarerecordings