A brief Greek mythology lesson: Zeus and Hera were, in many ways, the rulers of the gods. However, Zeus was not known for being particularly faithful, having many extramarital affairs which often resulted in demigod children (looking at you, Hercules). Hera was not very happy about this and would often hunt down and kill or otherwise maim the women Zeus had been with.

In many ways, “Lemonade” is an album about this sort of story. Think about it: one of the most powerful couples in the world has an issue with cheating which is then brought up in a fairly public way with the woman threatening revenge. Beyonce sounds fierce here, and not just in the colloquial way. Especially on the first few tracks here, she comes claws out and ready to fight.

This is most easily shown on “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” Featuring Jack White and based around a drum sample from “When the Levee Breaks,” Beyonce sounds, to put it mildly, pissed off. She screams her way through the track, letting her voice go full throttle in a way that is more Mavis Staples than Mariah Carey.

The album calms down a little later, with songs such as “Sandcastles” and “All Night” offering some redemption to the cheating husband. Considering its billing as a “visual album,” the album itself is fairly cinematic, offering a pretty clear narrative as well as a good look at the personal lives of one of America’s most famous celebrities.

Besides the whole cheating husband business, the other big theme on this album is empowerment for black women. The songs “6 Inch,” “Freedom” and especially “Formation” are all exemplary of this theme, and one has to admire Beyonce’s confidence and forwardness in her presentation of this theme.

The variation in themes and music is another strong point on the album. Beyonce can flip from the reggae-influenced “Hold Up” to the country sounds of “Daddy Issues” to the funk/hip-hop mix of “Freedom” without missing a beat, and with each being idiosyncratic enough to tell that it is Beyonce. In many ways, this album truly shows her strength as an artist, bending many sounds together in order to serve her ultimate purpose.