Ragana & Drowse – Ash Souvenir
On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted, covering the Pacific Northwest in ash. The impact was devastating, with volcanic ash covering hundreds of homes, railways, bridges (resulting in millions in property damage), and the death of 57 people. Ragana and Drowse—each residents of the Pacific Northwest—reflect on that tragedy in Ash Souvenir, and what it means to confront a trauma embedded in one’s home.
Both artists initially came up with Ash Souvenir as part of their collaborative performance at the 2024 Roadburn festival. Ragana’s Maria and Noel, and Kyle Bates of Drowse are part of a long lineage of Pacific Northwestern artists in heavy music that take inspiration from its gloomy wilderness. On Ash Souvenir, Ragana’s blackened doom and Drowse’s atmospheric rock come together to offer an intense and mournful work.
The 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption is both an explicit part of the record’s lyrics and a symbolic backdrop as Maria, Noel, and Kyle explore their personal struggles. Both Maria and Kyle moved back to the Northwest to be with loved ones, and the move sparked Noel to reflect on their late grandmother—a woman who escaped occupied Latvia in the 1940s and lived in isolation among the Washington woods.
Across Ash Souvenir’s four lengthy tracks, Ragana and Drowse craft soundscapes that ebb and flow with aggression and somber serenity. One of the standouts is “In Eternal Woods Pts. 1–3,” which clocks in at a little over 13 minutes. Melodic guitar figures play over a rising guitar drone, the sonic duality creating a tension that slowly builds overtime. This ambiance leads into a crushing display of screaming vocals and distortion-heavy instrumentation. Ragana and Drowse’s technical finesse throughout the track allows for seamless transitions of mood, concluding with a gentle, somber-sounding instrumental section.
Among an evocative collection of tracks, “Ash Souvenir” proves to be a tremendous emotional gut punch. Like “In Eternal Woods,” Ragana and Drowse offer an unfurling presentation of technicality and atmosphere. Its instrumentation starts slow, the atmosphere calm and airy, but over time, it intensifies, warping into a cathartic burst of emotion. It’s the equivalent of soft sobs giving way to roaring cries.
The emotional presentation is further elevated by the lyrics, which see the two acts reflecting upon trauma and loss. “In Eternal Woods” features an audio sample of Noel’s grandmother alongside lyrics serving as a poetic goodbye: “Now you cross the mountain/ to find the hill of white sand/ and the way is open–/ The way is open/ and the way is open.” On “After Image,” Bates speaks to the volcanic eruption itself, using haunting imagery to convey a lingering dread: “Your streets are empty/ overcast, still dimming/ Each aspect falls gently/A sigh let out when weary.”
When hit by tragedy, it’s hard not to be consumed by grief, yet life moves on. The way forward toward healing is to face that grief directly. With engrossing atmospheres and intimate lyrics on Ash Souvenir, Ragana and Drowse beautifully, heartachingly capture this wisdom.
Label: Flenser
Year: 2025
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