Kristina Esfandiari’s doom/sludge-metal outfit King Woman debuted a new video for “Psychic Wound.” It’s the second single they’ve shared from their upcoming record Celestial Blues, which is due July 30 via Relapse.

The song is a melody-driven metal song about feeling trapped in a relationship due to desire. Esfandiari explains, “‘Psychic Wound’ is about paying the price for eating forbidden fruit. When desire turns into obsession it can keep you longer than you intended to stay and nearly destroy your sanity.”

The instrumental backing her vocals doesn’t stick to standard doom conventions aside from its plodding pace and tense atmosphere. A guitar riff walks up and down, complimenting the melody when it’s not joined by heavier sludge crashes for Esfandiari’s explosive chorus, “Help me I’m so chained to you/Someone tell me what to do/Feeling like a psychic wound.”

In the video, a bloodied Kristina Esfandiari writhes about on a floating slab of tiled flooring. At times, she’s surrealistically joined by a group of other women. It was directed by Muted Widows.

King Woman’s previous single, “Morning Star” plays with soft and heavy patches to an even more extreme degree, with plenty of Esfandiari’s keen ear for melody. Relapse Records says of the upcoming full-length, “Feeling compelled to reshape the biblical archetypes that once bound her, Esfandiari has created a theatrical tale of rebellion, tragedy, and triumph — a metaphor for her own personal experiences over the years — Celestial Blues was born.”

Esfandiari added, “Creating this album has brought me great peace and closure. Grateful to finally share it with all of you.”

The San Francisco metal outfit is also planning to play seven shows this year at three venues. They have two planned for Los Angeles’ Lodge Room on the day of Celestial Blues’ release and the day following, then two at Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus on October 15-16 and three at Oakland’s Starline on October 29-31. Their Halloween concert will be a covers show.

King Woman 2021 Tour Dates:

7/30 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
7/31 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
10/15 – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
10/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
10/29 – Oakland, CA – Starline
10/30 – Oakland, CA – Starline
10/31 – Oakland, CA – Starline (covers show)