Watching a parent struggle through a health condition, one that won’t end well, is something many of us will face at some point. I had a 1-2 punch of losing both of mine when they were far too young, and several years later, the effects remain, and the healing is in waves. It’s a wound that never truly congeals. It’s a permanent scar.

“Devotion” is the second record that Rebecca Vernon created under The Keening banner, and she dedicates it to her late father, with whom she was living for a time in a senior living facility before he passed. The first half of the album goes full bore into Vernon reflecting on her father, and the music is delicate and sometimes thunderous. But she also looks at other darker subject matter such as the Osage Nation murders where killlings took place of wealthier Native Americans for oil and mineral rights, a story as old as time. It’s also the darker side of a devotion, and obsession for power and money. The playing also quakes harder than the debut, and the songs would fit alongside SubRosa’s in a live setting if she chose that path. This is a fully realized, heavily emotional record that leaves deep marks on your heart. If you just absorb the music, you’re likely to be equally as moved.

“Devotion I – Golden Thread” opens with quiet piano and aching strings, the singing compelling and moving you forward emotionally. A thick fog hangs overhead as Vernon sings, “A golden thread turns to an iron chain, a silken rope turns to fetters of stone,” as the spirit slips into the shadows. “Devotion II – Fitful Sleep” has guitars chiming and the singing haunting, strings settling before guitars electrify and add grit. The pace enraptures, guitars tracing patterns as organs swell, the playing turning gentler as woodwinds breeze, and a wordless call dissolves. “Devotion III – The King” is punchy and crunchy, giving off a bit of SubRosa’s seasick doom, stomping and sweeping as psyches do battle. A tidal wave of feelings floods, spirited and dark, stretching into oblivion. “Devotion IV – O Mother” has piano and strings uniting, softer singing making impact, Vernon calling, “O mother, why did you leave me all alone here in the pit of humanity?” Flutes flutter as the pace gets denser, Vernon repeats an admission, “I am hanging by a thread,” as the final drops hit the earth.

“A Little Bit of Blood” begins with acoustics, Vernon singing, “You drew a little bit of blood to show me, just a little bit of blood to make me see, it took a little bit of blood to wake me.” A steely pace enraptures as keys murmur, and energy crushes, bringing more metallic sentiment, squeezing your heart and mind. The pace trudges and quakes, filling your heart as Vernon concludes, “Time to move on, my friend, board the train, leave the station.” “Time Travel” opens with keys dripping, strings gliding, Vernon lamenting, “It can’t be made right, only in my dreams, all your science fails me.” Strings stiffen as the power jolts, organs chill, and the tumult digs deeper, Vernon noting, “I’m falling into fire.” “The Murder of Anna Brown” is the closer, and it’s based on the 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon, written by David Grann about the Osage murders that occurred from the 1910s through 1930s. Guitars pluck as the power arrives, Vernon singing, “She, so full of love, like the angels up above, she’s too pure to see that the devil lives inside of me.” The singing rushes, feeling raw in spots, and the strings kick up dust as the story unfurls. “And my soul? a small price to pay for the whole world,” Vernon levels, folkish melodies digging into veins, acoustics dusting as the darkness falls. “She remembers a time when the whole town greeted her, but now her body fell like a broken doll on the riverbank,” she sings, a final string of shots hitting harder, dissolving into the ground.

“Devotion” is an even fuller version of The Keening as it musically inches a little closer in sound to the reunited SubRosa. But make no mistake, this is a Vernon creation, and her final homage to her father and other dark stories that surround us make that evidently clear. This is a very personal record, and Vernon’s sharing it with us is a testament to her humanity and that our own struggles can help others at their most vulnerable.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.relapse.com/collections/the-keening-devotion

For more on the label, go here: https://www.relapse.com/

There are records that you put on and they sound wrapped in an outer layer put through a blender and placed over top in the most warped manner possible. You know there’s a “normal” record beneath, but you can’t get over what that extra element does to the music that’s absorbing your psyche. You’re hearing something completely out of the ordinary.

