Magdalene Rose: “The Heart That Bloomed After Death” Album Review

It is so refreshing to see a female-fronted band making waves in the rock/metal scene. For Magdalene Rose, this was her opportunity to step out of the shadow of her sisters in GFM and create her own path. Her story unfolds through her first full-length record, The Heart that Bloomed After Death. We had the opportunity to catch her set at Uprise Festival 2025 in Shippensburg, PA. Between that set and her debut rock album, she’s definitely on our radar now!

The Heart That Bloomed After Death Album Review:

Tracks: 14

Length: 44:01

Release Date: August 22, 2025

Label: Rockfest Records

The album starts with a mellow opening track, “i don’t know where to start,” which is such an ironic title to start an album with. It’s a peek behind the curtain into her conversations with God, which sets the highly personal tone for this record. Then it pulses straight into the next track “Shark Spray.” The intro hook is insanely catchy, leading into full blown, driving guitars. She starts with clean vocals, leaning into a pop punk/rock flair. Then the metal screams hit you out of nowhere. There isn’t a second vocalist, that’s Magdalene screaming! Her screams in this song are so strong and well done. The track dives into the raw reality of betrayal and manipulation, and the strength it takes to leave that behind.

“You cut me, blood's in the water, and sharks are circling. But I'm done living under the weight of your sadistic hold on me”

The song hits its peak with a vicious breakdown and an iconic 'blegh!' that will have you headbanging in seconds. It’s definitely one of the standout songs on the album. 

“Gorilla Warfare” doesn’t step off the throttle. It’s one of the heaviest songs on the album. The track highlights her vocal stamina, holding extended screams without losing intensity. She starts to let the foot off the gas a little bit with “Can You Fix Me?” The song features a techno beginning that shows some nu-metal inspiration. A highlight is the solo bass line in the pre-chorus. She draws a lot of material and inspiration from her own life and those around her and you hear those influences throughout the record. There is a deeply moving moment at the end of the song where the heavy breathing takes center stage, acting as a visceral representation of anxiety and mental health struggles.

Next up is “Teeth Eater.” This song has to be one of her most well-known songs. It’s a deeply personal song for her, written about her struggle with an eating disorder. We caught this song live at Uprise and she shared her story about how she overcame anorexia through the help of her dad and her faith. The song is catchy and heartfelt. 

“Every reflection became an obsession. Wonder how to reach perfection. Got me suppressing, fed myself nothing. I know how you feel. I was there too. You’re more than an image. Story’s unfinished. You’re beautiful.”

The song carries a powerful message, serving as a bold reminder that no challenge is too great for God to handle. There is also a saxophone solo that comes out of nowhere. While not a normal instrument in a pop/punk/metal song, it’s a breath of fresh air in the album. It definitely cements itself as a moment to remember.

“Welcome to…” has a dystopian style intro, with hints of the next song, “A Bad Residential.” Right from the start, the song experiments with sound, fusing techno beats and 8-bit synths with a solid rock foundation. But it all blends together well! I did not have her working with Spencer Chamberlin and Underoath on my bingo card for 2025. The contrast between Magdalene’s vocals and Spencer’s work so well. The dual screams in the breakdown are excellent! After listening to it a little closer, I thought it sounds familiar and realised it reminds me a little of Icon For Hire, with screaming added.

Coming off a great song, it launches into “Expect the Unexpected (I didn’t).” While the song is strong, it treads familiar ground, echoing the catchy pop-rock hooks that made 'Teeth Eater' so memorable. The music has that bouncy feel to it that has you hopping along to it. The next track is “Something Spiritual.” Stylistically, the guitar work pays homage to mid-2000s rock, specifically capturing the upbeat riffs popularized by bands like All Time Low. It’s nostaglic and has me missing those pop punk emo songs that I would sing along to when I was in high school. It’s fun and catchy, featuring guitar riffs where you can practically hear the fingers dancing along the frets.

When I saw her play at Uprise, she gave an intro to this next track, “Hey At Least I’m Feeling Something.” TRIGGER WARNING. This is a song about self-harm. For somebody with a history of self-harm and suicide, this song speaks to myself and to others who have been affected by mental health. We often become so numb to a world of hurt that self-harm becomes a way to finally feel something to break that numbness. She has written this album from a place filled with her own stories and experiences. I appreciate how she’s not afraid to speak and share this vulnerability in a way to inspire others to reach out for help.

“Frolicking Through Minefields” is such a great name. The musical variety on this album is impressive. After a string of pop-punk tracks, we arrive at this fascinating musical anomaly.  The beginning sounds like something we would hear from Green Day and Weezer before going full metal in the verses. We go from frolicking to headbanging with the next track, “Modern Genocide.” It is a straight up metal song. It has to be metal to tackle the topic of child abuse and human trafficking. While these topics are difficult to face, shining a spotlight on them is the first step toward healing and justice for those who have been hurt. The song hits a climax with the gut-punching line:

“Your soul is fit for hell.”

It may sound harsh, but a life using others for a self-gratifying cause is one that will lead someone to damnation. It’s a tough song, crying out against so many injustices in this world.

We venture into the last two tracks starting with “To Feel Nothing, Then Everything.” It is a spoken word piece that highlights her ability to write from a raw and honest portion of her soul. It sets up a great intro into the final song “The Heart That Bloomed After Death.” This album is written around the themes of feeling unworthy, struggling with addiction and self-harm, but yet you are never truly alone because God is waiting for you with open arms..

“The ledge seems so inviting; But You tether me close. Adapting to heal my pain. When my heart’s torn open and I can’t stop the bleeding. You don’t let go.”

This song speaks of hope. There are times when we feel isolated and alone, but there is always someone wanting you to know that you’re not alone. It provides a positive note to end on that there will always be hope in times of despair. Musically, the song is crafted to feel the weight of the emotions Magdalene is singing about, but there’s also a fantastic breakdown at the end. 

Overall, The Heart That Bloomed After Death was one of the best rock albums of 2025, uniquely blending so many styles together. This is an album that came from personal experiences and some dark subject material, but it was written to show that despite the darkness, there is a light to overcome it. She wrote this album from a sense of vulnerability and courage and I think she needs to be applauded for that work. As the album has some difficult topics addressed, please know that you are not alone in your struggle and that there are those around you who are eager to help. It is not weak or shameful to reach out for help. 

It is so encouraging to see another female-fronted metal/rock band join the scene. Magdalene Rose is definitely an artist to keep your eyes on. Musically, the guitar work on this album is excellent and her vocal screams are so unique and solid. Every song is well written, musically and lyrically. If you get a chance to see her live, I would highly recommend it as she is currently on tour with Seventh Day Slumber, Jason Dunn (formerly of Hawk Nelson) and Nate Parrish (formerly of Kutless) on their Y2K Reloaded Tour.