Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • Spring 2026 27 Album Reviews Filled with originality and Easter eggs alike, Wicked: For Good is a must-have not only for fans of Wicked and film score fans, but for all musicians. The album is available for streaming on major platforms and for purchase from major retailers. For more information, visit republicrecords.com. LONELY GOD Fit for a King Solid State Records Released August 1, 2025 If you were to look at the hand-drawn artwork, would you believe me if I told you that Fit for a King's newest album landed on No. 3 on the Top Christian Album charts? I wouldn't blame you if not. However, I highly encourage listeners of both the secular and sacred to give Lonely God your attention. Take "Monolith," for example, one of several songs with no clean vocals. Through the extreme vocals (featuring Alpha Wolf's Lochie Keogh), heavy percussion, and guitar distortion, you can tell that this is a song ideal for a mosh pit (stay hydrated so you don't pass out!). Then, hop over to "No Tomorrow" for something danceable yet melancholic, all while maintaining the Texas-based metalcore quintet's signature sound. Ryan Kirby and company are incredibly smart musicians, and their compositional choices reflect this. The chorus of "The Temple" utilizes blast beats to create tension and reflect its lyrics: "I can feel the pressure / But I don't see the diamonds forming." Personally, I find the chords at "[pull my strings] a little tighter now..." incredibly satisfying. Over the many times I've listened to Lonely God, I've enjoyed reading it through an ecological literary lens: a treatise on machine versus nature, and how humanity uses the former to exploit both the latter and each other, from the "electric reckoning" in "TECHNIUM" to the references of an inhospitable climate in "Extinction." "Witness the End," featuring Motionless in White frontman Chris Motionless, melodically brings together metalcore with elements of deathcore, a genre that blends metalcore with death metal. A fitting genre to explore, as it is not only the final track, but a thematic end. The question remains: how far are we willing to go before it is too late? Other standouts on this album include "Shelter" (a ballad that reminds me of a heavy Switchfoot or The Fray, even a little bit of For Today), "Begin the Sacrifice" (where I realized that AB and ABCB rhyme schemes in first and following choruses are an element I often see in metalcore), and the title track itself. If there was a word to describe my experience listening to and analyzing this album, it would be "educational." If you want to learn more about metalcore as a genre, and explore elements of deathcore, Lonely God is for you. The album is available for streaming on major platforms, and for purchase from major retailers. For more information, visit solidstaterecords.com/fit-for-a-king. HER VOICE: MUSIC FOR OBOE AND PIANO BY WOMEN COMPOSERS Theresa Delaplain, Miroslava Panayotova, Florence Price, Clara Schumann, Reena Esmail, Clemence de Grandval MSR Recordings Released June 18, 2025 It is an unfortunate fact that in the realm of chamber music, women are consistently underrepresented. So when I was sent Her Voice, I was delighted to discover a collection of pieces by women composers, performed by two accomplished women. Each piece is wholly different; as such, it allows for oboist Theresa Delaplain and pianist Miroslava Panayotova to stretch their musical muscles, demonstrating what is possible with two distinctly different timbres. "Nadi Shodhan," the third movement in Reena Esmail's Pranayam, challenges Delaplain to move up and down different registers, a feat which she accomplishes with ease. Panayotova also shows impressive command over the piano in "Kapalbhati," Pranayam's second movement, with her playful staccato style. It would be remiss to discuss an all- women album without highlighting the composers. Florence Price makes an appearance with a rendition of "Song Without Words." Originally conceived as a piano solo, this arrangement is peaceful and meditative. "Lamento," the first movement of Clemence de Grandval's Quatre Pieces, is a mournful yet nostalgic ballad. Delaplain herself shows her composing chops with her Monet Suite. Each movement is named after a painting by the titular French artist (the namesake of the first movement, "Morning on the Seine," also serves as the album's cover). Her thoughtful compositional style is a perfect pairing to Impressionist artwork. It is refreshing to hear such accomplished women get the spotlight they deserve. If you are an oboe aficionado—or just want to support women in the arts—do yourself a favor and give this album a listen. You won't regret it. Her Voice is available for purchase on msrcd.com, and for streaming on major platforms. Rebekah Strain was initiated into the Gamma Upsilon chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota at Morehead State University in 2013. She currently resides in Lexington, KY, where she teaches writing classes. She can be found on TikTok and Instagram as @rebekah_writes94

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