Ragana saints were not canonized by a particular religion. forged by fire. In the sanctuary of a centuries-old Catholic church-turned-studio in Anacortes, Washington, Oakland via Olympia, metal duo Coley and Maria (who don't publicly share their last names) paid tribute to their queer and trans predecessors with what they've described as an anthem of gratitude. “Desolation's Flower”, the opening title track from their new album, is simmering and rightfully so. Colley's fading, murky, monophonic guitar melodies echo alongside Maria's massive and gradual percussive crash. From this foundation, they build on multiple movements of feverish drums and soaring black-metal riffs. The collie's cries suggest anger, but rather than unleashing pure rage, their words express gratitude for their ancestors and a promise to live up to their example.
“Hallowed be the names,” they repeatedly insist, of those who endured the relentless hell of oppression to find a hidden world of relief. Their symbolism refers to the romantics of the 19th century, offering an indelible image beyond the limits of this music: “They found the flower of desolation.” As the song ends after eight minutes, each of Maria's steady bass drum hits lands as a steady, persistent reminder. Both in its gradual rise and its focus on ancestors who crossed the unsettled terrain, the song provides the sonic and conceptual background for the entirety of their sixth album. The flower of desolation.
The seven pieces in The flower of desolation combine panoptic frenzy with almost atmospheric calm to underline the present difficult moment in history where oppression is written into law. Ragana's anarchist politics has been the conceptual undercurrent in all of their records to date, and it continues here. In their lyrics, the metaphorical ecosystems of the world are all freezing cold, dense fog, unsupported fires and brutal winds. It is a setting that breeds despair and intense longing. “There's no going back to a place before the pain,” Coley reveals on “Winter's Light Pt. 2.” The best way to survive out there is together. the duo recently discussed how easy it is to find community and connection through protest. “May we find refuge in what's left,” the song concludes.
For all its weight and darkness, The flower of desolation it is never fully dark. The emphasis on collective strength, on reaching out when all seems hopeless, is a call to action when collapse seems the default. It's there in their lyrics, and there's also something inherently motivating about the clipped vocals and raw, slow sound of this Pacific Northwest queer anarchist black metal duo. Even the way the album is put together reflects its focus on finding strength through solidarity: Coley screams and plays guitar on all the single-numbered songs, and for the rest, they sit behind the drums while Maria takes the lead. head Start. Ragana have spoken about the conscious balancing of their individual styles on their records—Coley's more elaborate odysseys alongside Maria's quieter, more minimal compositions—and that the fusion of aesthetics preserves The flower of desolation riveting.
