Stone Axe: Stay Of Execution

You just got to love rock bands who exude passion for their craft and that is exactly what you get with retro rockers Stone Axe, originally emanating from Port Orchard, Washington, having formed in 2007. The foursome, consisting of Tony Reed (all instruments and backing vocals), Dru Brinkerhoff (lead vocals), Mykey Haslip (drums), and Mike Dupont (bass) make no bones about their influences and their main goal it would seem is to make music true to their hearts, which in this case is to keep the ‘70s decade alive and well. So, you might be thinking this is just another band riding on the coattails of others, but nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, they proudly display their influences on their collective sleaves like Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, Free, and Judas Priest, to name but a few, but with such a commitment to their art, this band is the real deal with loads of passion, integrity and most importantly, great songs. Their first album came all the way back in 2010 and now we have their brand-new effort titled Stay Of Execution.

The disc is made of hard to find previously released tracks dug out of the vaults and four brand new tunes beginning the disc starting with “Fell On Deaf Ears�, steeped in catchy riffs that drip ‘70s hard rock. Next is “Lady Switchblade�, slightly slower with the riffs adding a little more fuzz. Add in some psychedelic flavoured guitar in the slower sections and you have another excellent track. The slightly doomy “Sweet Sweet Time� is slower still, and quite moody with a bluesy feel and powerful lead vocals. The use of organ really enhances their sound. An intricate tapestry of guitar chords takes us back in time to the late ‘60s with the dynamic “Deep Blue�, featuring one of the best guitar solos on the disc. The bluesy psyche rock returns with “Metal Damage� and on “King Of Everything� the band channels their inner Zeppelin and the vocals hint of Robert Plant in his prime.

At first glance it may seem like Stone Axe are not concerned in developing their own sound, but this is not the case. Yes, they wear their influences prominently, but their love of the past has developed into a creative and exciting sound, one the band can be very proud of. An easy recommendation and one of my favourite albums of the year thus far.

A Ripple Music release.

Track Listing:
1. Fell On Deaf Ears
2. Lady Switchblade
3. Sweet Sweet Time
4. Deep Blue
5. Metal Damage
6. For All Who Fly
7. King Of Everything
8. The Last Setting Sun

Added: September 21st 2022
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band on Facebook
Hits: 403
Language: english

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