Review: Her Menacing Pet - A Woman Under the Influence

Artist: Her Menacing Pet

Album: A Woman Under the Influence

Label: Self-released

Release date: February 2026

It's not easy to be original in the field of dark ambient in 2026, but some releases manage that feat in more ways than one. Starting from the brilliant and evocative name, which conjures an entire image in just three short words, Her Menacing Pet is a prolific dark ambient project hailing from Minnesota which, despite existing only since 2023, has already released a handful of albums. The reason why this latest one is particularly interesting is that it seems to be a notable departure - I'd even say a step up - versus all of the artist's previous work. Whereas many of the preceding albums espoused blatantly digital cover art featuring what could vaguely be described as aristocratic women, this one goes in the exact opposite direction, offering a thought-provoking cover to match an album title that's almost as controversial.

Exploring the topics of poverty, substance abuse and depression from a female perspective (which somehow always makes it even more poignant, at least in my mind), A Woman Under the Influence departs quite starkly from the artist's self-styled soothing melancholy approach. The music on here is neither melancholy nor soothing; rather, it's a sonic depiction of a troubled mind progressively falling apart under the influence of substances. Deep sub-bass drones, clanging pipes, static, eerie voices and whispers in the dark - it's the usual cocktail of things we hear (or think we hear) in the dead of the night when senses are sharpened and the mind is allowed to wander. As the album progresses, the darkness becomes amplified by substances, the strongest of which is fear rather than anything chemical. The track titles, which do a wonderful job of contrasting deep emotional turmoil with the banal environment of a poor person's ramshackle flat, really underscore the traumatic, miserable existence of millions of people who we rarely if ever think about. This is perfectly encapsulated in The Radiator's Ribs, a picture and a metaphor all too familiar to those of us who grew up in blue-collar cities, but also a track whose dynamics and dissonant piano parts really bring out the best qualities of the album, perhaps because of the contribution of Tukahdus. The last two tracks, Blue Light and Lost, represent the final deconstruction and abandonment of all hope as the protagonist descends into mindless stupor, and the drones become more subtle and elongated.

A Woman Under the Influence is one of those seemingly contradictory albums that are highly enjoyable despite treating very dark subject matter, perhaps because they're so honest and straightforward in their depiction of human misery. Like a giant painting, every track seems to focus on and explore one specific detail, ultimately making the album more than the sum of its parts. Rather than bringing anything revolutionary to the table, Her Menacing Pet manages to fit the infamous description once uttered by Roger Karmanik of Cold Meat Industry: for the music lover who can sit and enjoy the evolving sound of someone else's nightmare.

Rating: 8/10