King Woman’s Celestial Blues is a heavy, theatrical second album from the New York outfit led by songwriter and vocalist Kris Esfandiari. It moves through crushing doom metal and darker shoegaze, with acoustic guitars giving way to riff-heavy distortion and drums that gather force before breaking into a huge groove. Esfandiari keeps the voice close to the front, shifting from subdued lines to full-blooded cries as each song pushes towards its next peak.
The album reshapes biblical stories into a tale of rebellion, collapse and recovery. “Morning Star” follows Lucifer’s fall with a sly vocal performance, while “Coil” brings gospel fervour into the band’s hardcore attack. “Psychic Wound” is more exposed and desperate, and “Golgotha”, “Entwined” and “Paradise Lost” keep the record’s pull between devotion and defiance in view. It’s a dramatic listen, sometimes deliberately overwhelming, but the contrast between open acoustic passages and dense guitar weight gives the nine tracks room to breathe. Anyone drawn to slow metal, severe vocals and shoegaze’s heavier edge will find plenty here, especially in the FLAC 16/44 release.
