A promising beginning – review of Royale Lynn’s debut album “Black Magic”

There are many people like myself (and maybe also you who are reading right now), who have grown up and lived in small towns; we’re not alone, as it appears American artist Royale Lynn is very much like ourselves. But this didn’t stop her from achieving great milestones in her career! Now she’s also releasing her debut album “Black Magic”, via Epitaph Records, on June 27th, 2025.

And if you know me, you will know that I enjoy it very much when an artist has the ability to merge multiple subgenres in their art, and Royale Lynn does this very elegantly. Without losing sight of her power as a singer and songwriter, she mixes metal, contemporary, and alternative music, all under her will. Her crystal and bright voice is a good contrast to the heavier sounds; another point in her favour.

Perhaps the riffs and melodies are sometimes clichéd during the album, but some highlights include “Pandora’s Box” and “WTCH“. The production, mixing and mastering are very well done: this enhances the listening experience and makes it very smooth. It’s also worth noting that Royale uses a great variety of themes in her songs and is not afraid to touch multiple topics.

It’s always delightful for me if someone decides to speak about mental health, because those illnesses are just as serious as what affects our body, if not more. So, hats off to Royale for taking a stand and removing the stigma about this topic. The closing track “Battleground” is the perfect example of this, and it truly captures the diversity and complexity of the theme.

So if you’re looking for an album that works very well and is perfect to be listened to in the summer, you cannot miss “Black Magic”. Royale Lynn will show us all that is possible to conquer everything that your mind can conceive, and even more. And if this is just her debut album, I’m confident that she’ll be here for the long run.

Tracklist:

1. GREED
2. E.V.I.L.
3. BLACK MAGIC
4. SACRIFICE
5. PANDORA’S BOX
6. DRAGON
7. WHEN WE DIE
8. WTCH
9. DARK MODE
10. INSIDE OUT
11. DEATH WISH (feat. Danny Worsnop)
12. BATTLEGROUND