The gothic/doom band from Cleveland, Ohio, presents its fourth album, “Heretics & Lullabies,” and is backed by a major label for the first time in Napalm Records. We spoke with the leading duo, Gwyn Strang (vocals) and Sean Bilovecky (guitar), about the band’s sophisticated identity, visual presentation, and the personal and religiously critical content of their songs.
FRAYLE is your spelling of “frail” – what does the band name mean to you, how does frailty manifest itself in your work?
Like Kintsugi, whereupon fixing something broken with gold makes it more valuable, by breaking apart and “fixing” the word frail, it somehow makes it stronger and more valuable. We thought FRAYLE would also make sense because of the lyrics and the vocal delivery.
Your visual presentation—whether on stage, in videos, or in artwork—is extremely well-thought-out and striking. How important is this strong visual language to FRAYLE’s identity?
The music always comes first for us, but we are both designers and feel comfortable creating visuals that convey our feelings. We want to create an entire world for you to immerse yourself in, so a certain aesthetic and creepy visuals are a natural part of that.
Gwyn, you often appear with chains around your face and a crown of thorns on your head. What does this symbolize for you, and what social criticism might lie behind it?
The face jewelry is actually a way for me to hide a bit while I show you the most vulnerable parts of myself through lyrics. I’m a very introverted person, so keeping a little bit of myself hidden away in public is important for me. The crown, on the other hand… I’m not one to disrespect anyone’s religion, but I don’t believe in organized religion. I don’t need someone to tell me how to be a good person. I did find out that the fundamentalist Christian’s hate it when I wear the crown, so naturally it will be a staple in my wardrobe for a while.
Gwyn, you are always front and center on the cover artworks, often specially lit on stage, while your fellow musicians are in the dark or obscured. Why did you decide on this presentation with you in the spotlight?
I think it was mostly Seans idea. I actually wanted to stand behind the drums when playing live because it’s easier for me to hear myself. However, it led to the idea that it is a priestess with her coven, and I am more than okay with that.
In your opinion, what has changed or improved musically since “Silk & Sorrow”?
I feel like there has been definite growth since the last album. We’re also swinging wider. Taking more chances, adding a few bpm for some songs, etc. Having Aaron Chaparian producing this album was also a major shift for us. I love what he did. I think it definitely helped to create something special.
Were there any songs that took a particularly long time to mature or have a special story behind their creation?
“Boo” was written as a tongue in cheek response to a woman who screamed and crossed the street after seeing me. I thought it was funny and a shared experience for those of us for whom every day is Halloween.
The album title “Heretics & Lullabies” sounds like a lyrical summary of the contrasts that resonate in your music. What does it mean to you?
The meaning is multi layered, but absolutely it mirrors the juxtaposition of the music versus the vocals, the dark vs the light. I like to explore the dichotomy we all have within us.
Heresy and turning away from religion are common themes in FRAYLE. What experiences have you had with religion? How does it feel for you to not follow the usual religious dogmas of the Christian world in this world?
It feels great! I am not reigned in by someone else’s idea of morality. It has unfortunately been my experience that the most zealous of religious people hold ( and privately break) the most stringent view of morality.
The lyrics often seem very personal. How much of your own experiences, pain, and feelings do you deal with in the lyrics?
Writing is like therapy for me. I try to leave my feelings on the page. Everything in my lyrics is very personal. On this and the last album, it was like picking at a scab until it bled.
Your music is dark, atmospherically dense, and melancholic. When you have to convey this mood live or write lyrics, can it be obstructive if you’re in a good mood?
I can only write when I’m in a good mood. Or at least a neutral one. When I’m going through something, I’ll write snippets in my phone. I have a library of hundreds of lyric notes. When I’m in a better frame of mind, I’ll refer back to my notes and revisit what I felt at the time but from a better spot.
The entire political situation around the world is frail at the moment, including the USA. To what extent do you follow all the events and news, and how are you personally dealing with it?
I try not to get too immersed in it. I try to put my energy somewhere more productive.
With “Summertime Sadness,” you covered a song by Lana Del Rey. How did you come to choose this song, and what fascinates you about Lana Del Rey?
I think Lana is the queen of melancholy. Her voice holds so much sadness, so to me, it seemed like a natural fit. Wherever we decide to include a cover, we usually flesh out a few and then demo the ones we choose from there. “Summertime Sadness” just had all the parts fall into place after a couple of quick fixes. Aaron added the pause before the chorus, and it was then that we knew it was magical.
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You played at major festivals this summer, like Brutal Assault, Alcatraz, Bloodstock, and Summer Breeze. How did you experience the response in Europe?
Europe has always treated us very well. The crowds were very open and receptive. We always make sure to go into the crowd after we’re done with our set and try to meet as many people as possible. We usually get a good response. Europeans have been very supportive.
A US tour with Dogma will follow in the fall. What are you particularly looking forward to – and what do you expect from audiences in your home country compared to Europe?
This is our first time touring with Dogma, so we’re not sure what to expect. We played with them at one of the festivals and they are all great musicians. We always look forward to meeting people from the crowd, so that will definitely be something to look forward to.
That’s it, thank you for your time! Good luck with the release of “Heretics & Lullabies”. The last words are all yours.
Thank you so much for taking the time with us today. We appreciate all the love and support we have received with this album. It means more than you know.
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22. Oktober 2025 Stefan Popp
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