Savannah, Georgia's purveyor's of sludgy progressive metal Baroness are back with their latest platter of dense, heavy sounds, titled Stone. Moving away from the 'color' title this time around, but still having the album adorned with artwork courtesy of band leader, vocalists, and guitarist John Dyer Baizley, Stone sees the band getting back to basics after some more experimental output, and joining John on this album are Gina Gleason (lead guitar, backing vocals, percussion, keys), Nick Jost (bass, keys, backing vocals), and Sebastian Thomson (drums, percussion, keys). "Last Word" is chock full of fuzz toned riffs and all sorts of different layers that give it an intricate yet still heavy vibe, "Beneath the Rose" crushes in booming stoner metal fashion, and the mountain of riffs of "Anodyne" will have those remembering what they loved about this band to begin with. "Shine" is more of an alternative rock song, but damn if it isn't catchy as all hell (and how about that drumming!), while the gargantuan "Magnolia" blends psych, stoner & prog metal all in one nice little near 8-minute package. Those who like the more atmospheric and experimental side of Baroness, check out "Under the Wheel", as big riffs and crashing drums support a surprisingly hook laden chorus. Closer "Bloom" sort of ends the album on a dour note, but for the most part, Stone is pretty damn exciting for much of its 46-minute duration, and adds another winner to their growing and enjoyable discography.
Track Listing
1. "Embers" 1:00
2. "Last Word" 6:17
3. "Beneath the Rose" 5:34
4. "Choir" 4:05
5. "The Dirge" 1:18
6. "Anodyne" 3:19
7. "Shine" 6:31
8. "Magnolia" 7:48
9. "Under the Wheel" 6:10
10. "Bloom" 4:00
Total length: 46:02
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