Cenobia- Devour Me Single Review
- Tia Babatzikos
- Jun 21
- 2 min read
Released at the end of last month, Cenobia’s debut single Devour Me is haunting and atmospheric; full of pain and anguish delivered delicately.
Devour Me opens with soft melodic guitars and vocals dripping with melancholy, establishing the tone and mood of the track as a whole. As the track progresses, heavier guitar riffs and crashing drums are layered with delicate ghostly vocals to create an achingly beautiful soundscape.
The track reaches a powerful breakdown near the middle, which poignantly contrasts against the melodious instrumentals and ethereal singing. Cenobia screams “Don’t wake me up” as heavy rhythmic guitars and drums rise in the background until they erupt. This point of the song is the culmination of all the pain and anguish that has been established, creating a beautiful moment of emotional catharsis that is carried through the remainder of the track.
This point is followed by the line “You won’t take me”, which is repeated in a guttural voice as the heaviness reaches its climax; a moment of power and raw unfiltered emotion.
The track softens for a moment, drawing attention to Cenobia’s incredible vocals and giving the impression that she is singing whilst submerged underwater. She then emerges back to the surface as the heaviness picks up again, which is maintained until the end of the track. The song’s conclusion is haunting and poignant, ending with the lines “Don't wake me from this endless fate, I've got nothing left to take.”
Thematically and lyrically, Devour Me is a desperate invocation and an ode to unrequited love. The lines:
“Stuck in your throat I burn alone In pain I choke Swallow me whole”
are repeated throughout the track, depicting love as something that is all-consuming and destructive. The remainder of the lyrics are also poetic and rich with visceral imagery, providing a sense of doom and lament to the track.
Devour Me is accompanied by a cinematic music video, full of occult imagery and depictions of drowning- both literally and metaphorically. It perfectly encapsulates the mood of the track and also adds an extra layer of depth thematically.
Cenobia’s presence is enigmatic, with her social media containing cryptic messages with hidden links and ciphers, further adding to the overall mysterious nature of the artist. You can investigate for yourself here on her official Instagram page.
Devour Me is beautifully crafted, with hard-hitting lyrics and a sound that resonated with me a lot. It is highly evocative and riddled with longing, making my heart feel like it would burst while I listened. As a debut single, this track is incredibly strong and I’m very much looking forward to what else Cenobia will be releasing in the future!
Fans of bands such as Deftones, Spiritbox and Sleep Token will fall in love with Cenobia’s sound and vocals.
RATING: 10/10
