Friday, March 26, 2010

Baroness: Blue Record


Ok. I know I'm a bit late here on this. This album came out last year, but I just recently picked it up, and this disc has been glued to my ears ever since. I wasn't very impressed with their previous release "The Red Album", but Baroness' latest "The Blue Record" has blown me away.

Where do I even start here? First of all, Baroness has morphed into a perfect blend of Fugazi, King Crimson, Mastodon, and The Sword. Smart, disturbing prog metal morphs with hardcore melodies and ages old heavy as hell metal riffery. What you have is an extremely addictive mix. The vocals are tough yet melodic. The musicianship is excellent. Everything is melodic yet heavy. You will find that every track on this album will be rattling around in your head for eternity, driving you insane in a good way for more Baroness.

Even the instrumental tracks have a power on this disc. "Blue Record" is designed to be listened to from start to finish. No interruptions. There are many recurring themes. The instrumentals serve as the proverbial glue that holds this album together. In a way, this disc reminds of the albums of Captain Beyond and early Black Sabbath, where every note counts, no matter how quiet or incidental. Every sound is integral to the album as a whole.

"The Blue Record" is incredible. Doom, apocalypse, and beauty await your ears. Pick it up now if you haven't already.




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