Baroness – Stone
Release Date: 15th September 2023
Label: Abraxan Hymns
Order/Stream
Genre: Progressive Metal, Post-Metal.
FFO: Mastodon, Kylesa, ISIS.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
Four years have passed since Baroness released their last album, Gold & Grey. I recall at that time there were some mixed feelings about the direction the band went in, but I felt it was pretty solid in terms of musicianship and lyrical content. I can say with full confidence that Stone finds Baroness striding into what may be their most confident, bold, and creative work to date. Of this work, singer John Baizley states, “An important through line in Baroness is we don’t like to repeat ourselves…It’s all about the willingness to take risks. When I was younger, the whole point of music was to be different, to find fresh risks and exciting ideas to explore, and to follow your own impulses rather than play by the rules. That’s kind of goofy, but in practice, it works. It’s really sort of terrifying to be at the sixth record in your career and think that you’ll have to keep up with your history rather than continually invent. So, we doubled down on continuously inventing to see where it takes us. I think this record is a good reflection of that. STONE is a lot more alive, more direct.”
One of the best things about Baroness is their diversity of sound, and Stone is no different than their other works in this regard. Baizley and Gina Gleason are a dynamic duo in terms of their writing and playing; on this album, Gleason has come into her own and is presenting full force as the badass we all know her to be. The intricate soloing, full riffs, and prog elements are woven together seamlessly. Fans of the early work will hear those heavy elements interspersed throughout and delivered in short, sharp bursts. Baroness are doing what they want to in terms of growing, evolving, and not being restricted in terms of creativity. Releasing Stone on their own label ensured they could tread down any path they chose, and boy did they take us on one hell of a journey. Although not a pandemic record per se, a portion of it was written during those early days. Bassist Nick Jost states, “Playing one idea for 13 hours a day, you lose yourself inside of the music…You have to follow where that headspace takes you and trust your mates. Extreme isolation enhances this state of mind and allows you to explore things unhindered. That process of exploration is a big part of this album.” Baizley’s engineering skills shine on this work; it is yet another way Baroness are captains of their own ship. I love the DIY approach.
Lyrically there are moments that are profoundly moving; generally this is a work rich with emotion. Baizley states, “…this album is sort of a reflection of my life. I’ve had some tough years, and I think I’ve found some semblance of calm now. I think I found that walking through Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. Sure, there’s death, but there’s memory, too. I found that almost peaceful.” Struggle, loss, peace, and holding space for what once was really resonated with me. In 2019, my “unofficial” nephew, Alister, was diagnosed with leukemia. His mother and I both had Gold & Grey on heavy rotation, and that album really spoke to us in different ways. For me, a particular line in Tourniquet made me think of Alister’s experience going through treatment: “Fill my bloodstream up with poison and ashes, now I’m starving.” On March 3, 2020 Alister died, and it almost goes without saying the grief has been heavy. A symbol we associate with him is the sun; when I heard the following lines from the new track, The Dirge, it immediately felt like a song to remind us of our ongoing connection to Alister: “When my ship is sailing, When my race is run, When my breath is failing, I’ll know my time has come. And then we’ll be together, You and I as one, I’ll feel your light forever, And burn beneath your sun.” Music is incredibly therapeutic and how it connects us to events in our lives, no matter how fantastic or painful, is amazing. It is a healing balm.
So here’s to Baroness, a band that has been a steady part of my life for many years. My hope is they keep up the DIY ethos, continue to expand their sound, and allow us the privilege of being part of the legacy they are creating. If you want the same band you heard with the Red and Blue albums, you won’t get it. But then again, I think they are perfectly content to keep us on our toes. 
(5 / 5)
