Swedish metal veterans DRACONIAN have released their eighth full-length album, "In Somnolent Ruin", which marks the return of vocalist Lisa Johansson.

The album features nine new songs that showcase Johansson's ethereal tones and reasserts her dominance over the band's sound.

With a mix of gothic misery and progressive approach, DRACONIAN has woven a complex sound that blends grandiose death/doom with super-dynamic gothic indulgence.

The album's highlight is its ability to balance intense melodic passages with growl-heavy moments of glacial horror.

At times, the band's songwriting has grown in stature, and their adherence to grinding clangor is evident.

However, Johansson's vocals elevate the formula to new levels of efficacy, making "In Somnolent Ruin" a standout release.

Meanwhile, dual vocalist Anders Jacobsson's abyssal roar remains a compelling focal point, delivering poignant lyrics that explore themes of sorrow and mortality.

The album sounds huge and cinematic, presented in a vibrant fog of sharp colors and disorienting greys, with occasional bursts of arena-metal triumphalism.

"In Somnolent Ruin" is a fiercely accessible record that perfectly responds to an unhinged world.