James Oskarbski is the mastermind behind death metal puzzlers Odious Spirit, whose new record “The Sourceless Scourge” is landing in your lap, strange syrup in tow to make this feel even stranger. Joined by bassist Cullen Gallagher and drummer Jason Bursese, this creation batters you, but it also twists the sane portions of your mind. Yeah, there’s a thrash-minded crusher in there, but Oskarbski doesn’t do anything conventionally. It’s an attacker that stretches your imagination but also leaves scorched earth behind. And drizzled over top is an looming phantom making the music stranger.

“True Non-Existence” batters as growls snarl, and strange, spacious clouds thicken, guitars sprawling as guts spill. The guitars turn dizzying, twisting muscle and chugging, the drums going off, the playing trudging heavily before subsiding. “Close to the Sun” blasts and scrambles brains, keys ringing as finger-tapped runs go for colorful insanity, the energy convulsing in your ear canals. The vibe turns frantic as guitars swarm, and the pace suddenly halts, orchestral moves sliding into shadows, the lightning blinding. Strangeness thicken as the playing thrashes, the drums dislodge bricks, and everything ends in blood.

“The Betrayer’s Will” has guitars scorching and howls clawing, clean notes dripping like ice coating your brain, speed igniting and clogging veins. Growls scrape as the keys drizzle, powering through as melodies swim in murk, the leads spread generously, and the elements circle and suffocate. “Void Without End” combines guitars and piano, everything soon turning crazed and even cartoon-like in its madness. The attack goes completely insane, the room spins, and growls clutch throats, rubbery appendages reaching and squeezing, the rage icing out the senses. Closer “Temporal Euthanasia” feels mystical before going off the deep end, growls stagger through disorienting chaos, and even a psychedelic sheen adds to the glimmer. The pace crushes again, the playing stomps as growls gurgle, and a jazzy bassline slithers. Keys glow as the guitars electrify, speed causes stomach contents to slosh, and a hypnotic force sinks in and pulls toward the unknown.

Odious Spirit demand your attention and eventually take it by force on “The Sourceless Scourge,” a record that will rewire your brain impulses. The band’s manic brand of death, thrash, and black metal is a concoction you like haven’t encountered before even with many other bands trying a similar blend. This is savagery that will undo you, impact your dreams, and leave your wounds oozing.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/odious_spirit

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://tornfromthegrave.us/collections/metal-odyssey

Or here (International): https://tornfromthegrave.com/collections/metal-odyssey

For more on the label, go here: https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/

Death metal that sounds like it originated in the sewers might not be the most attractive descriptor to some people. They can fuck off today, because we have the second full-length from Virginia Beach-based death and doom crushers Night Hag, and to hail from a beach town and be this acidic and putrid, you know some wires burnt mentally.

“Great Dismal Darkness” is a perfect title for this record that is as ugly, noise-warped, and guttural as one could imagine, and then they drag your face into the murk even deeper. The band—vocalist/drummer Jon Ransom, guitarists Casey Williams and Joe Arida, bassist Sam Fox—smothers you over seven tracks and 43 minutes of mucky violence, making you pay the price. But you’ll be happy you stopped by because the bludgeoning is worth it.

“Drowned in Death” starts weird and filthy, crushing everything under metallic weight, clobbering as soot accumulates in mouths. The pace slows and feels like it’s dragging bodies, death growls crawl into gore, noise hangs, and doomy horror takes us home. “Effluvia Tendrils” delivers bendy guitars, burly growls, and a quaking foundation, darkening as the sentiment continues to sicken. Infernal ugliness stagers into unspeakable torture, the playing lumbers as growls mash, and gurgles wash down the drain. “It Came Back the Next Night” opens in smoking doom, clubbing as growls warble, and the guitars add extra punishment. Death smears as the bass buzzes, calculated filth turns into an insurmountable fly ash pile, and the guitar steam wilts flesh.

