Calling all metalheads nostalgic for a blend of ‘80s and ‘90s rock. Gothic metal rock band The Yagas is a perfect blend of haunting instrumentals and raw vocals that are reminiscent of these iconic eras in music. They describe their sound as “morphing from metal to industrial to wildly extravagant alt-rock.” Before its release on Apr. 25, the band gave a preview of their debut album, Midnight Minuet (2025) by releasing three songs featured on the album and each one has me completely enthralled.
The Yagas is fronted by Oscar and Emmy nominated actress Vera Farmiga — known for The Conjuring (2013) and Hawkeye (2021). The rest of the band is composed of her husband Renn Hawkey — producer of Midnight Minuet — on keys, Jason Bowman on drums, Mike Davis on bass, and Mark Visconti on guitar. After meeting at Rock Academy, the five musicians named their band after Baba Yaga, a figure often depicted as a wise, independent woman who either helps or harms in Slavic folklore.
The band’s first single, “The Crying Room,” released in October 2024 and I haven’t stopped listening to it since. A long-time fan of Farmiga’s proclivity for horror, I couldn’t stop replaying the song for weeks after its release. The single features entrancing instrumentals that harken back to an unearthly age of metal, and Farmiga’s sharp vocals blend perfectly with the song’s synth. The part of the song that leaves me the most speechless has to be its intense dynamic breakdown. As seen in the song title, it gives listeners room to let out intense emotions, which is abundantly felt in the breakdown.
This February, The Yagas released their second single, “She’s Walking Down.” Inspired by Farmiga’s consistent fear for her daughter’s safety, the song tells a story of torment and resilience through lyrics like, “He stripped me down so cruel / No more his pleasure tool / Again he tried his fun / This time I grabbed his gun.” Opening with an impressive metal riff, the song assumes a more angry tone than its predecessor that’ll leave you head-banging the whole time. Farmiga’s fierce flair as the face of the band can be both heard in her unrestrained vocals and seen in the single’s badass music video. Still, as energetic as this song is, I can’t help but feel like there’s room for the band to push their limits and rock even harder.
The third single from The Yagas, “Life of a Widow,” released in March and it is by far my favourite. Overflowing with longing for the speaker’s dead husband, the song’s passionate and melancholic chorus has me singing along the whole time. The single really leans into the band’s gothic sound and aesthetic with eerie build-ups and a sick-as-hell music video. Showcasing more of Farmiga’s bandmates, a blend of black and white cemetery shots, and other unreal effects, the video truly captures The Yagas otherworldly vibe.
Other than satisfying my hunger for a sick new metal group to obsess over, The Yagas also uses their platform to discuss real-world topics and share Ukrainian music with fans. The spectral music video for “The Crying Room,” includes a dedication to “the brave people of Ukraine,” and was produced in collaboration with Razom for Ukraine, an organization dedicated to supporting the country in its current war with Russia.
Starring alongside Farmiga in the music video for “The Crying Room” was Eugene Hütz — a Ukrainian singer-songwriter for the band Gogol Bordello. In March, The Yagas shared the stage with Hütz’s band in Kingston, New York for a rockin’ performance of Volodymyr Ivasiuk’s “Chervona Ruta.” Farmiga, who is of Ukrainian descent, explained during the show that the band wanted to showcase Ukraine by performing one of Farmiga’s favourite Ukrainian songs.
If you’re still looking for some new metal with a hint of gothic nostalgia to it, The Yagas’ debut album Midnight Minuet just released on Apr. 25. I know I’ll be in my car jamming out to Farmiga’s insane vocals this fall when I’m on my way to see the final Conjuring movie, The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025).
