There’s only so many iconic voices I would recognise instantaneously from my teen years. Then, there would only be so many in that group of people that I would still be following to this day. Well, Lacey Sturm is one of those singers. From emo-royalty to hard-rock powerhouse, she has run the gambit of the rock world for over twenty years now. Sturm released her debut solo album, Life Screams in 2016 and has mostly been occupying her time with other projects and endeavors in the meantime. Now, a whole seven years later we get her follow up, Kenotic Metanoia. This is an album she’s been building up to for a while now. The first single “The Decree '' came out in 2020. Over the course of the last few years she’s been bleeding out singles here and there, eventually announcing a new full-length album earlier this year. Now that the album has dropped and I’ve had the chance to listen to it. I thought I would share some thoughts.
Firstly, I just want to bring up the title. The term kenotic is a conjugation of kenosis. A doctrine to explain the dual nature of Jesus being both divine and human. Whereas metanoia is an ancient Greek term, explained as the process of the psychotic breakdown and the process of healing from said breakdown. If you combine the two, we can arrive at the conclusion that the Kenotic Metanoia is Sturm’s attempt at reconciling her Christian beliefs with her more human emotions. At least, this is my conclusion. Which I think the album bears out in its lyrics. The album attempts to tackle divinity from a human perspective. Songs like “Reconcile”, “Are You Listening” and “A Terrible Mistake” hit those ideas within their core themes. The aggressive nature juxtaposed against an almost pensive tone make these songs interesting listens. I think they’re open enough for people to draw their own experiences. Then you have the song “Breathe With Me”, which features the amazing talent of violinist Lindsey Sterling, which has a feeling of desperation in the words and the way Sturm sings them. I feel this song is about a person dealing with the pain of existence and trying to deal with the struggles that life can pile on you. As it hits its, almost gospel, crescendo, the song just gets more and more desperate.
From a production perspective. Sturm’s arrangements have always been impressive. Her voice just sores on top of the productions. She stretches her vocal talents wider in this album. She even manages to reincorporate her signature screaming in songs like “The Decree”. Lacey can have such a soft, delicate voice. Which is why it’s always shocking how much power she can put behind it. When she decides to go for broke and let loose, Sturm can just dial those notes like no-one else. As for the backing band, the music is your typical alt-rock. Very much Sturm's comfort zone. She knows her audience and what they’re here for so why fix what’s not broken. However, I feel this album hits a lot harder than the first album. There are a lot more of those metalcore/hardcore punk hooks laced throughout the album. These deliver a sting that makes for an excellent listening experience.
This album is a genuine delight to listen to and it’s great hearing a firm return to the microphone for Sturm. The album is dark and gloomy, but hits the highs so well. I can understand that the Christian themes can be slightly off-putting to some. I think it adds an interesting layer to the songwriting. Sturm handles the topics with grace and the album never comes off as preachy or in your face with the religious themes. Instead, the lyrics are interwoven with interesting language which could be overlooked if you’re listening carefully. As someone who is coming into this from a purely musical perspective, I think this album crushes. The rock elements are there and they sound so crisp and pack a powerful punch.