King Woman - Celestial Blues - CLP

ONYX MARBLE

KING WOMAN once again takes us to church with hardcore gospel, “Coil". “Five wounds you rape me / but I resurrect” declares Esfandiari in unhinged jubilation. Esfandiari desperately begs to be absolved in the crazed offerings of “Psychic Wound”, ultimately regaining a powerful reflection of herself after a provocative and tormenting dance with the Devil.

Celestial Blues is at once a masterclass on crushing atmospheric doom, and at times a sobering take on the weightier sides of shoegaze. At the album's core, a palpable tension can be felt. Acoustic guitars soar before descending into a darkness of riff-heavy distortion. Drums build upon these moments and explode into a cacophonous groove.  Esfandiari's voice remains at the forefront; somber moments lead to burning intensity and crescendo. This ebb and flow is constant.

Recorded in Oakland, California by GRAMMY-nominated engineer Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Amenra, Oathbreaker) Celestial Blues sees KING WOMAN take a daring step forward as one of the genre's luminaries, releasing one of the year's most evocative records.