Loud Arriver

Loud Arriver is the full-length debut album from Philadelphia goth rockers Sonja.

The beginnings of Sonja stretch back to 2014, and the firm formation began a few years after that. Founder Melissa Moore (guitar, vocals) was known up to that point for her work with black metal band Absu, and before then with the thrash band Rumpelstiltskin Grinder. Sonja is musically quite different, moving more in the gothic rock lane. They released a two-song demo in 2018, and work on Loud Arriver started the next year. It is great to have the finished product available now. Moore is joined by Ben Brand (bass) and Grzesiek Czapla (drums) for the album.

There are eight tracks on the new record, getting going with “When The Candle Burns Low…” A haunting voice emerges from the mist, setting the mood. The music fully drops with a deep gothic attitude, surging guitars, and persistent percussion. Moore has an excellent voice for this kind of music and it is hard to believe this is the first time she has sung lead. “Nylon Nights” is a straight up hard rocker with a killer opening riff and a melody that sticks in your head. “Pink Fog” has a kind of club feel in the chorus while the slower movements are rather melancholy. The first triplet offers three very different looks at the band’s style.

Other songs to note are “Fuck, Then Die,” which, despite its aggressive title, is tantalizingly engrossing in the execution. “Moans From The Chapel” is a great song that is fast and sharp, and it is surely a crowd pleaser when played live. The title track anchors the set at the end. It opens acoustically with gentle vocals, then moves into a more rugged build. Ultimately, it takes off at a dead run. There is nice guitar work in the middle, and this song might be my favorite on the album, accomplishing, as it does, exceptional transitions and seamlessly melding together separate ideas into a unified composition. Fine work. All the tracks hold up well and I hope that this is the start of a long string of big albums. Recommended.