Celestial Blues
by King Woman
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
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  1. Sputnikmusic
    Aug 4, 2021
    90
    Kris Esfandiari and her team have created something truly special with this album, a musical piece where the divine is given voice and flesh to envision what is Kris' most honest and enrapturing work of her prolific career, and be sure it won't be the last one.
  2. Beats Per Minute
    Aug 4, 2021
    83
    King Woman perfects the approaches outlined on Suffering here, constructing soundscapes that are gossamer and pummeling, sparse and layered, heavenly and apocalyptic.
  3. The Wire
    Dec 20, 2021
    80
    A polished affair which approaches doom metal with something like a pop sensibility – the melodies bring to mind Deftones or the accessible end of UK bands like Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, though Esfandiari’s strain of gothic gloom, for all its theatricality, feels less superficial and more the product of genuine internal turmoil. [Nov 2021, p.62]
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  5. Kerrang!
    Aug 4, 2021
    80
    It has evolved beyond the blueprint they set out on their first album to expand their sound into new and exciting territory. Whether you’re a fan of slowcore, grunge, doom or shoegaze there is a song for absolutely everyone to enjoy on this album. Simply put, it is a must listen.
  6. Pitchfork
    Aug 4, 2021
    75
    King Woman’s ability to outdo themselves continues apace, and the bar continues to rise each time Esfandiari sheds her skin anew.

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User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Dronegore
    Oct 31, 2021
    9
    A beautiful blend of melancholic aggressions and ethereal darkness comes together to form a tour de force of an album. The members of KingA beautiful blend of melancholic aggressions and ethereal darkness comes together to form a tour de force of an album. The members of King Woman are at their heaviest channeling the depths of bands like Neurosis, and at their calmest something more akin to dream pop, or even Chelsea Wolfe. At times they even seem to venture into something similar to the new wave of grunge that has emerged in the last couple of years, for example in tracks like Coil. There is a nice dynamic that flows through the whole record that takes it from brutal and gut-wrenching depths to beautiful, but eerie, lullabies in songs like Golgotha. A song like Entwined instead let's you meet with the love child of Mazzy Star and Crowbar. Bizarre as it might seem, it works. It works really well. Even with these examples King Woman is very much its own band. Its own identity. An identity that reeks of a somber, almost sad, aggression. It's simply breathtaking at times. Deeply moving rhythms that throws the emotions in all kinds of directions. Consider me floored, and gasping for air – at the same time I just can't stop digging to the catchy nature of some parts. A near perfect blend. Perhaps even a perfect one. I might need more time to digest everything. All I can say is that this is a record, and band, that will follow with me for a long time.

    This might very well be my favorite record of the year. A record that inspires me profoundly. With Celestial Blues King Woman has created a world I don't want to escape from – but rather become a part of.    … Full Review »
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