Faetooth on Valentine’s Day at The Garage
If you enjoy slow, atmospheric doom metal, Faetooth deliver. The Los Angeles three-piece — self-described as “Fairy Doom” — are currently undertaking a massive UK/EU tour, and I was lucky enough to score tickets for their Valentine’s Day gig at The Garage in Islington — a perfect date, in my opinion. Promoting their latest album Labyrinthine, they drew a packed crowd before the end of the supporting acts’ sets. If you’re looking for a women-fronted metal band steeped in folklore, Faetooth are well worth your attention.
Unfortunately, we missed the first band, Lemondaze, a three-piece from North London, due to traffic and the venue’s tight curfew, but we’ll definitely be checking them out. We arrived just in time to see Coltaine, a doom metal outfit from Germany’s Black Forest region. The atmosphere shifted the moment they stepped onstage: the singer emerged through smoke, wailing and shaking bells, commanding attention instantly. As a sludgy band, they shift from banshee-like shrieks to deep crooning, and you don’t need to understand German to appreciate their sound. I also have to mention their stunning merch and album art — it suited the music perfectly, and I couldn’t resist picking some up.
Faetooth delivered a deeply ambient set steeped in gloom. This isn’t something you come to mosh to; it’s for closing your eyes, swaying, headbanging slowly and conjuring fantastical visions. If you grew up listening to The Cure but wished they were heavier, Faetooth might be your answer. Their haunting vocals reverberate through you, layered over deep bass and down-tuned guitars that ooze classic doom weight. Built to be experienced live, the sound enveloped the room as the performance unfolded. For a three-piece, they create a remarkably full presence, filling the stage with ease. Smoke machines and carefully designed lighting amplified the mood, enhancing the dreamlike undercurrent.
I found myself transported to distant landscapes: fog-shrouded cemeteries, misty moors, forests where the fae linger behind every tree — beautiful and menacing in equal measure. The evening felt like a dark fairytale, where sirens drag sailors under and witches pull you into the woods, never to return. Despite the heavy atmosphere, both vocalists wore heart-shaped headbands in honour of the date and wished us a happy Valentine’s — a sweet, lighthearted moment.
Standout tracks included ‘Echolalia’ and ‘She Cast a Shadow’ from their 2022 album ‘Remnants of the Vessel’ — bleak yet beautiful, showcasing both vocalists across melodic lows and guttural screams. ‘White Noise’ from the new album was anything but; intense and absorbing, it moves from gentle riffs and restrained vocals to crushing weight before receding again. It’s one of those songs that drifts seamlessly between softness and heaviness across its six-minute runtime.
My only complaint was that the strict curfew meant there was no encore, but otherwise it was an excellent night. If you missed the UK dates, don’t worry — the tour continues across Europe.