“I followed that echo down, a chasm of colors I’ll never climb out.”
Following the release of the two standalone singles “Haunted” and “The Garden” earlier this year, post-hardcore newcomers FOXCULT are ready to present their debut EP, THE INDIGO FAULT. The EP expands on the narrative framework established by a series of promotional videos from the band’s Instagram. Each video is presented as an excerpt of communications from an unseen narrator as they work to track and decrypt transmissions from an extraterrestrial source, with each decryption being used to preview a song from the EP before ultimately revealing its full tracklisting in the final video.
First track “EMPTY SPACE” sets the events of THE INDIGO FAULT into motion, with FOXCULT’s particular blend of emotive post-hardcore given some additional density with its buried synth work and dense shoegazey mix. Between dreaming of oceans and searching the sky for stars, the wistful lyricism yearns for some nebulous something more. This ultimately comes to fruition as the narrator answers an otherworldly call to action (“I heard it calling out from in between”), embarking on their journey alone. “EMPTY SPACE” sees vocalist Audrey Lane effectively showing off the duality of her talent, with her singing paving the way for screamed vocals that round the track out in satisfying fashion.
“CLIFFJUMPER” opens with a pattering of cymbal work, making way for a sonic palette and lyrical references that help ensure it slots into place as a direct continuation from “EMPTY SPACE”. The track sees its narrator grappling with the unknown as they embark on their journey, weighing their odds of survival but determined to see their mission through. The lines “will I reach the other side, or fall from the spire? Would you carry me if you found me dead at the bottom?” from the song’s chorus are powerful in their melodic and melancholic pondering.
From there, “SILICONE DREAM” functions as a nice change of pace at the EP’s mid-point. Treading more along the lines of melodic hardcore, the track shows a heightened sense of aggression from the jump. Lane’s screams bring a sense of urgency to the track as they are brought to the forefront, bursting through the lush wall of sound formed by Ashley Carrera’s layered guitar work. A clean, soaring chorus offsets the screamed verses, tethering things back into more familiar sonic territory and sticking in the mind with its catchiness.
Penultimate track “GLACIER” acts as the narrative climax of THE INDIGO FAULT. Our narrator’s journey nears its end as they finally find themselves confronted with the glacier they’ve been working towards. Paired with the emotional crux of lyrics about self-realization and acceptance, Lane’s continually anguished vocals and a particularly stellar performance from drummer Mia Dawn provide this track the weight needed as the pivotal turning point of the EP.
While “GLACIER” serves as the EP’s musical apex, final track “SYMMETRY” is a six-minute long basking in the “chasm of colors” that FOXCULT have been working towards throughout THE INDIGO FAULT’s runtime. Sparkling, pulsing synth work forms the emotional base for the closer before opening up into the full band. Replete with lyrical reprisals pulled from across the EP, there is a real sense of closure and fulfillment as THE INDIGO FAULT comes full-circle.
On a surface level, the presentation of THE INDIGO FAULT as a sci-fi story might seem like a packaging gimmick, but it is the exploration of the themes within that narrative framework that gives THE INDIGO FAULT its emotional heft. While the themes of bravery, exploration of the unknown, and finding yourself are well-trodden territory, they feel particularly meaningful given FOXCULT’s identity as a fiercely proud all-trans band. Viewing the same narrative through the lens of the trans and queer experience—overcoming fear, a journey into the dark made alone, and ultimately, self-realization and acceptance—makes the overarching story resonate that much more with an audience that remains underrepresented in the larger heavy music scene, resulting in a fully realized, tightly woven, and powerful debut project.
9/10
THE INDIGO FAULT is set to release this Friday November 17th via Adventure Cat Records. Links to pre-save the EP and to purchase tickets to FOXCULT’s EP release show can be found here.