| Pagan folk band FAUN have released their brand new album Hex, out now via Pagan Folk Records. The new album sees FAUN return to their musical roots with mystical, archaic folk and enchanted ballads, taking the listener on an entertaining musical journey into the female magic and pagan myths of our history with the help of carefully researched lyrics. Stream/purchase the album here. The name is derived from the German word for witch, “hexe”, and thematically explores the stories of witches, female healers and wise women. Far away from the cliché of the evil fairytale witch, the German ensemble wants to highlight the various aspects of female magic in different cultures and the legitimate question why we still fear the evil witches instead of the people who burned them. Speaking on the release of the album, the band shares:
“The day has come. Our new album HEX is finally out! Step with us into a world of spells, myths and magic.  “ To celebrate the release, the band have shared a new music video for the stunning ‘Belladonna’, their final single from the new album. Belladonna is a poisonous nightshade and witch’s plant, its name derived from the Italian translation for “beautiful woman.” Its Latin name “Atropa Belladonna” also refers to one of the three Greek goddesses of fate, “Atropos”, who is able to cut the thread of life. That connection between beauty and danger is ultimately what inspired the song’s creation. Watch the music video here. Speaking about the single, the band explains:
“Hecate is the Queen of all witches. Her realm is known as the ‘Garden of Hecate’. Since she was closely associated with plant lore, the term ‘Garden of Hecate’ was also used for the plants of the nightshade family. Here in our song, a wanderer is lured by three witches into this garden, following the lure of the ‘beautiful lady’ in the darkest night.” | 
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