Foxtails showcased their magnum opus with 'Fawn'.
Foxtails ventures in their albums as if a witness is observing a victim working their way out the darkest and steepest paths in their lives. Where thematically in those past records, Megan Cadena-Fernandez pours out an experience of a woman who has to get through the pain and trauma, now finally going through the trek of picking herself up and gaining the strength and wail back from the person that caused that trauma and pain in her life. That, paired with a sonic experience that picks up more grit and power as Megan’s screams along with the math rock and post-hardcore compositions get more pronounced on the next proceeding records.
And on ‘fawn’, the group varies their sound and dynamics as they bring along Jared Schmidt to play a vibrant yet ragged violin to add along to the instrumentation. And as a result of this, Foxtails’ post-hardcore and screamo soundscapes puts a sense of warmth to their sharp sonic palette and also make the flow of the record feel seamless and slick. That warmth also goes through to how the production makes each instrument sound clear and pristine, from the simmering guitars, the crisp drumset, and the previously mentioned ragged violin. It’s to the point that on every song, they all come off bursting with clarity and dynamic swells as the melodies pop out. It also helps that the melodies in the record are incredibly striking, where the switch-ups and vocal overdubs between the clean and staggering screams help make its bite even sharper and thornier. The same goes for Megan’s performance which brisks through clean and assured singing to the anguished and emotive screams that she pulls out, and she never flails nor stumbles in her performance on this record. That sense of control in her vocals allows the emotionality of her poetry and emotional grasp to feel potent and massive, like the voice of the anguished letting loose her anger.
That streak even continues even further to the literate and poetic poetry. Indeed, it is poetic, with less of the flash and more of the substance and precision towards the thematics of someone going through the complicated and tragic personal struggles tied to growing up, mental instability, innocence while also moving forward and trying their hardest to find connection with people that will keep them feel safe, despite still having that trauma and that awareness towards the harshness of the environment that still puts her in a ‘survivors mindset’. This kind of poetry might need more time to sink in for those who are refreshed with this writing, mostly because of how it does not lean to be flowery lengths, but more to be cutting with its wordy limitations.
And with all of these elements combined, what you will find is a record that not only flows well, but also is impeccably produced, written, and performed. And as a whole, all of the tracks manage to captivate at their very finest. It’s going to take some time for the emotional depth and crisp melodic approach to grasp you, but when it does, you will be in for an experience like no other. And like the fawn itself, the fragile exterior showcases something much more crushing on the inside.
Favorite Tracks: ALL OF THEM
Least Favorite Track: NONE