KING WOMAN, the outfit featuring songwriter, vocalist and “tour de force of gloom and woe” (Rolling Stone) Kris Esfandiari, return with their eagerly-awaited sophomore album, Celestial Blues. Feeling compelled to reshape the biblical archetypes that once bound her, Esfandiari has created a theatrical tale of rebellion, tragedy, and triumph — a metaphor for her own personal experiences over the years — Celestial Blues was born. Celestial Blues is at once a masterclass on crushing atmospheric doom, and at times a sobering take on the weightier sides of shoegaze. At the album's core, a palpable tension can be felt. Acoustic guitars soar before descending into a darkness of riff-heavy distortion. Drums build upon these moments and explode into a cacophonous groove. Esfandiari's voice remains at the forefront; somber moments lead to burning intensity and crescendo. This ebb and flow is constant. Recorded in Oakland, California by GRAMMY-nominated engineer Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Amenra, Oathbreaker) Celestial Blues sees KING WOMAN take a daring step forward as one of the genre's luminaries, releasing one of the year's most evocative records.