Originally Published on June 26th, 2026

Look, I get it. Times are scary. The world is a volatile place. It’s like we are swimming in a pool of contradictions, uncertainties, and disasters. Between the chaos that is American politics and the polarity they have on the world, AI’s impending impact on life as we know it, and everything else, people are trying to figure out where we fit in through all of this.

I think musicians are facing similar revelations. There are a lot of artists struggling to find their identities over the instinct to want to conform to the derivative algorithm magnets that provide an illusion of relevance. Just like fireflies, anarchists are facing extinction from an advancing and overwhelming exposure to mankind and their technological advancement. Artificial light is part of the root cause that is eradicating fireflies, just as artificial noise is silencing the anarchist.

That’s not to say they’re not going to go out fighting. They’re anarchists for fuck’s sake. Take Canada’s Deer Fang, for example. They are loyal to an authenticity that has made them who they are for years. They’re not trying to make genre stew by throwing in a dozen different influences. They are playing metal and hard rock, and better yet, they are playing it better than they did the last time.

Since releasing Blossom in 2024, Deer Fang have been building something special. This year, they released three EP’s featuring progressive material that reflect a pinnacle moment for the band, all the while giving the feeling it was leading up to something great. Today, they unveiled that something with the release of their debut album.

Forest for the Trees

Forest for the Trees is the debut LP of Ontario’s Deer Fang. At 37 minutes, this 11-song album released on June 25th, 2026. It features 7 songs released on the three EP’s released this year, along with 4 previously unreleased tracks. With the release of the album, they also debuted a new music video for the title track which you can watch right here!

Here is what I really love about this album. It is SO FLUID. It flows perfectly from one song to the next. It’s practically one continuous vibe throughout. I think the biggest contributor to this is the layering and tone of the guitars. It is a big, full sound that exists at either side of the listener. There is just the right amount of reverb and it is consistent throughout the entire album as well.

The vocals provide a sweetness to the overall heavy flow of the music. This reminds me of Welsh rock band, The Joy Formidable. It is an unexpected and very pleasing blend that offers a different dynamic within the genre.

After a few listens, I’m really drawn to the songs So Surreal, Casting Shadows, and the title track, Forest for the Trees. The production of the entire album is very good. I think the production value is amplified in these very dynamic songs. I love how the sound space is continuously filled in So Surreal and Forest for the Trees. Additionally, I really like how Casting Shadows comes in with this bass and drum groove before the guitars tear into the song. The spoken work vocal performance add this incredible element to the song before the singing begins in the chorus.

In the last two years, Deer Fang have been steadily building and growing a fan base of loyal listeners. They’ve steadily been growing a catalog of great music. They’re playing shows, they’re doing everything right with marketing and social media. All of this leads to this incredible moment of the release of their debut album, which is as good of an indie debut as one could hope for. Their playing shows are radio-ready and charismatic. They’re just need the ears.

Go press play!