Album Review: Faetooth — “Remnants of the Vessel”

Bringing otherworldly hazy doom goodness, LA-based quartet Faetooth is here with their debut full-length album Remnants of the Vessel. The band is self described as “fairy doom” and it is easy to see why. Their music is full of dreamy clean vocals, echoing harsh vocals, entrancing riffs, and meditative shoegaze melodies with lyrical themes around nature and lore. Their music conjures imagery of foggy forests, gnarled branches, and the divine mysterious beauty in our natural selves and surroundings. The band released a well-received EP in 2019 and attention to these up and comers continues to grow—as it should. Remnants of the Vessel is an impressive debut that showcases Faetooth’s talents as a band and as individual musicians.

The album opens with a quick introductory track crafted with ominous tones and a haunting cello line. This leads beautifully into “Echolalia” which was the first single released from Remnants of the Vessel. An acoustic guitar melody is heard before drums start building and the song breaks into dense doom riffs. Clean vocals are prominent in this track with a very catchy main chorus repeating “On thy knees now / We fall with what we build” centering on the story of the Tower of Babylon. This track caught my attention right away. The dark sultry vocals remind me of Chelsea Wolfe and ring out like a siren call. The final minute or so is pure thunder with screamed vocals, droning riffs, and crashing drums before gently fading out. The track moves from mellow and gloomy to booming and ferocious and back—this movement is something Faetooth does seemingly effortlessly as the whole album has this perfectly crafted ebb and flow.

The final track on Remnants of the Vessel is the longest running, spanning just over nine minutes. Acting as a grand finale, “Saturn Devouring His Son,” has a ballad quality to it. It proceeds after a somber string-filled ambient piece and opens with a quiet acoustic guitar much like the first two tracks creating a nice callback and bringing in some earlier elements. More strings are heard here, creating a sorrowful sound. This song is moving and though it is on the longer side, it seems to be over before it begins. The emotion of this composition really captivates and keeps its grasp until the very last second. Due to its powerful nature, it left me looking for more and craving another listen.

As soon as I heard “Echolalia” I ran to our promos to see if we received Remnants of the Vessel. I immediately craved more. This is a diverse doom band and that is not just right up my alley but exactly my alley, and I know Faetooth will appeal to and entrance many listeners out there. I am so excited to have the opportunity to review this stellar rising band. The four talented musicians that make up Faetooth use she/her, she/they, and they/them pronouns and seeing this representation in a metal band brings me so much joy. They knocked it out of the park with this release and I am eager to see where the band goes next. They have quickly become one of my favorite bands and I hope to catch them in Chicago whenever they go back on tour! Give fairy doom a try with Remnants of the Vessel and show some well deserved love for Faetooth.

– Angela

Remnants of the Vessel will be available October 28 on Dune Altar. For more information on Faetooth, visit their Facebook Page.