‘…a fantastic foundation for the Canadian grunge rockers to build from…’
Ontario’s Deer Fang have been carving out their niche since 2024, joining the recent wave of grunge revival alternative artists with a self-proclaimed desire to “reconnect with the heavier sounds of their youth”. The results so far have been impressive, with their ‘Bloom’ and ‘Blossom’ EPs offering an assortment of dark yet dreamy grunge flavoured anthems. This trend has only continued to be refined and improved upon with the band’s debut full-length, ‘Forest For The Trees’.
‘Forest For The Trees’ sees Deer Fang truly coming into their own, taking the concepts that they had been working with on their early material, and forging into something distinctive and engaging. Across the 37 minutes of run time, we witness the feathery vocals of Lauren Roxann working wonderfully against the moody, weighty instrumental backdrops that the band conjure up, giving the whole affair a darkly ethereal feel.
The band are not shy about wearing their 90’s influence on their sleeve, and there is a real charm about this. ‘Over It’ is a defiant breakup anthem set against a swampy grunge instrumental, featuring a voicemail soundbite that adds a playful punch before the final chorus. ‘So Surreal’ swings in a bittersweet pop direction, with understatedly catchy melodies and swirling, reverb-soaked guitars.
The band are undoubtedly at their strongest when they fully lean into their heavier side. Opener ‘Tasting Blood’ features cutting screamed vocals that work magnificently in tandem with Roxann’s dreamlike melodies, whilst ‘Howl’ pulls the album in a pleasantly post-hardcore direction, chunky bass lines and punchy riffs driving forwards atop of a gripping percussive performance. ‘Broken’ takes the instrumental backdrop towards a softer shoegaze sound, but offers a brooding guest appearance from Seventh Dose, culminating in razor-sharp screams that offset all of the softness beautifully.
The record comes to an immensely cinematic climax, placing their full weight behind the shoegaze elements of their sound for the title track and the accompanying instrumental ‘Outro’. The pair of tracks culminate in approximately seven minutes of breathtaking cinematic splendour, as distant guitar melodies pierce the dense wall of fuzz like sunbeams, adorned with a particularly sentimental performance from Roxann and pinned together by steady yet rapturous drumming. It is a glorious closing statement that shows Deer Fang at their fullest potential; bold, expansive, and all-consuming.
‘Forest For The Trees’ is delightfully essential autumn listening, and whilst Deer Fang still feel like a band with immense unexplored territory before them, it does make for a fantastic foundation for the Canadian grunge rockers to build from. Whilst they may revel in the darkness, the future looks bright for these newcomers.
RATING: 72/100
For Fans Of: TNL VZN, NewDad, labyrinthine oceans, Deftones, No Doubt
Physical copies of the record are available to purchase here.
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