SOM – “Let The Light In” CD (digipack)

After eight years, SOM stand at a pivotal moment. Three years after their critically acclaimed sophomore album The Shape of Everything (Pelagic Records) and a year following the release of Faith, an am- bitious EP of Depeche Mode covers (So- nic Ritual Recordings), their forthcoming third full-length Let The Light In captures the band at its most introspective and ad- venturous.

A study in contrasts, Let The Light In is si- multaneously SOM’s catchiest and hea- viest record, pushing boundaries with dis- sonance and noise while uncovering sur- prising moments of tranquillity; the calm within the storm.

With a unique sound dubbed “Doom Pop” by Metal Injection, SOM’s dreamy shoegaze roots are on dis- play but there is heaviness and heft at its core that is bracing and ferocious. If the band’s debut album The Fall explored hitting rock bottom and The Shape of Everything grappled with the ever-darkening world around us, Let The Light In sees SOM turn their sights inward, towards our most primal impulses; seeking solace and reconciliation from the vibrance within ourselves and the people we hold close.

Adversity became the catalyst for change when, due to unforeseen circumstances, founding drummer Duncan Rich had to depart the band midway through the album’s writing and recording process. SOM took the remainder of 2023 to reshape and refocus, eventually re-recording most of the album as bas- sist Justin Forrest moved to drums, and singer Will Benoit moved from guitar to bass. This new configu- ration allowed guitarists Joel Reynolds and Mike Repasch-Nieves to paint in even broader strokes, creating ever more dense, lush and ethereal soundscapes while Benoit’s vocals explore a fleeting inti- macy balanced between soaring falsettos and gritty vocal stabs. The result is a raw, yet richly melodic album that takes the listener on a journey through the depths of human emotion, ultimately guiding us towards growth and enlightenment.

Serving as a powerful statement of intent, lead single ‘Give Blood’ unleashes a barrage of post-metal, high gain distortion and pummeling drums before opening up into a panoramic, cloudbusting chorus of spiralling guitars and Benoit’s tender yet commanding voice. Elsewhere the likes of title track ‘Let The Light In’ and ‘Nightmares’ bring SOM’s latent pop edge to the fore with uplifting vocal melodies and tri- umphant, reverb-soaked guitar refrains leading the charge yet never far from the snarling bite of a post- hardcore breakdown.

Together, the crush of angular epic ‘Chemicals’ and the album’s breathtaking closer ‘The Light’ show- case a resounding sense of musicality and patience within SOM’s new constellation. Despite sitting at opposite ends of the band’s sonic spectrum, both tracks find the four-piece unafraid to take a breath; not only amplifying the liminal spaces between their awesome orchestration but proudly displaying how SOM’s pieces now fit together to form something so much greater than the sum of its parts.

Since 2019, SOM have toured extensively across North America, Europe and the UK alongside acts in- cluding Katatonia, Solstafir, Slow Crush, Holy Fawn, O’Brother, Defeater, Gost, and Rosetta. These hard-earned experiences across 21 countries, coupled with 2023’s introspective restructuring, have profoundly altered their creative approach. Impassioned late night conversations in the bus, heartfelt di- sagreements and the endless euphoria of playing to audiences around the globe have only added to a wealth of lived experience and musical growth, resulting in a more nuanced, explorative and emotional- ly charged songwriting process.

As they approached this new material, the members of SOM found themselves in a fresh headspace, armed with a newfound maturity. Let The Light In is SOM’s testament to resilience and evolution. Born from challenge and change, the album pulses with confidence and catharsis, imploring the listener and the band themselves to traverse the darkness and find the light.

FOR FANS OF: Deftones, Loathe, HUM, Katatonia, Slowdive, Holy Fawn, Glare, Slow Crush, Nothing, Caspian

LINEUP

Will Benoit – Voice, Bass, Guitar, Electronics
Justin Forrest – Drums, Bass
Mike Repasch-Nieves – Guitar, Piano
Joel Reynolds – Guitar, Synth