From the fog-laden plains of Finnish Ostrobothnia, Mandy Manala re-emerges with their most ambitious and visceral work to date: Something Wicked, released on May 29, 2026 through Argonauta Records. If their self-titled 2025 debut had planted the seeds of a vintage Hard Rock laced with occult suggestions, this new chapter marks a decisive evolution into considerably darker, psychologically denser territories. Drawing from a refined cultural imaginary — spanning the cinema of Robert Eggers and Ingmar Bergman to the infernal descents of Dante and Bram Stoker‘s Dracula — the record takes shape as a rigorous meditation on the disintegration of the soul and the seductive pull of the abyss. Where the project’s foundations remain anchored in crushing riffs and the beguiling voice of Christa Nedergård, Something Wicked shifts the axis toward a sonic ritual that explores madness, the celebration of death, and a ‘wickedness’ that ceases to be an external threat and becomes an inexorable inner transformation. It is a one-way journey: it begins within the walls of a “bloodred chapel of sin” and ends in a definitive fusion with darkness, where no redemption is offered. The opening track, “Bloodred Chapel of Sin,” hits hard from the first measure: a tight, propulsive rhythm section, a deep bass line, and relentless drumming that provide the piece with a dynamic, gripping backbone. The guitar works effectively across both riffs and melodic passages, while Christa‘s warm, incisive vocal adds an aggressive edge to the sound. Chosen by the band as the lead single to preview the album, the track immediately showcases the evolution of their sound — a gradual crescendo from the opening notes to the finale that charts the full scope of their Dark Heavy Rock, culminating in accelerating double-bass passages and a Rock-solid production. Following the impactful opener, “Nocturnal Bites” explores a dense, hypnotic groove territory, built on Kenneth‘s pulsating bass lines and Jonas‘ compact drumming. The first half is more restrained than its predecessor, but as the track develops, the band raises the intensity, folding Stoner elements and heavier passages into their Heavy Rock foundation. Joel Vienonen focuses on a circular, granite-like riffing in pure Occult-Doom style, while David Granfors works precisely in the spaces left open by the vocals, inserting compact solos and sharp, reverb-laden phrases that expand the sonic space. Christa‘s vocal performance elevates the track — a magnetic delivery that meshes seamlessly with the vampiric themes of temptation and dark desire, also reflected in the band’s compelling official video. With “Bridges,” the band expands its musical vocabulary, presenting a sound that fuses the catchy sensibility of Hard Rock with their personal Dark and Doom-laden aesthetic. The tempo changes add value to the track’s development, with Jonas and Kenneth building a groove-rich structure. The guitars of Joel and David intertwine, creating dual harmonies that recall the classic tradition of Heavy Rock and Metal, with Vienonen‘s textural layers providing the canvas upon which Granfors draws intense, refined lead inserts. The vocal performance ranks among the finest on the record — a crescendo that sustains tension throughout, with a clarity and control that make a decisive difference in the track’s interpretation. The work by Owe Inborr at Wolfthorne Studios is on full display here. A sparse, ethereal introduction — acoustic guitar and voice — opens “Shoebox,” with Christa‘s melodic arpeggios and voice creating a suspended, dreamlike atmosphere: a moment of stillness before the storm, one that highlights the pure interpretive quality of her vocals. Almost immediately, the track undergoes a genuine metamorphosis: the rhythm section of Snickars and Norrlin brings weight to the framework, while the electric guitars of David Granfors and Joel Vienonen take control, transforming the opening ballad into a massive, epic Heavy Psych piece. To thicken the track’s dramatic arc, producer Owe Inborr makes his presence felt on keyboards. His studio work at Wolfthorne Studios is here at its finest: delicate piano notes interweave with the initial acoustic arpeggio before erupting into dramatic synths and a background organ during the thundering electric finale. True to its title — and the band’s official video — the lyrics play on the metaphor of a container for old memories, intimate secrets, and melancholic nostalgia. Owe Inborr‘s Hammond organ opens “Psalm 77:7,” a title that quotes a Biblical passage (“Will the Lord reject forever?”), yet the text