Genre : Mathgrind, Avant-garde
Released : August 13th, 2021
Label : Self-released
FFO : Full of Hell, Sectioned, Ion Dissonance
Fawn Limbs have been such a productive entity ever since their inception only a couple years ago that it almost came as no surprise when they announced that they would be releasing a new full-length for this year.
Where the excellent "Sleeper Vessels" from last year was a relentless barrage of pure spasmodic, angular mathgrind; "Darwin Falls" goes down a much more experimental, conceptual and heavily atmospheric route.
With the incorporation of spoken word narration throughout the whole album, acted out by none other than the band's own mad genius of a drummer (Lee Fisher), the focus on a strong narrative element is made clear from the get-go.
The inclusion of seven different musicians outside of the band's usual roster (and musical genre, with musicians involved having backgrounds in classical, jazz and even world music) is what brings the murky and existentially heavy nature of this album's story fully to life.
The plaintive saxophone and trumpet, unsettling oboe, electric cello and viola coupled with the keys and electronics create such a miserably bleak sonic landscape that you cannot help but feel as though you, the listener, are in fact the protagonist of this nightmare, trudging through an endless purgatory built from every horror the human mind can conjure.
However, this does not mean that the relentless spasms of mathgrind for which the band is beloved for have left entirely.
Instead, they are used sparsely and with intent, becoming key moments in this album's story that pushes the narration forward.
Last year, one of my only gripes with "Sleeper Vessels" was that, as much as the relentless chaos was enjoyable, it was easy to get lost and perhaps even overwhelmed by everything that was simultaneously happening and having trouble finding stand-out moments on which to latch the ear onto.
Here, with "Darwin Falls", every single element of every track serves a purpose in painting this horrific picture the band has envisionned and can be heard distinctly (identifying which is what is another story though, but if it is safety and clarity you are looking for here, you opened the wrong door my friend...which is something I learned at my own expense and delight).
Now, speaking of gripes, I do have one, once again unfortunately.
As much as I absolutely love the completely experimental/avant-garde approach with a strong emphasis on conceptuality and narration, I cannot help but feel that the production style on this new album is a bit of a downgrade compared to "Sleeper Vessels".
Yes, I understand that the inclusion of a whole ensemble of musicians with different instruments along with this new approach altogether demanded a different style of production, BUT, I cannot help but find that the guitars especially sound dull and watered-down during the more "crowded" sections of the record.
Despite it not being a guitar-centric album compared to its predecessor, I think the album could have benefitted from having that crunchier production on guitars that gave them more impact and more "oomph" any time they would kick in.
Production preference issues aside, if Fawn Limbs have proven anything with this new album, it is that they are definitely not afraid to take risks by being adventurous with their sound and are pushing the boundaries of experimental extreme music in a way that very few bands would either dare to do or even conceive.
I mean it when I say that these guys are setting an example in the scene, whether it is in terms of work ethos or experimental creativity within heavy music and are becoming more and more of a unique creative force in doing so.