“Staring into the Ancient Chasm” is doomy and smoking, the leads glimmering through the fog, the pace charring. The agony slows yet goes even harder, power battles as guitars fume, and morbidity fades away. “Strange Whispers from Beneath the Cypress” opens as a drum attack, the pounding penetrates, and growls scrape congealing wounds, everything going into a higher drive. Molten hell slowly flows, the tempo lurches, and screeches peel strips from your psyche. “The Terrible Old Woman” mauls, guitars aching along the way, a putrid sense turning stomachs. Guitars feel funereal as the temperatures climb, and bruises mark flesh. Closer “Excoriate” is raw and ripping, growls crushing, the leads burning their way into sludge. The pace takes its time driving knees into your ribs, the leads unload, and growls creak, lashing back for one last retch.

Night Hag’s style of death metal and doom isn’t polished or fun to look at, but it’s incredibly effective, evidenced by “Great Dismal Darkness.” There’s nothing high concept or scientific going on here; it’s a gory ass kicking that will leave you humiliated but kind of liking it? Not like that. It’s a wound that festers, and for some reason you enjoy the pain.  

For more on the band, go here: https://nighthag666.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.rottedlife.com/rotted-life-releases

For more on the label, go here: https://www.rottedlife.com/

I’ve heard the adage, “People aren’t angry enough,” so many times, that it is getting depressing. So many people are too comfortable in their own predicaments that they don’t spare a thought toward others. Some actively root for marginalized people to be further oppressed. I can’t imagine I share and earth with these people, but reality is brutal.

“Witch Wife in an Alien World,” the soaring third record from Canadian/American power metal force Smoulder, certainly acknowledges those circumstances but stands defiant against hopelessness. Vocalist Sarah Ann, whose voice needs to be experienced to be believed, took inspiration from her forestal residence in Finland and the improvements to her life from the healthcare system to reliable public transit to glorious outdoor spaces. It’s something that gives her comfort and relief and that she wants for other people. Imagine that in 2026. It’s enough to make you heave with emotion because the sentiment has become so rare. Rounding out this beast are guitarists Shon Vincent and Collin Wolf, bassist Adam Blake, and drummer Kevin Hester, who help make this record something that grabs your attention and refuses to relent until the final note. It fucking rules.

“Water Wars” charges open, Ann’s vocals storming and howling, the playing halting as she wails, “Cacophony of horrors, flutters beyond sightless eyes.” The fires gust again, the bass gets steely, and the soloing takes off, firing before a rousing end. “Shadow of the Vulture” trudges, classic riffs raining, the singing boiling. “Blood, fire, death, mirthlessly she laughs,” Ann calls, the leads glowing, the pace belting. The chorus burns as the punches land harder; the catchiness thickens as the band ends in full command. “Noitien Loitsu” opens with guitars scorching, a strong bassline flexing, the singing vibrating before the leads glow gloriously. The pace trudges as the playing goes harder, landing shots as the singing swelters, charring to a finish. “Crush the Neophytes” brings blazing guitars and an infectious flood of melodies, group singing rousing as the guitars give folkish vibes, albeit in electric fashion. The singing drives, the bass buzzes, and a mystical sheen spreads, giving off a “Seventh Son” vibe. The leads smoke, and Ann’s voice barrels through barricades.

“Empathy’s Wrath” has riffs riding into the fire, a thrashy beast flailing about, the singing stinging as the drums rumble. The soloing seers as the power comes to life, Ann howling, “Remember the fallen, remember to stand up.”  “Their Name Lives On” delivers burning guitars and vocals that grab you by the throat, a calculating pace boiling in place, the bruising slowly marking flesh. The pace grows more forceful as the singing digs deeper, the guitars blend, and the final notes dart toward hearts. “Cathedral of the Trees” ignites as the pace lumbers, the singing rises, and more folkish melodies enter the fray. The force makes blood pump, a darker form sneaks into the room, and the power peaks, the last strains blending into earth. Closer “Smouldering Remains” steams and explores, blistering as the singing scorches, Ann wailing, “Forceful expulsion of invaders is nigh, the heat of veined wings.” The soloing spills as the title is repeated, the intensity builds dangerously, and the guitars encircle, the power dashing and scorching flesh.

