They say that every day is a school day, and dipping into the 12th album by German pagan folk band Faun is a good lesson, for it is an album that is expansive and engrossing from start to finish.
Faun – Hex
Release Date: 5 September 2025
Words: Paul Hutchings
Now, if pagan folk is not your bag, then it is unlikely that this album is going to change your mind. But if you approach music with an open and appreciative mind, then even the most resistant should crack at points.
Whether it be the sweeping movements that embrace traditional instruments whilst hinting at the underlying heaviness that Faun conjures, or the imagery that Faun has carefully crafted and curated in their storytelling, there is something magical about Hex. 
Despite having been in existence since 1998, Faun’s first appearance in these pages may be belated, but it is undoubtedly a good one. Derived from the German Hexe – witch / ahd. ‘Hagazussa’ (the one who walks between the worlds), there is a distinctly female vibe to the album, highlighting witches, healers and wise women, raising the question why those who were burnt were feared more than those lighting the fires.
For someone whose tolerance of everything folky is somewhat limited, this album is something of a revelation. I have played it repeatedly and embraced each track.
It is a real absorbing listen that evolves with each play. The compositions enchant and mesmerise, the switching from English to German lyrics making no dent in the enjoyment. Spells cast, one is drawn in like a fly caught in the spider’s web, and it’s really no struggle to lie back and allow the music to envelop and wash over.
Opener Belladonna quickly captures the listener’s attention with its Irish Folk roots, and you are soon drawn in on a deeper level. The interplay between the traditional instruments and the vocals of Laura Fella, who joined Faun from Eluveitie in 2017, and Oliver S. Tyr, band manager and composer, amongst a multitude of talents, is impressive.
It is followed by the pre-Christian mourning of Lament, which chills, whilst the band take you back to Arthurian legends on Nimue. A song about Merlin’s imprisonment in a sacred tree by the sorceress Nimue, Faun can transport you to that imagery with flowing ease.
Hex is an album that is both catchy and evocative. They cover Nick Drake’s Black Eyed Dog with their own style and bring in guest musicians Daniel Petterson and Daniel Fredriksson on Vals, which drops into Swedish folklore. Unafraid to explore, Umay sees the band take in Turkish Folk with the help of Turkish singer Fatma Turgut.
Hex is beautifully crafted and constructed, with direction from Oliver Satyr (Magister Artium of Medieval Philology), and is an album that you can enjoy on many levels.
A deeper, more focused dive will no doubt bring rich reward, whilst the hard rock edge may appeal to those who might otherwise dismiss it.
The mix of styles makes it a truly eclectic record, and with mythical soundscapes adorning every track, it is an album that combines darkness with light.
Faun release Hex on 5 September 2025 via Pagan Folk Records. Pre-orders are available from faun.bfan.link/hex.
