Chaoszine - John Smith Frozen acoustic gig report https://chaoszine.net/cradle-of-filth-take-over-jyvaskyla-report-from-the-first-day-of-john-smith-rock-frozen-28-11/ 

Returning to the acoustic stage, at 21:15 it was time for Rioghan to enchant the audience of John Smith Rock Frozen. And boy, did they deliver a phenomal show. Rioghan crafted much more than a simple music entertainment, it was a 360 degree experience. The visuals and the inclusion of a dancer that interacted with lead singer Rioghan Darcy created a very hypnotizing and sensual feeling; let’s not forget the super musicians of the band that, while standing a bit in the back to give space to the ladies in the front, contributed to making a flawless set. I found myself incapacitated of leaving the front row, completely mesmerized by sounds and visuals. That’s really not easy to achieve, so I think that we better keep an eye on this great act! 

Chaoszine - On The Rocks gig report https://chaoszine.net/defying-what-we-used-to-know-royal-sorrows-album-release-show-at-on-the-rocks-helsinki-3-10/ 

Rioghan‘s sound is hypnotic. Quite hard to describe, but it felt like a mix of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Katatonia, but with a unique element, as singer Jenni Perämäki aka Rioghan Darcy possesses not only a captivating voice but also a strong stage presence. Songs like “Skin” and “Home” were some of the highlights of the short but intense setlist. We’ll definitely hear more about this band that makes an interesting mix of poetry and art. 

Tuonela - Ääniwalli gig report https://tuonelamagazine.com/17-5-2025-sara-rioghan-aaniwalli-helsinki/ 

I must admit to being somewhat at a loss for words here. What could I say about the band’s performance without sounding like a hopeless fanboy? The band fucking rocked. Touring with WHEEL seems to have done a lot of good for RIOGHAN. Vocalist Darcy Rioghan pulled her signature harsh vocals even better than the last time, not only those high-pitched Harpyian shrieks but also those low-register gutturals. Impressive! It seems very likely that RIOGHAN won’t be warming up for bigger bands much longer. They are on track to become the next big thing in the Finnish alternative metal market, no doubt. It has been a great privilege to witness a band finding its strength; they were pretty amazing last year, but now they are even better! 

Metal Temple - Kept 9/10 https://metal-temple.com/review/rioghan-kept/ 

The album effortlessly blends countless elements into a seamless, emotional experience. It thrives on contrast, where aggression and serenity, despair and hope, melody and dissonance all coexist without ever feeling forced. Few records manage to capture such an immense range of sonic textures and emotional landscapes without losing their cohesion, but this does so with effortless grace. It is a carefully crafted, beautifully chaotic masterpiece that demands to be felt as much as it is heard. 

Ever-Metal - Kept 10/10 https://www.ever-metal.com/2025/01/31/rioghan-kept/ 

"One thing this band have in bucket loads is a collective understanding of the importance of dynamics, and also the epic gravity held within the use of pauses, and silence, which makes the entire instrumentation of this record ingenious, delicate and poignant. It tantalises you with what’s to come, and makes you either draw breath sharply before the drop, or not breathe at all in the delicate stillness of the quieter sections. And with everything based in a minor key, the emotive tension that Rioghan manage to develop is next level."

Cryptic Rock - Kept 4.5/5 https://crypticrock.com/rioghan-kept-album-review/ 

These few briefly discussed, it is not far-reaching to say that Kept as a complete entity simply engages with different textures throughout. It is an album that does not wow you with just a few impressive moments but rather opts to deliver one distinctive song after another.

Tuonela - Kept https://tuonelamagazine.com/review-rioghan-kept/ 

“'Dreams' opens the album with a haunting Blade Runner synth intro that soon evolves into a steamrolling off-kilter riffathon adorned with lush, atmospheric synth and vocal flourishes. Now, this is the proper way to open an album – a real gut punch of a banger! The song conveys a vibe of something like a female-fronted LONG DISTANCE CALLING injected with a heroic dose of modern prog-metal. Then, the atmospheric passages resonate with the air of those euphoric trance anthems from 20-something years ago. If this isn’t enough to make you fall in love with this band, I’m not sure what is."