beneath the music is no prayer: it is the chronicle of the collapse of that faith, transforming into submission to a manipulative entity. A hypnotic Occult Rock piece where the rhythm section of Snickars and Norrlin operates on a measured, almost ceremonial tempo. The guitars divide their roles sharply: Joel Vienonen‘s rhythm work erects a dark, repetitive wall, while David Granfors‘ lead intervenes with sharp, reverb-saturated, cutting notes. “Underneath the Sea” is the album’s shortest track — direct and driven by a tight rhythm section. A freight train that, within its concise runtime, steamrolls the listener with abrasive guitars and a lead break that cuts through the sonic wall. On this track, Christa‘s voice assumes a sharp, frontal, assertive character. “Beneath a Steel Sky” continues to explore a more direct sound, where Joel Vienonen erects the archetypal Heavy rhythmic wall while David Granfors intervenes with scratchy, reverb-drenched lead inserts, perfectly in keeping with the tradition of ’70s Dark Rock. It is a linear, frontal performance that favours open, memorable, well-defined vocal lines — the kind that imprint themselves on the first listen — while maintaining that detached, proud attitude typical of Occult Rock. The band continues the narrative thread from their debut with “The Dark Passenger Pt. 2,” developing a squared, energetic mid-tempo that evolves the Doom-laden sonics of “Pt. 1” from the debut album into an Occult Heavy Rock sound with pastoral atmospheres. Christa Nedergård sets aside the open melodies of the previous track, following the riff’s rawness, pushing her vocals harder and duetting with Kenneth‘s backing vocals. Joel Vienonen and David Granfors join forces on a compressed, rough, muddy Stoner/Heavy Rock riff. The solo spaces are brief, dry, and inserted with precision so as not to break the track’s drive. The album closes with “Something Wicked” — a deliberate strategic choice to place the title track at the end, using it as a true closing seal that summarises the entire Dark Heavy Rock / Occult Rock aesthetic of the record. Christa Nedergård is magnetic here. Her delivery is theatrical, dark, and charismatic — the melodic line crafted to embed itself on the first listen, while her performance retains a proud, detached attitude. Toward the finale, the lyrics develop into ideal lines for conveying the unease inherent in the title (“Something wicked this way comes” first, then “Something wicked I have become”). Joel Vienonen lays down a monolithic, fully-distorted rhythmic carpet, while David Granfors embroiders sharp counterpoints. On this track, the two guitars travel in remarkable unison, culminating in a cutting, wah-soaked final solo that fades out together with the track in a perfect tension crescendo. The song does not seek nuance or deceleration. It is a relentless, hard-hitting rock piece sustained by Jonas Snickars‘ locked drumming, while Kenneth Norrlin‘s bass hammers the low frequencies, delivering the muddy, enveloping groove that is the band’s signature. With “Something Wicked,” Mandy Manala sign their definitive consecration within the European Dark Heavy Rock landscape. The album marks a clear maturation from their 2025 debut, transforming vintage influences into a dense, uncompromising sonic ritual. Thanks to Owe Inborr‘s masterful production at Wolfthorne Studios, the record shines in its balance between the granite drive of the Norrlin and Snickars rhythm section and the refined guitar interplay between Vienonen and Granfors, capable of ranging from monolithic riffs to psychedelic excursions drenched in reverb. At the centre of this dark architecture stands the voice of Christa Nedergård, whose theatrical, magnetic performance elevates every track to a moment of authentic catharsis. This is not a mere stylistic exercise — it is a journey into the disintegration of the soul, where the “wickedness” of the title ceases to be an external threat and becomes a reclaimed essence. With this work, Mandy Manala deliver a manifesto of modern Occult Rock: a mature, visceral opus that burns its bridges with the past to embrace darkness, once and for all.
Tracklist
01. Bloodred Chapel of Sin (05:34)
02. Nocturnal Bites (04:22)
03. Bridges (06:36)
04. Shoebox (06:02)
05. Psalm 77:7 (06:23)
06. Underneath the Sea (02:54)
07. Beneath a Steel Sky (05:45)
08. The Dark Passenger Pt. 2 (04:13)
09. Something Wicked (06:38)
Lineup
Christa Nedergård — Vocals (Acoustic Guitar on “Shoebox“)
Kenneth Norrlin — Bass, Lyrics and Production
Joel Vienonen — Guitar
David Granfors — Guitar
Jonas Snickars — Drums