“Witch Wife in an Alien World” is a title that should grab your attention, then Smoulder get their hands on you and shake you to your foundations. Having a vocalist as unique as Ann already is a step up for the band, but then they pound you with traditional power metal grit that keeps your juices flowing. On top of that is a message of positivity and hope amid a world in chaos, and we could use any bit of good energy that we can find.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/

For more on the label, go here: https://cruzdelsurmusic.bandcamp.com/

Making it through each day the past, oh I don’t know, decade, has been a slog, and it feels heavy every single day not knowing what inexplicable horse shit awaits. That’s just in this country, and things are pretty harrowing in most other places, so trying to find strength and thrive in the face of misery and decay very much is an accomplishment.

“Helios,” the expansive fifth record from German force Firtan, focuses on enlightenment and the thorny path we must take to get there sometimes. The music and approach are more ambitious than ever before, presenting the fullest version of the band, proving they survived any bumps and bruises over the years to thrive in this environment. The band—vocalist/guitarist/keyboard player Phillip Thienger, guitarist Chris S., bassist/vocalist Oliver König, violin player/vocalist Klara Bachmair, drummer David Kempf—excels over these 12 tracks and 63 minutes, exploring different sounds and textures that make their style of black metal even more colorful.

“Himsa” is a brief opener with strings and woodwinds, pushing into “Kalika’s Tongue” that feels like it arrived from space before howls and clean singing bustle, and drama claws its way into your psyche. Guitars stagger as strings sweep, group chants rouse, and the final moments batter. “Ambrosia” wallows in darkness, creaky talking sneaking, the pace pummeling, howls striking chests before a sense of cold arrives. Growls battle as detached singing gives a haunting feel, keys glimmer, and group calls prod. “Solis Currus” drips, taking a calculated pace, roars arriving as the strings ache, the ambiance getting airy before ugly. The playing slips into the shadows, helping the drama thicken, howls stretching as a morbid finish sinks. “Ascension” has strings gathering, beastly growls alongside them, attacking, cooling, and torching again. The melodies glow before the center combusts, dual voices carrying the message, a dreaminess luring you beyond. “Wide Open Eye” barrels and blasts, the playing storming with fury, guitars tangling and trudging. The pace unglues, guitars torching as the speed increases, a frantic pace rising then busting.

The title track is immersive, liquifying as growls strike, strings dizzy, and we flow into a gentler section, guitars stirring before the pace guts again. Growls smear as group singing feels like it’s arriving from a fever dream, guitars then picking up the pace. The footing gets muddier, heat rises, and the guitars stagger, the heat thickening before relenting. “The Form Revealed” blisters, speedy guitars driving, black metal riffs taking flight. Steam threatens as howls engulf, a monstrous tempo taking hold, bristling and punching out. “Revealing Prana” is an instrumental interlude, acoustics echoing as your blood pressure normalizes. “The Hierophant Way” features James McClellan Dorton III of Ne Obliviscaris and runs 11:42, stirring and storming as howls mash, chants stinging as the mists grow more ominous. The playing then trudges, growls crashing as melodies drip, an animalistic burst coming to life. Speaking mesmerizes as the band unloads, devastating before going cold. Bachmair’s singing haunts, the track taking on ice, chilling before the power stabs, howls stretching into bells and winds whipping. “Shadows of a Dawn Unborn” guests Christian Höll of Vinsta, and acoustics brush, Bachmair’s singing soothing, strings gathering as a chambery note strikes, horns glaze, and the final moments settle. There also is a cover of Bathory’s “Man of Iron,” and they add their own charismatic stamp to this black metal classic.

“Helios” is a rare metal album in 2026 that goes the enlightenment path, when destruction would be so easy. Firtan instead take the pathway toward bettering oneself, trying to get stronger and more resilient as the world around you gets increasingly more chaotic. It’s an album to which you can devote an hour and come out with a clearer mind.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.aoprecords.de/gb/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.aoprecords.de/