The Keening to Release Devotion Oct. 16
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 14th, 2026 by JJ Koczan
The Keening is part of the SubRosa family tree, being the mostly-solo-project of Rebecca Vernon. Her second album, Devotion, arrives Oct. 16 following SubRosa‘s reunion set at this year’s Fire in the Mountains (aka Gen-X Chases Authenticity All the Way Onto Native Land; I’m just jealous I didn’t get to go), and the rest of the (kinda-former) members of that band also have a new album in the works for their own outfit, The Otolith. I don’t know how much of a future there actually is for SubRosa as SubRosa, then, apart from the odd one-off, but if you heard The Keening‘s Oct. 2024 debut, Little Bird (review here), then you already know Devotion is something to look forward to, especially if you’re someone who believes mood and atmosphere can be as heavy as the loudest and most pummeling riff.
If you’re not such a person, I humbly submit Vernon‘s affecting new single “A Little Bit of Blood” to demonstrate. Video and audio are available at the bottom of this post, and as someone who was fortunate enough to see Vernon perform live as The Keening supporting the first record at Roadburn ’24 (review here), I’ll just say I hope that’s a chance I get again, wherever and however it might happen.
From the PR wire:
THE KEENING, Feat. Rebecca Vernon Of SubRosa, To Release Sophomore Full-Length, Devotion, October 16th On Relapse Records; “A Little Bit Of Blood” Video/Single Now Playing + Preorders Available
Preorder / watch / listen: https://www.relapse.com/pages/the-keening-devotion
Rebecca Vernon (SubRosa), the driving creative force behind THE KEENING, returns with her second album, Devotion, out October 16th via Relapse Records.
Comments Vernon on the video for lead single, “A Little Bit Of Blood,” “Ten Seconds To Comply film company did an incredible job on this music video working within strict parameters, including time. We shot it all over a weekend in Detroit and seeing the skill, organization, vision, and passion they brought to this project – an homage to the movie Only Lovers Left Alive – was really awe-inspiring.”
“A Little Bit Of Blood” was directed, edited, and colored by Ken Whiting and written by Andrew Bonazelli.
THE KEENING’s highly anticipated new album, Devotion, sees Vernon and company releasing one of the year’s most evocative works: a truly compelling mix of slow-burning, ethereal post-rock, folk, goth, and soaring doom.
For Vernon, the writing process for Devotion took place in two starkly different environments. It ranged from the contemplative solitude of a friend’s cabin in a deserted Idaho ski resort to the hectic reality of a 55+ senior living community in Spokane, Washington, where she was staying with her father. The end result is an explosive album underscored by a subtle duality that resonates throughout its most poignant moments, both lyrically and musically.
“The album is dedicated to my dad, who passed away a little over a year ago (May 11th, 2025),” says Vernon. “He was one of my greatest champions and supporters of my music. My sister and I see dragonflies as a symbol of him, so I asked our cover artist, Marald van Haasteren, if he could put a dragonfly in the art. 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).”
Take the single “A Little Bit Of Blood,” for example. Quiet, acoustic guitar strums give way for Vernon’s haunting vocals, before the backing instrumentation explodes into a soaring chorus reminding the listener that sometimes the best paths taken are the most difficult.
Devotion was recorded in April 2022, again at Hallowed Halls in Portland, with Billy Anderson and Nathan Carson featured in their same roles as heard on Little Bird. Once again, Vernon showcases her writing prowess, having a heavy hand on all the instrumentation for Devotion; Vernon played drums, guitar, piano, organ, and hammered dulcimer, and provided most of the vocals on both albums, with a few guest vocalists added to the mix.
Devotion Track Listing:
1. Devotion I – Golden Thread
2. Devotion II – Fitful Sleep
3. Devotion III – The King
4. Devotion IV – O Mother
5. A Little Bit Of Blood
6. Time Travel
7. The Murder Of Anna Brown
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http://www.relapse.com
https://relapserecords.bandcamp.com/
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