“featuring members of such shoegaze and post-rock heavy hitters as Caspian, Junius, and Constants, SOM plays the kind of somber, glimmering music that exudes a heavy fog of emotion and introspection around it.”

— Kerrang!

“For modern lovers looking for something dark, sensual, and just edgy enough, SOM have released a dreamy shoegaze post-rock paean to sinful lust and the false piety of a secret romance.”

— Revolver

After eight years, SOM stands at a pivotal moment. Three years after their critically acclaimed sophomore album The Shape of Everything (Pelagic Records) and a year following the release of Faith, an ambitious EP of Depeche Mode covers (Sonic Ritual Recordings), their latest full length Let The Light In captures the band at its most introspective and adventurous.

Let The Light In is a study in contrasts. It's simultaneously SOM’s catchiest and heaviest record, pushing boundaries with dissonance and noise while uncovering surprising moments of tranquility. With a unique sound dubbed “Doom Pop” by Metal Injection, their shoegaze roots are on display, but there is heaviness and heft throughout that is both bracing and fully satisfying. If their debut album The Fall explored hitting bottom, and their second full length was about grappling with the ever-darkening world around us, Let The Light In looks inward to our darkest impulses, and seeks reconciliation to discover the vibrance and brilliance within ourselves and in the people that surround us. 

Adversity became catalyst when, due to unforeseen circumstances, founding drummer Duncan Rich had to depart the band midway through the writing and recording process. SOM took the remainder of 2023 to reshape and refocus, eventually re-recording most of the album as bassist Justin Forrest moved to drums, and singer Will Benoit moved from guitar to bass. This new configuration allowed guitarists Joel Reynolds and Mike Repasch-Nieves to paint in even broader strokes, creating ever more dense, lush and ethereal soundscapes, while Benoit’s vocals explore a quiet intimacy interwoven between soaring falsettos and chopped vocal stabs. The result is a richly melodic album that takes you on a journey through the depth of human emotions, ultimately guiding you to a place of enlightenment and catharsis.

Since 2019, the band has toured extensively across North America, Europe and the UK with acts like Katatonia, Solstafir, Slow Crush, Holy Fawn, O’Brother, Defeater, Gost, and Rosetta. These hard-earned experiences across 21 countries, coupled with the introspective restructuring of 2023, have profoundly altered their creative approach. Impassioned late night conversations in the bus, disagreements, and the euphoria of playing to audiences around the globe added to a wealth of lived experience and musical growth, resulting in a more nuanced and emotionally charged songwriting process. As they approached this new material, the members of SOM found themselves in a fresh headspace, armed with a newfound maturity.

Let The Light In is SOM's testament to resilience and evolution. Born from challenges and change, this album pulses with confidence, inviting the listener and the band themselves to traverse the darkness and find your light.

Above (L to R):
Justin Forrest — Drums
Mike Repasch-Nieves — Guitar
Will Benoit — Voice, Bass
Joel Munguia Reynolds — Guitar