REVIEW: Cenobia - Lethal Devotion

She is shrouded in mystery. She speaks to an unknown entity. She writes emotionally charged lyrics and instrumentals, delivered in primal screams and ethereal vocals. She is CENOBIA and she invites us into her world of the unknown with decimating EP Lethal Devotion. Little is known of the latest metal-genre blending artist taking over the scene, only that she has swiftly amassed a following online with cryptic videos and sound bites announcing her imminent arrival and that we should be prepared to worship at her altar.

The altar of Lethal Devotion is laden with offerings inspired by CENOBIA’s love of dark and transcendent music as well as video games and personal stories that shaped each song. The EP is a woven narrative braided around shimmering instruments, thunderous screams, and spell-binding moments that stay with you after the story has ended, creating a well-measured introduction into her new world.

https://youtu.be/UWRAw8MR98c

Opening track Devour Me immediately immerses us into a creative dark fantasy-scape with first lines “You are the sun eater, devour me”, CENOBIA’s voice floating through a faint guitar riff and sound effects until it rises to a higher key in time with crashing drums, her reverbed vocal screams lending a back drop to her plea to the unknown entity to devour her, harsh guitar and bass crushing any illusion this will be gentle with us. Hypnotic guitar notes are joined by otherworldly sounds on Throne Of Want before descending into a dramatically gothic melody that weaves from angelic backing vocals to guttural screams, clean vocals puncturing through before ripped away on the winds of addictive guitar riffs and a deliciously vicious breakdown of screams and guitar squeals.

Make Us Whole Again is restrained in comparison to its counterparts, CENOBIA dropping to a lower octave that she powers through until her voice soars to a level that plateaus with the slowed guitar and stripped back drums, the bass felt more than heard, the medley continuing to climb to new peaks as she calls sorrowfully that she “doesn’t know myself anymore” and begs the entity to “make us whole again” to a fading sound akin to starlight. Swallowed By The World edges its way in with an electronic beat and spacey synths before deep, visceral screams break through and make space for a rhythmic bass riff and crisp drum beat, the tone staying consistent with the narrative of worshipping the entity but with an added layer of desperation and frustration as whispered screams become “lost in the mindgames”.

Hypoxia has a gentle introduction of mournful piano and fuzzed guitar, CENOBIA’s high-pitched vocals giving a dreamy quality to the track, sudden drums jarring the deceptive peace before a low scream shatters the illusion, the melody growing into a cinematic, gothic metal piece EVANESCENCE would appreciate that almost feels like the titular character discovering themselves and their own strength outside of the entity’s thrall. The EP ends on a full-circle moment with Constellation, a word alluded to in the opening track, featuring echoing harmonies and a riff building menacingly behind them as the lyrics elevate to CENOBIA promising “I’ll wait for you” as she pledges herself once more to an entity or to a new higher power over instrumentals that raze the fantasy-scape to the ground and drag us into the beginnings of a new chapter.

Score: 7/10

Lethal Devotion will be released on 18th September 2026 via Fearless Records.

Words: Julia Stark

Photos: Cenobia