Frayle Heavy Witch Doom from Cleveland USA.

Frayle makes music for the night sky. The group was formed in 2017 by guitarist Sean Bilovecky (formerly of now-defunct Man's Ruin recording artists Disengage) and vocalist Gwyn Strang, a singer with an alluring voice and an equally compelling flair for imagery. Frayle’s “lullabies over chaos” approach to songwriting allows the group the freedom to explore what is possible with heavy music; its gorgeously ominous sound a result of complex layering and tone stacking while simultaneously overseeing the perfectly delicate balance between heaving, heavy riffs and haunting vocal melodies. With its full-length debut, '1692', Frayle pushes the immense intensity and gorgeous ache of its unique sound and style through to uncompromising new plateaus. While there is much darkness on the record, it’s also contrasted superbly with beauty, both fragile and fierce, in a way that feels weightless rather than plummeting, as if release truly is a possibility.

“Bright Eyes” premieres on Knotfest who wrote “Currently riding the cusp of a breakout year, emerging doom outliers Frayle have made significant strides since the band’s stirring 2020 introduction. Embracing a unique balance of doom that encapsulates an element of the harmonious and the hulking, the band’s pedigree spans sophisticated stylistic spectrum – adapting inspirational cues that range from Sleep to Portishead, from Black Sabbath to Bjork. Currently riding the cusp of a breakout year, emerging doom outliers Frayle have made significant strides since the band’s stirring 2020 introduction. Embracing a unique balance of doom that encapsulates an element of the harmonious and the hulking, the band’s pedigree spans sophisticated stylistic spectrum – adapting inspirational cues that range from Sleep to Portishead, from Black Sabbath to Bjork.”

Revolver Magazine named Frayle as “One of the 5 bands you need to know”. They wrote “Frayle take a cinematic approach to doom, conjuring up witchy atmosphere, mesmerizing groove passages and hushed melodies that hypnotize the listener into their eerie spell - only to snap them out of it with crashing breaks of cascading distortion.”

Frayle : A Gothic Vocal Queen

Seattle Music Insider writes “Cleveland’s Frayle has a voice that rains down on you like shards of fairy dust, quietly cutting with deep precision. There’s no screaming here, just perfectly synchronized vocal annunciations that hit your soul. Her melodic tones are ones that might tend to haunt you along paths in the dark, like eerie echoes that are trying to lead you from the light into the darkness, where dreams border nightmares.”

Revolver premiered the video for”Skin & Sorrow” and wrote Frayle's enchanting sound falls somewhere between the low-and-slow gaziness of bands like King Woman and Cloakroom and the more classic doominess of Earth and YOB. "Skin & Sorrow" is eerie and ethereal for its first half, but slowly lets more crunchy fuzz into the fold that builds up to a detonating finish with gobs of spiritual atmosphere. All of Frayle's videos are fucking gorgeous, and this one — self-directed by the band — is no exception, with all sorts of wide-angle shots and freaky outfits.

Ring of Fire from the "Live at House of Wills" EP released April 2021

Frayle release their debut LP "1692" Feb 14th 2020 on Laybare Recordings (Europe) & Aqualamb Records (North America). The record is an immediate success with both fans and critics alike.

Consequence of Sound had the exclusive premiere for the video "Burn" and wrote "Invoking the ethereal post-metal of Emma Ruth Rundle and Chelsea Wolfe’s dark sonic palette, Frayle craft a modern style of doom that’s remains clean despite its heaviness. The soaring “Burn” is a highlight of 1692, so it’s no surprise the band chose to produce the video and give the track special treatment."

Kerrang! debuted the new Frayle song and video, "Godless", saying, "It doesn’t seem like Frayle are trying to be scary, but it’s undeniable that something about them sends a shiver up your spine...like a ghost singing a nursery rhyme over the rumbling of the haunted house around you."

Metal Injection premiered the new Frayle track "Darker Than Black", noting, "If you're in the mood for thunderous doom with Portishead-esque vocals overtop, you're going to need Frayle in your life." The song debuts via a lyric video filmed live in Brooklyn this past December when Frayle performed at Saint Vitus Bar.

Revolver debuted a video for the new Frayle song "Gods of No Faith", with the magazine describing the group's sound as a "haunting, hypnotic mix of crushing Sleep-style doom and cooing ethereal vocals à la Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser."

Frayle released its debut EP, 'The White Witch', in 2018 on Laybare Recordings (Europe) & Seeing Red Records (North America) to warm reception; the four track effort leading to a recording deal and spotlight live festival appearances at Desertfest Belgium (w/ High on Fire, Yob) and The Netherland's Soulcrusher Fest (w/ Deafheaven, Inter Arma) in short order. In its premiere of Frayle's video "Let the Darkness In", Decibel exclaimed, "Frayle‘s take on doom is hypnotic", while Ohio entertainment tome PressureLife forecasted, "Keep your eyes peeled for Frayle. The band can help change the way young people get into heavy music. In fact, we could have a doomy Nirvana situation on our hands."

“Let the Darkness In” trades in dark psychedelics and heavy, dripping drums that punctuate the riffing that plays in and around vocalist Gwyn Strang’s superb voice. Sean Bilovecky’s command of how to let a riff inhale and exhale instead of thundering into the next musical idea recalls Sleep in their best moments." - Nine Circles

"It may be hard to believe that Cleveland, Ohio’s FRAYLE only formed a short two years ago in 2017, yet in that time they have made one hell of an impression on a countless number of souls. A haunting aural experience." - Riff Relevant

In addition to vocalist Gwyn Strang and guitarist Sean Bilovecky, Frayle features drummer Jon Vinson and bassist Jason Knotek.

"1692" on colored vinyl

"1692" book

Inspired by the the lack of album art in the age of invisible music, Brooklyn-based record label AQUALAMB publishes 100+ page printed books of artwork and writings as physical accompaniments to its releases. Essentially, each album's art and liner notes (traditionally confined to an LP gatefold, a CD booklet, or the screen of some music-playing device) are reconfigured into an expanded book form.

Desertfest Ghent (2021)

Photo by Jeremy Saffer

Soulcrusher III (Nijmegen, Netherlands)

Frayle’s “lullabies over chaos” approach to songwriting allows them the freedom to explore what is possible with heavy music. They strive to balance the heaviest of riffs with the approachability of Gwyn’s haunting vocal melodies.

Soulcrusher III (Nijmegen, Netherlands)

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.

Sean Bilovecky & Gwyn Strang

Drawing inspiration from bands like Sleep, Portishead, Beastwars, Blonde Redhead, Kyuss, Massive Attack, Down, Chelsea Wolfe, and many more, Frayle exists at the intersection of doom and dream pop.

Frayle has completed their debut LP "1692" which will be released in February of 2020 on Laybare Recordings (Europe) and Aqualamb Records (USA). 1692 promises to further explore the relationship between crushing riffs and ethereal fragility.