Blending the frostbitten chaos of black metal, the crushing weight of doom, and the visceral ferocity of death metal, this seven-track journey dives into the emotional landscape of composer and multi-instrumentalist Steph Tranovich’s experience with chronic illness and disability. From searing despair and cathartic rage to fragile hope, Visions of Utopia is both a sonic onslaught and a testament to perseverance—turning pain into power and offering light to those navigating their own darkness.
Steph shares, “Visions of Utopia doesn’t lose sight of my struggles, but it sees a future that’s bright and hopeful and right over the horizon. These past few years I’ve seen a lot of progress in my health—and also some intense relapse. But I’ve grown again and have been finding ways to really thrive given my disability. This album takes you through that journey: hope, relapse, recovery, and a renewed appreciation for life.”
The album opens with “Intro,” a stark spoken-word track that lays the foundation for ELECTROMANCY’s story. Against a backdrop of haunting ambience and mechanical drone, it unflinchingly recounts the band's origin, their use of robotic instruments as assistive tech, and Steph’s personal evolution through illness. It sets the emotional tone for the record’s fusion of blackened intensity, doomy heft, and experimental death metal edge—grounding listeners in the human experience behind the cybernetic sound.
“Utopic Visions,” the second track, is a defiant incantation for a better world. It acknowledges the crushing weight of personal and collective suffering, but refuses to stop there—choosing instead to conjure something brighter. Downtuned guitars bring weight; piercing highs give shape; glitching synths and swirling textures enhance the hypnotic pull, while Shaun Gallagher’s commanding vocals slice through with clarity and conviction. It’s a dream of Utopia cast in distortion and dissonance, built for those ready to imagine—and fight for—something more.
Track three, “Brief Moments of Total Collapse,” captures the brutal volatility of chronic illness: one moment you’re rising, the next you’re falling harder than before. Its short runtime mirrors the rapid descent into relapse, while sharp dynamic shifts and death metal ferocity channel the whiplash of losing control. It’s a violent flash of vulnerability—a sonic snapshot of how quickly the ground can disappear beneath you.
At the emotional core of the album lies “Nonlinear Healing,” a sweeping ten-minute epic that embraces the messy, spiral-shaped nature of recovery. Weaving between grief and hope, open harmonies and bitter dissonance, it acknowledges that healing isn’t linear—it’s a process full of backslides, slow climbs, and moments of quiet resilience. Blackened textures, mournful doom, and layered melodies mirror this ebb and flow, settling not in triumph, but in steady perseverance. Sometimes, as Steph says, “the only thing we can do is keep moving forward.”
“Repair,” track five, offers a tonal shift—a flash of sunlight after the storm. This short, lively track bursts with playful energy, featuring call-and-response vocals that lift the refrain “up and up.” It’s a reminder that rebuilding can be joyful, even fun; that healing includes laughter, motion, and moments of celebration.
Next comes “Thriving Cyborg,” a groove-laden ode to adaptation and gratitude. Drawing from Steph’s lived experience of thriving with assistive technology, the track celebrates the communities, tools, and creativity that make life possible and fulfilling. Its funk-infused rhythm, bursts of synth, and hands-on manipulation of robotic instruments reflect the seamless blend of organic and inorganic at the heart of ELECTROMANCY’s identity. A brief moment of heaviness nods to continued struggle, but it’s the triumphant, polyrhythmic crescendo that defines this nine-minute track’s spirit—resilient, euphoric, and alive.
Closing the album is “Static Ecstatic,” a meditation on finding joy in the overlooked moments of daily life. Fusing blackened atmosphere, doomy depth, and experimental textures, the song explores the quiet fulfillment that emerges not from grand victories, but from stillness, presence, and the strange wonder of simply existing. It’s a gentle but powerful resolution—a final breath that grounds the listener after a journey of storms. In true ELECTROMANCY form, the record ends not with spectacle, but with hard-won peace.
