As always with the Black Metal Archives, I’ve been on the lookout for new, original, underground music to bring to you. Normally, I would spend an age trawling through the interweb to find something that takes my fancy, but I didn’t have to do that with Fiona’s Phobias as they found me via Bluesky, and I’m glad they did.

Fiona’s Phobias debut track, Imaginary Sins, is only available on YouTube, as far as I can tell – EDIT: turn out they are on Bandcamp, which you can get to by clicking here – which is a shame as if you’re a fan of this, as I am, it would be great to be able to grab at least digital copy of this from Bandcamp or Ampwall.

Imaginary Sins is a mashup of goth, rock, and metal, but at its centre lies a delicious, tasty dose of dark cabaret. It is a fast paced exploration through the mind of a character – who I guess is Fiona – and how her mind is in a constant state of self sabotage. The subject matter is dark and paranoid, and the music matches it perfectly.

There are hints of Sisters of Mercy on offer, along with The Damned during their goth phase, as well as Alice Cooper circa Billion Dollar Babies, which is, personally, my favorite Alice Cooper period. But the biggest feeling I get from this is of the great dark cabaret explosion of the 2000s. I can hear the finger prints of The Dresden Dolls throughout, but also of the lesser known Birdeatsbaby, a criminally underrated act from that era.

Fiona’s Phobias Imaginary Sins is a wonderfully unexpected gem. It appeals to the less aggressive music fan inside of me while still managing to scratch that specific need, the one that makes me want to jump up out of my seat, pogo around my front room without stepping on the kids or the cat, while throwing air guitar shapes. It is a fine addition to the dark cabaret legacy, and one that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best.

I hope this is the start of a new wave of that genre and I hope that Fiona’s Phobias are at the forefront, as a one and done deal would be such a shame with so much talent on offer.