Bands are not required by law to adhere to the same formula their entire careers. Yeah, fans will bitch that the sounds have charged or aren’t exactly the same on every record or all of that, but staying a course when one’s heart isn’t in it peels back the genuine nature of their art. Plus, making changes can invigorate a band for the better.

Doom road warriors Blackwater Holylight have delivered three strong full-lengths (the last one being 2021’s great “Silence/Motion”) and scuffed-up power, but on their new EP “If You Only Knew,” they show an entirely different side, one that’s a little poppier and flush with different colors from what we’ve seen and heard before. The band—singer/guitarist/bassist Sunny Faris, keyboard player Sarah McKenna, guitarist Mikayla Mayhew, drummer Eliese Dorsay—sounds transformed, maintaining their ties to doom but adding more shoegaze and psychedelic elements to a formula that already was pretty strong. It took a few visits to fully wrap my head around this EP, but the effort is worth it as the music really works.

“Wandering Lost” blossoms with keys spreading, Faris’ breezy singing floating over, as noted a pretty stark departure from the band’s normal sound. Guitars darken as the pace toughens, eventually ripping open and letting more explosive elements roam. The leads get fuzzier and heated, the keys wash over like a medicine drip, and everything fades into sound. “Torn Reckless” opens with neon synth and a bouncier, gazier path forward, a smooth chorus making for easier sailing. The verses are a little more atmospheric than the choruses, which pull you back into the rock pile. A pillowy sheen hugs while the guitars float in clouds, all basking in the feedback. “Fate Is Forward” is foggy with guitars drizzling, Faris’ softer singing prodding, the pace eventually opening wider, synth luring you on a road to the chorus. Shades brighten as keys glow and the vocals lightly scathe, the guitars smearing before draining away. Closer “All I Need,” a cover of the Radiohead song, has guitars hanging in the air, drums tracing, and higher-register singing, giving off a cool nighttime vibe. The keys emerge and soothe, and the pace begins to pick up, the guitars coating, a cool rush icing flesh, and everything looping out into oblivion.

“If You Only Knew” shows a completely different side of Blackwater Holylight, but it keeps intact their penchant for doom and darkness, served with a breath of cooler, cleaner air. Not sure if this is the new direction for this band or if this is more of an experiment, but this works for them, and if they folded this style with their edgier work, they might have something here. This is a sleek change of pace for this band, once that adds to their already powerful repertoire. 

For more on the band, go here: https://blackwaterholylight.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://store.suicidesqueeze.net/

For more on the label, go here: https://suicidesqueeze.net/