THE KEENING, the atmospheric doom and dark folk project led by former SUBROSA vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Rebecca Vernon, has released its highly anticipated sophomore album, Devotion, via Relapse Records. The seven-track record is available now on all major streaming platforms.
Following the project’s debut album, Little Bird, Vernon returns with an emotionally charged collection that blends ethereal post-rock, gothic folk, haunting melodies, and soaring doom metal. Devotion explores themes of grief, addiction, love, and personal transformation, offering an intimate glimpse into the experiences that shaped its creation.
An album shaped by grief, love, and personal reflection
The songwriting process for Devotion unfolded across two dramatically different environments. Vernon spent time composing in the isolation of a friend’s cabin at a deserted Idaho ski resort before continuing her work while living with her father in a senior community in Spokane, Washington.
These contrasting settings helped shape the album’s emotional duality, balancing darkness and vulnerability with moments of hope and renewal.
The record is dedicated to Vernon’s father, who passed away on May 11, 2025.
“The album is dedicated to my dad, who passed away a little over a year ago (May 11th, 2025),” Vernon explains. “He was one of my greatest champions and supporters of my music.”
That personal connection extends to the album’s artwork, created by Marald van Haasteren. Vernon requested the inclusion of a dragonfly, a symbol she and her sister associate with their father.
“The dragonfly is coming out of the stem of a poppy, so again, to me, it depicts that dichotomy or tension between the dark meaning of devotion (addiction) and its lighter meaning (love),” she adds.
A haunting blend of doom, folk, and gothic atmosphere
Musically, Devotion builds upon the atmospheric foundations established on Little Bird, incorporating delicate acoustic arrangements, sweeping instrumentation, and Vernon’s distinctive vocal delivery.
The previously released single “A Little Bit Of Blood” exemplifies the album’s dynamic approach, beginning with restrained acoustic guitar and haunting vocals before expanding into a powerful, emotionally charged chorus.
The song’s accompanying music video was directed, edited, and colored by Ken Whiting, with writing by Andrew Bonazelli.
The band also previously unveiled a visualizer for “Devotion III – The King,” offering another glimpse into the album’s expansive sonic landscape.
In a 2024 interview with Decibel Magazine, Vernon reflected on heavy music’s growing willingness to explore vulnerability and personal struggles.
“Metal is beginning to share more vulnerable things, more confessional things. Metal has almost become a safe place to talk about those things,” she explained.
That philosophy resonates throughout Devotion, where personal experiences become the foundation for deeply expressive musical compositions.
Recording and production
Devotion was recorded in April 2022 at Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon, with Billy Anderson and Nathan Carson returning in the same production and musical roles they held on Little Bird.
Vernon once again took a central role in the album’s instrumentation, performing drums, guitar, piano, organ, and hammered dulcimer, in addition to providing the majority of the vocals.
The album also features contributions from guest vocalists and musicians, expanding the project’s rich, layered arrangements.
Devotion tracklisting
- Devotion I – Golden Thread
- Devotion II – Fitful Sleep
- Devotion III – The King
- Devotion IV – O Mother
- A Little Bit Of Blood
- Time Travel
- The Murder Of Anna Brown
A deeply personal chapter for THE KEENING
With Devotion, THE KEENING continues to establish its identity beyond Vernon’s celebrated work with SUBROSA, embracing a sound that prioritizes atmosphere, storytelling, and emotional depth.
The album’s combination of gothic textures, delicate folk passages, and occasional waves of crushing heaviness creates a reflective listening experience centered on the complexities of human connection and loss.
Devotion is available now through Relapse Records on streaming platforms and physical formats. Order
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