Fauna Timbre – Altering Echoes

Band: Fauna Timbre
Title: Altering Echoes
Label: Red Orchard Records
Release Date: October 31, 2018
Country: Norway
Format reviewed: mp3 (vbr) promo

As the release notes accompanying FAUNA TIMBRE’s debut EP “Altering Echoes” promo points out: “Mankind’s relationship with itself and with nature are not happy tales.” While efforts were made to mend humanity’s relationships with itself, our relationship with nature has greatly deteriorated since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Denial of science, corporate greed and political spectrum manipulation, instilled adversity to regulation; all factors responsible for widening a gap between false perception and the crude reality. Humanity is hiding from it’s vital responsibility to protect mankind’s only home: Earth …

Founded in Oslo, the capital of Norway, in 2016, by Kenneth Aarmo and Marius Sjøli (Hollow Branches, Blekspetl, Snares of Sixes, Sculptured), FAUNA TIMBRE, initially as a duo, started writing material for a debut release. Following the pre-production of what was shaping to be their debut EP, Petter Dehli Frydenlund (Oh Yeah Tiger) was asked to join the act. The trio: Kenneth (guitar, bass), Marius (vocals, guitar, bass & keyboards) and Petter (drums & percussion), spent the first half of 2017 recording.

Queue to release on October 31st 2018, via Red Orchard Records, “Altering Echoes”, FAUNA TIMBRE’s anticipated debut EP is a beautiful lament to the intricate relationship between humanity and nature, eloquently illustrated via palpable soundscapes, addressing the almost forgotten, in peril balance between nature and humans. Intense soundscapes of eerie warning signs, vastly disregarded throughout our contemporarily existence – we are the shadows of our own ignorance: “It’s becoming a shame burden”. Clearly laid as a concept release, but with a much graver message, if not of an existential importance – a somber reality: “The burden is to be human”. The amazing post-rock/doom, with some noise elements, on “Altering Echoes” is airy, vibrant and sophisticated. With every instrument being clearly defined in the mix: greatly punctuating bass lines, profound fuzz guitars, tastefully distorted keyboards and pure doom drumming with great depth and definition of the sparkle and shimmering cymbals – freely ringing in between the notes. The clean, laidback, beautifully intoned vocals are a perfect match to the musical scapes. The band members vast past within music is clearly resonant within the musical fluidity and the masterful maturity in execution.

With a modern age Pink Floyd like fluence, unconventionally entwined with Depeche Mode like subdued dynamism, delivering a dramatic – point of no return vision, yet with a sense of stoic acceptance, the music on FAUNA TIMBRE’s “Altering Echoes” will satisfy even the most discerning listeners. Fans of Katatonia and Chelsea Wolfe will certainly appreciate. 9/10 Emil/UHF