AN NCS PREMIERE: FAWN LIMBS — “PINES”

 

The thrill of witnessing destruction is a large part of Fawn Limbs‘ appeal, like the excitement of being present at the implosion of giant buildings to create space for something new. But there are other thrills within the mayhem of their music which derive not from chaos but from the almost machine-like precision of their otherwise freakish demolition jobs. This may seem paradoxical, but you’ll see what we mean when you check out the song we’re premiering today.

The song is “Pines” (which does not refer to trees) and it comes from this trans-oceanic trio’s debut album, Harm Remissions, which will be released on August 2nd. The album is an amalgamation of grindcore, math-metal, and noise, created by Finnish guitarist/vocalist/noise-producer Eeli Helin and the Pennsylvania-based rhythm section of Lee Fisher (drums) and Samuel Smith (bass). The album also includes guest vocal appearances by Andrew Hawkins (Baring Teeth), Champ Morgan (BLK OPS, Derelict Satellite, Kill the Client), and Mitchell Luna (Maruta, Noisear).

 

 

Now let’s get back to “Pines“, which is presented through a video that excerpts footage from the 1933 film White Zombie. It will have its way with you in less time than it may take you to read what precedes the stream in this post, but although the song doesn’t last long, it lasts long enough to wreck your skull and puree your grey matter. The vocals howl like a raging storm, and it includes potent doses of shrieking and braying fretwork. But in addition to those mind-mangling qualities, “Pines” also metes out plenty of physical punishment thanks to ravaging riff-work and a drum-and-bass combo that alternately batter and pound like a pile-driver.

But again, while the track has its berserker destructive components, there’s an impressive degree of precision on display as the musicians rapidly morph from one kind of demolition to another (and deliver some unexpected groove along the way). The first single from the album, “Ore Lung” (which you can also check out below) is even more impressive in that regard. Because it’s twice as long as “Pines”, it gives Fawn Limbs more room to maneuver — and more time to play nasty games with your mind as they maniacally shift gears without warning and engage in even more extravagant displays of seething and boiling fretwork lunacy and rhythm-section interplay.

 

The August 2nd release of Harm Remissions will be a digital one, but a vinyl edition is expected by early next year through Roman Numeral and Wolves And Vibrancy Records. The album was re-amped, mixed, and mastered by Jeanne Artemis Strieder at Magma Art & Sound; vocals were recorded by Miiro Varjus at Wavescape Productions; and Eeli Helin is responsible for the artwork and photography.

PRE-ORDER:
https://fawnlimbs.bandcamp.com/album/harm-remissions

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/fawnlimbs/