By The Stone: By The Stone

Boston area band By The Stone have their roots dating back to 2004 but it wasn't until 2006 until the final piece of the puzzle was put into place. That year Matt Murphy (guitar, vocals) joined fellow musicians Jim Miller (keyboards, vocals), Sean Daudelin (drums) and Rob Miller (bass and vocals).

These metallers lay down some excellent riffs in their debut self-titled EP. Sometimes doomy, sometimes with speed, it's all good. The music has a dark edge so you need to be informed this is not 'happy' stuff. It's quite gloomy and although the lyrics were not included with my review copy, I get the impression the songs take on some heavier subject matter. Musically, there is a definite Tool influence as well as other bands like Alice and Chains, Queens Of The Stone Age and Mastodon.

The album opens with "Without the Sun" and its Sabbath-like doomy riffs and laid back vocals. The band also uses keyboards to add just enough colour to their musical canvas. The moody soundscapes in "Jericho" have a darker edge with some pretty cool synths and a somewhat Animals-era Pink Floyd vibe in places. Another fine track is "The River" reminding me a little of Mastodon. Intense guitar riffs and pounding drums form the core of the song before moodier sections round out the edges with some nice synth sounds. The quieter "For the Lost Souls" features arpeggio guitar and more moody backdrops of bass and keys. "Hubris" ends the album with another slice of melodic dark metal featuring some cool builds and more synth work to help flesh out the soundscape.

By The Stone have made a fine debut. Hopefully the band will continue to explore their muse and release a full length album in the process. Until then, give these guys a listen and support young, upcoming talent.

Track Listing:
1. Without the Sun
2. Jericho
3. The River
4. For the Lost Souls
5. Hubris

Added: June 23rd 2013
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 2410
Language: english

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