Faunalia

Let me start off by saying what a weird, yet fascinating cover. Something similar can be said about the music to a certain extent. “Faunalia” is the second full length by Italian outfit Selvans, which as far as I understood is another example of one man producing a wonderful and highly professional album all by his own. This young and determined lad has an absolutely fantastic feeling for great melodies and wonderfully flowing music.

Most of the tracks come along with a very melodic approach, with soaring lead flourishes swirling through each song. The main promise is a delivery of that sweet cold and melodic black metal base, immediately transporting the listener to mystic places and dark forests. Bright synths lift the music and carry the weight of the lyrics, while the clean and crisp production keeps things sharp. Blast beats keep battering against your skull and atmospheric soundscapes of layered synths are setting the tone.

Keyboards are used as well to create an extra portion of epic atmosphere. Not only this, Selvans has implemented instruments like flutes or a tibia, which has already been played by the ancient Romans. What speaks for the talent of Selvans is how he has woven everything into the overall songs, without any of the details sounding out of place. The whole instrumentation comes across like one perfectly synchronized unit. Each detail makes sense, even if it might take at least two spins before you can appreciate the dark beauty of “Faunalia” in its entirety, as Selvans sometimes thinks a bit outside of the box and implemented some unorthodox passages.

Beside the fast and aggressive parts there are also quite a lot of mid-tempo moments and tracks, helping to keep things interesting over the whole playing time. Whenever solos and lead parts are utilized, they are done in a raw yet melodic style with the music often capturing a slightly melancholic vibe. Every single track from this record has a melody and harmonies that you will have in your head all day long. The combination of tight riffs with tight drumming and beautiful melodies made by both, guitar and vocals is something that comes out in a special way here.

The production has been carefully chosen, finding the right mix between some crunchy heaviness and a certain level of rawness. Nothing sounds too polished or too synthetic, but there is enough punch and power. The CD version comes as awesome A5 digipak, making it a fantastic addition to anyone’s physical collection. I am deeply impressed and might go on to check out the older work as well.