Ethel Cain’s magnum opus; a haunting tale of violence and abuse justified through means of religion and generational trauma. Ethel Cain, Hayden Silas Anhedonia, released her debut album Preacher’s Daughter on May 12th of 2022, facing immediate gratification through critic lenses and quickly gathering a cult following who she aptly named “The Daughters of Cain”, a playful spin on her own stage name. Preacher’s Daughter is a concept story album about a young girl — Ethel Cain — who is currently suffering from depression, loneliness, and alcoholism. Ethel Cain’s father was a preacher who died before the story had begun, and his abuse of Ethel Cain, mainly sexual, remains a vocal point of Ethel Cain’s trauma as she embarks on a journey towards a better life, reminiscing on her one true love Willoughby Tucker, her abusive ex partner that was shot in a police holdup Logan Phelps, and her final and most Abhorrent partner, Isaiah Abram, who kidnaps, drugs, and cannibalizes Ethel Cain at the end of the album. The centerpiece of this album does not lie solely within the superb sound, that is full of southern goth paraphernalia, but also in the beautifully written lyrics that give the story complexity and depth. Ethel Cain is an unreliable narrator, and her perspective often meshes with the truth of matters that we see from outside parties. Ethel Cain is able to justify the most obvious and outrageous abuse with the same naivety that a lot of domestic violence victims including myself can relate to and catch. She is able to describe religious trauma to everyone who has suffered it in ways that make you either fall to your knees in despair, or drop your jaw in shock. The usage of metaphors and straightforward explanations leave no room for verbiage. Ethel Cain has crafted a masterclass in suspense, relatability, and tragedy. I deeply implore all of you who may see this review to give “Preacher’s Daughter” by Ethel Cain a careful listen, as you will not resist being hooked. Ethel Cain’s music and narrative is a drug unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. This is the single greatest concept and narrative album to ever lay waste to musical creation. I have aged 4 years since hearing Preacher’s Daughter, but not a day has passed where I’ve not sadly related to Ethel Cain, or thought of her. Standout Tracks: A House In Nebraska, Family Tree, Gibson Girl, Ptolemaea, Sun Bleached Flies, and Strangers.