SOM have unveiled the video for their new single “Chemicals,” taken from the upcoming third album Let The Light In, which arrives March 14 via Berlin’s Pelagic Records. The band, described as “Doom Pop” by Metal Injection, harnesses a dreamy shoegaze undercurrent but lands with a heavy, forceful core.
As the band explains, their previous albums shifted from confronting rock bottom on The Fall to grappling with the “ever-darkening world” on The Shape of Everything. Let The Light In turns inward, inviting solace and reconciliation from what lies deep within, as well as from those closest to us. That vision gained new intensity when SOM’s founding drummer unexpectedly left midway through writing and recording.
The group spent much of 2023 restructuring, ultimately re-recording most of the album in a way that broadened their sonic range. The result, they say, is “a raw but richly melodic album unafraid to travel through the depths of human emotion, ultimately guiding us towards growth and enlightenment.”
“Chemicals” captures this duality. The single is “angular and anthemic,” merging “the alt-metal menace of high-gain distortion and punching, half-time drums with catchy hooks and soaring vocal euphoria.” The accompanying video—directed by Joel Villegas (whose credits include Holy Fawn, Poison The Well, and Glassing)—bolsters that vibe through a “sultry, psyched-out trip” and the lo-fi glow of old CRT monitors. It matches the broader scope SOM have been chasing throughout Let The Light In.
SOM no tour with EARTHSIDE:
2/21 — Boston, MA — Middle East
2/22 — Montreal, QC — Bar le Ritz
2/23 — Toronto, ON — Drake Underground
2/25 — Detroit, MI — Sanctuary
2/26 — Cleveland, OH — The Foundry
2/27 — Chicago, IL — Beat Kitchen
3/1 — Nashville, TN — The End
3/2 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade
3/5 — Orlando, FL — Conduit
3/7 — Baltimore, MD — Metro Gallery
3/8 — Brooklyn, NY — The Meadows