Dead Rhetoric - Kept 9/10 https://deadrhetoric.com/reviews/rioghan-kept-inverse-records/ 

"Songs like “Dreams” and “Skin” contain moments of poignant beauty next to the music, her words tantalizing as you picture images and colors coming to life."

Tuonela – DKOL  https://tuonelamagazine.com/review-rioghan-different-kinds-of-losses/

”Throughout the album, she shows off a really strong base voice, with an ability to dip into different styles, from high and gentle to rougher sounds as well. [- -] Ultimately, RIOGHAN‘s debut album has invoked a lot of different sounds and styles, making her an interesting name to follow and a surprisingly unique-sounding artist in a heavily over-saturated music scene, which really says something. “Different Kinds of Losses” is definitely worth giving a spin!”

Rock Music Raider – DKOL https://www.rockmusicraider.com/rioghan-different-kinds-of-losses-review/

“A picture-perfect representation of modern prog. By Loki’s minions, the girl should give it a go the next time around. Just try a true prog album, and leave all those established folks quaking in her wake. Prog with a gothic touch. A deliciously wicked thought and a trait that would just end a few progsters out there. Just sayin’.”

“Different Kinds of Losses presents us with a masterfully crafted selection of songs, all with their very own flavor and 50 shades of oomph. That said, the record never veers away too far from its alternative and progressive roots that come on large waves of ambient, acoustics, and abject metal interludes. It takes a lot of talent and skill to pull this off this way, and we salute the artist for that.”

Metal Temple – DKOL https://metal-temple.com/review/rioghan-different-kinds-of-losses/

“This album crosses over many different styles of music, and that is probably the most interesting part about it...you never know what is coming next. Wonderful surprise lay around every corner. In all cases however, the vocals are wonderfully done, and the music backs her mood in perfect step. This was curious but very pleasing album to listen to.”

Metal Epidemic – DKOL https://www.metalepidemic.com/rioghan-different-kind-of-losses/

“Musically, Different Kinds of Losses by Rioghan is superb, with so many different variations and styles, demonstrating the band have much to offer in lots of different genres. There is something for everyone on Different Kinds of Losses and certain tracks should appeal to people right across the music spectrum, so hats off to Rioghan with their first musical outing, of which I hope there will be many others to follow.

Ever Metal – DKOL  https://www.ever-metal.com/2023/01/18/rioghan-different-kinds-of-losses/

“Rioghan is a difficult artist to categorise. The doominess of bands like Oceans of Slumber fuses with the electronic elements of Banshee, yet the music still remains catchy and accessible. The genreless sound of “Different Kinds Of Losses” means that this album will reach and touch audiences from all sectors of the music world. A very exciting debut!”

Metal Storm – DKOL  https://metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=18108

“However Renkse and Solberg came to appear on Different Kinds Of Losses, they’ve ended up being part of a very decent debut record. Rioghan wears some of her influences quite openly, but even despite this there is a fairly distinctive artistic voice coming through already in the early stages of her musical career, and those influences have been integrated into some very well-crafted compositions.”

Scream Blast Repeat – DKOL  https://www.screamblastrepeat.com/rioghan-different-kinds-of-losses/

“…the way she recovers the chorus with a stunning flutter of bird song melodies is sensational. It makes the deliberate mind-fuck of the guitar rhythms in the middle eight an easy listen with your mind still in a state of captivation. And when we say this woman can deliver a chorus, we mean Tori Amos standard.”

Tuonela – On The Rocks https://tuonelamagazine.com/2-11-2024-rioghan-wheel-on-the-rocks-helsinki/

“She pulled off rather impressive harsh vocals, too, and, on occasion, her stage antics were reminiscent of alternative queens such as Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT and Taylor Momsen of THE PRETTY RECKLESS. With more mileage, this band will surely become a force to be reckoned with. [- -] RIOGHAN did what a good warm-up act does – it left me wanting to know more about them.”