| Frayle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Cleveland, Ohio, USA |
| Genres | Doom Metal, Occult Rock, Gothic Rock, Post-Metal, Post-Rock |
| Years active | 2017 - Present |
| Labels | Lay Bare Recordings, Seeing Red Records, Napalm Records |
| Associated acts | Disengage, Filter, Prong |
| Website | Frayle Official |
Frayle are a doom/post-rock band from Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Active since 2017 with the core lineup of Sean Bilovecky and Gwyn Strang, this duo made a quick impact with their 2018 EP "The White Witch", evoking elements of post-rock and pop with Strang's haunting vocal delivery.
Their press kit describes them as "Heavy, Low, & Witchy" and as a "female-fronted doom and witch-rock band". They draw their inspiration from bands like Sleep, Portishead, Bjork, Kyuss, Chelsea Wolfe & Black Sabbath among others.
History[]
Frayle - Let the Darkness In (2018) (Official Music Video)
Witches by Frayle (2018 Beastwars Cover)
Doom/Stoner Duo Frayle was formed in Cleveland in 2017 by Sean Bilovecky and Gwyn Strang. Bilovecky previously played in Disengage as far back as the early 2000s until 2007 while Strang previously lived in Toronto.[1][2] Both worked together as clothing designers when they met in 2015. They became a couple in 2017, and after Strang gave Bilovecky recording software for Christmas, they began making music together in early 2018. Frayle’s “lullabies over chaos” approach to songwriting allows them a freedom to explore and push their limits on heavy music. They strive to balance the heaviest of riffs with the approachability of Gwyn’s haunting vocal melodies. Complex layering and tone stacking is a hallmark of their music. Each musical element is thoughtfully composed resulting in a unique combination of midrange-heavy guitars, syncopated rhythms, and unexpected vocal progressions. Gwyn tells stories of heart break, anger, hypocrisy and resolution, asking the audience for empathy, and in turn inspiring vulnerability.
On 1 April 2018 Frayle would release their debut EP in The White Witch to positive acclaim[3][4][5][6] and attaining over 40,000 streams by 24 May.[7] A music video for "Let The Darkness In" would follow on 18 June, premiered via Decibel Magazine.[8] Frayle's debut live performance was the EP release party on 29 June 2018 at The Grog Shop in Cleveland (With Temple Of The Fuzz Witch, Sparrowmilk and Arms & Armour).[9] The band has a tour of Europe planned for October 2018 along with a host of other shows lined up in the future, along with their debut album.
Frayle would perform three more shows through the summer (27 July in Michigan with Wizard Union, Troll, Temple of The Fuzz Witch;[10] 28 August with Pillars and Monolord;[11] HatrixFest on 29 September[12]) amid a handful of secret shows before being set for appearances at Soulcrusher III in Doornroosje Nijmegen and Desertfest Belgium in what would be the band's first live appearances outside the United States. Frayle would also release a cover of "Witches" by Beastwars on 3 September 2018.
On 27 March 2019 Frayle would unveil a music video for "Things That Make Us Bleed" along with pre-orders for a new single entitled Dead Inside. The 7” (Limited to 200), jointly released by the Aqualamb and Lay Bare labels, comes housed within a custom “alchemy box” containing a signature Aqualamb 100 page printed art book created for the release as well as a collection of other spell kit ingredients formulated specifically by Strang, the band’s own white witch.[13] Later in 2019 the band would perform a session at EarthQuaker Pedals, performing "Dead Inside" and a new song entitled "1692". 1692 is set for release on 14 February 2020 via Aqualamb Records (United States) and Lay Bare Recordings (Europe). On 17 December a music video was unveiled for "Gods of No Faith". In September 2020 the band would release a new digital single, a cover of the iconic Johnny Cash song Ring of Fire. A remix EP and a cover of the Bauhaus song Bela Lugosi's Dead would follow.
A second studio album in Skin & Sorrow was initially announced for a 1 July 2022 release but would be delayed to September. On 23 January 2024 it would be announced that Frayle had signed with Napalm Records.[14]
Things That Make Us Bleed
Frayle Dead Inside Godless 7 inch
EarthQuaker Session Ep. 22 Frayle - "Dead Inside" "1692" EarthQuaker Devices
Frayle - Gods of No Faith - Official Video
Discography[]
Studio Album[]
- 1692 (Studio Album) (2020, Lay Bare Recordings; Aqualamb Records)
- Skin & Sorrow (2022, Lay Bare Recordings)
Other Releases[]
- The White Witch (EP) (2018, Self-Released)
- Witches (Single) (2018, Self-Released)
- Dead Inside (Single) (2019, Self-Released)
- Ring of Fire (Single) (2020, Self-Released)
- Live at House of Wills (Live Album) (2021, Self-Released)
- The Remix EP (EP) (2021, Self-Released)
- Bela Lugosi's Dead (Single) (2021, Self-Released)
Members[]
Current Members[]
- Gwyn Strang - Vocals (2017 - Present)
- Sean Bilovecky - All Instruments (2017 - Present); Lead Guitar (2018 - Present)
- Jason Knotek - Bass (2023 - Present)
- Jon Vinson - Drums (2023 - Present)
Past Members[]
- Frank Cavanagh - Bass (2018)
- Elliot Rosen - Rhythm Guitar (2018 - ?)
- Pat Ginley - Drums (2018 - ?)
- Eric Mzik - Bass (2019 - ?)