Just after the two-year anniversary of the passing of emo-rap’s patron saint, Juice WRLD, we received the second posthumous album from the rapper, aptly titled Fighting Demons. With a lengthy catalog of songs still in the archives, we’ll be hearing from Juice for quite some time. This new release coincides with the documentary “Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss,” set to come out later this month.

The album maintains Juice’s signature melodic style, dripping with melodramatic and melancholic sung-rapped vocals. Many of the songs feel relatively short in length with an emphasis on the chorus as opposed to the main verses, not to say that it’s worse off for it.

The album opens with “Burn,” as shimmering synths are joined by a gentle string melody followed by a snare pickup. Juice WRLD raps about the emptiness he feels inside, trying to fill the void with drugs and wealth, and finding little respite.

The somber piano on “Already Dead” harkens back to the emo era of the aughts. Juice belts out lyrics about his struggles to hold on in the face of depression and addiction. The melody on the chorus is eerily reminiscent of the Chainsmokers’ “Closer,” which, if you aren’t already familiar with the song, you’ll find pleasantly catchy. “You Wouldn’t Understand” sees Juice WRLD take on a more abrasive and braggadocios attitude, flexing his wealth and success in a change of pace from the more bleak outlook on much of the album. Justin Bieber makes an appearance on single “Wandered To LA,” where Bieber raps about his short separation from his wife while Juice reflects on his past relationship with a former girlfriend who was also his dealer.

We then get an appearance from Eminem on “Eminem Speaks,” which samples interviews where he discussed the height of his addiction and recovery following a nearly lethal overdose. The washed-out synths on “Rockstar In His Prime” reflect the shaky state of mind Juice was in, as he desperately searched for the root of his problems but became lost in his drug-addled haze. “Doom” sees the MC stew in his misery, looking for ways to drown out his troubles, only to be reminded of them when contacted by an ex-girlfriend who only regained interest in him after he became successful.

We get a snippet from a Juice interview on “Juice WRLD Speaks,” where he discusses breaking the stigma of mental health in the African American community through music, seeing his work as a domino effect in helping others to be able to be more outspoken on the topic. “Not Enough” kicks things off with a grungy electric guitar melody as he raps about his love for his struggles with substances getting in the way of his romantic relationships. Fellow Chicagoan Polo G and Ohioan Trippie Redd join in on “Feline,” where the three rap about issues of trust in gang life.

“Relocate” builds on the themes of the previous track, with Juice WRLD rapping over an echoing, metallic guitar melody. He laments the need to keep his head on a swivel for those who were gunning for him due to his success. “Juice WRLD Speaks 2” offers up a solid freestyle performance. That’s followed by “From My Window,” where Juice expresses his feelings of emotional detachment from others as a result of his drug use. The industrial, distorted guitar opening of “Until The Plug Comes Back Around” gradually shifts into a softer acoustic melody.

“Girl Of My Dreams” is the last somewhat uplifting track on the album. Juice expresses his passion for a woman who’s as obsessed with him as he is with her. Meanwhile, Suga from BTS hops on to deliver a much more solemn reflection on the duality of love being reflected in cold isolation.

The album closes out with “My Life In A Nutshell,” where Juice laments that his memory will be held in tact mostly through the music played over the airwaves and on people’s phones, a sort of criticism from beyond the grave at the predatory nature of record companies that look to forever profit off the legend of their long-lost superstars. Fighting Demons is poignant and bleak album in many respects. As much as it leans heavily into the melodramatic musings of the emo genre, there’s a maturity and complexity to many of the songs that Juice WRLD probably could’ve fleshed out even more if he were still with us.

Follow editor Tim Hoffman at Twitter.com/hipsterp0tamus.