SOM have announced the release of their third full-length album, Let The Light In, on March 14 through Berlin-based, left-field label Pelagic Records.
SOM's dreamy shoegaze roots are on display across Let The Light In but there is heft at its core that is bracing and ferocious. If the band's debut album The Fall explored hitting rock bottom and sophomore release 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 vibrancy within ourselves and the people we hold close.
Adversity became the catalyst for change when, due to unforeseen circumstances, the band's founding drummer left 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 in a new configuration that allowed them to paint in even broader sonic strokes. The result is a raw but richly melodic album unafraid to travel through the depths of human emotion, ultimately guiding us towards growth and enlightenment.
Serving as a reinvigorated 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 that sees duelling guitars and vocalist Will Benoit's tender-yet-commanding voice freely intertwined, spiralling ever upwards.
To accompany this brand new song, SOM have unveiled a music video with a particularly cinematic feel, directed by Alex Pace (Blood Incantation, Wayfarer, Abrams). The video features an anonymous couple in a series of intense, dreamlike shots crossed by swirls of light. But abruptly, a darker side appears, counterbalancing this idyll. A sumptuous video that seems to invite viewers to make their own interpretation of it. Watch the video below.
"It's a sort of post-pandemic reflection on kindness and how we treat one another," says Benoit. "The idea came while I was laying on a table, actually giving blood. It occurred to me how kind someone would have to be to be doing this during a pandemic. I started to think about how many people were doing awful things at that time, spreading misinformation, and just generally being horrible people in society. I continue to want to do everything I can to not be that person, I want to be the kind of person who 'gives blood.'"
Since 2019, SOM have toured extensively across North America, Europe and the UK alongside acts including Katatonia, Solstafir, Slow Crush, and many more. This relentless live commitment across 21 countries, coupled with 2023's introspective restructuring, has profoundly altered their creative approach.
As they began working on this new material, the members of SOM found themselves in a fresh headspace, armed with a newfound, hard-earned 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.
Let The Light In is released on March 14. Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Don’t Look Back"
"Let The Light In"
"Chemicals"
"The Place That I Belong"
"Give Blood"
"Nightmares"
"Under Streetlights"
"The Light"
"Give Blood" video:
(Photo - Mike Repasch-Nieves)
