Holy Fawn offer up blissfully noisy blackholes on Dimensional Bleed

Existing within the realms of shoegaze and metal, the Phoenix-based band have pushed their boundaries further with the release of their highly anticipated second album, Dimensional Bleed. They’ve expanded on their trademark brand of heavy, yet graceful alternative hymns, and invited listeners to dive into blissfully noisy black holes with them on their latest offering.

Named after the astronomical concept that describes the overlapping of multiple universes, Dimensional Bleed is permeated with a palpable sense of yearning; simultaneously craving both connection and escape. Whilst it feels less visceral than the band’s self-released debut album Death Spells (2018), the record is still lyrically informed by the darker side of the emotional spectrum, but these elements are filtered through a gentler, more melodic musical lens.

“With every release, I feel like we’ve continued to learn how to best support each other both mentally and musically, which enables us to try new things,” explains vocalist & guitarist Ryan Osterman. “Personally, I think this record has truly allowed us to explore more creative avenues than we did with Death Spells.” These “avenues” lead listeners into captivating, dreamlike territory on Dimensional Bleed. From the ethereal opening notes of “Hexsewn” and the bruising majesty of following track “Death Is A Relief”, to the crushing conclusion of “Empty Vials” – each song is a captivating journey through an altering state of emotional flux.

Whilst it would be fair to praise the individual efforts of Osterman, Evan Phelps (guitar), Alexander Rieth (bass) and Austin Reinholz (drums) across the album, it’s the band’s collective melodic intuition that continuously shines through on Dimensional Bleed. Their seemingly effortless ability to time a cathartic drop in, or allow the space for a shadowy atmosphere to develop is endlessly impressive.

Whether they’re guiding listeners through the shimmering, dream-like majesty of “Amaranthine”, the gently devastating “Lift Your Head” or tumultuous title track “Dimensional Bleed”, they do so with gargantuan elegance. This extends through to the ambient urgency of “Sightless” and “Void Of Light”, Osterman’s screams kept low in the mix on both tracks, somehow making them more potent. The shiver-inducing splendor of closing tracks “True Loss” and “Blood Memory” continue to resonate long after the record has stopped spinning too.

Opening themselves up to new concepts and sounds, but retaining their trademark ability to captivate and obliterate in equal measure, listening to Holy Fawn’s Dimensional Bleed inspires a deep, unfading admiration for a truly genre-defying band.