| CD REVIEW Stonebride |
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Band : Stonebride Zagreb based Croatian StonerRock quartet Stonebride was formed in the winter of 2005, and comprises singer Sinisa “Krnfa” Krneta (also active under his own name and in Bastinado), guitarist Tjemisir, bassist Lenny, and drummer Thee Steps, and released their self-distributed EP Smile & Shine (featuring 3 tracks for a total length of “only” just under 13 minutes – you’ll understand why that detail’s important later)in September of 2006. The band followed the release of their EP up in the most professional way, by promoting it during the vast amount of gigs they played locally, with a first European tour following. Upon their eventuaal return home from all the gigging, the band sound they’d written enough for a full-length worth of material, and eager to lay the tracks down, they already recorded for a future release. By chance, they were able to interest none less than Bill Henderson (responsible for the sounds of albums by bands such as Neurosis, The Melvins, Sleep, Kiss It Goodbye, Eyehategod, Fantomas, High On Fire, Om, Sick Of It All, Bottom, Cavity, Bongzilla, Acid King, Los Natas, Suma…get the picture?) into mixing the stuff. In 2008 the band again got several occasions to play all over Europe, and they also did a month’s touring in May. It’s during that tour that the band was approached by Berlin based label Setalight Records, and as it turned out band and label people shared a same vision and passion for the music, it was almost inevitable that they would start working together. As a result Inner Seasons ended up being Stonebride’s label debut, and the album was successful enough to warrant a release both on CD (Otcober 2008) and 12-inch vinyl (May 2009). Part of the success was of course due to an increased gigging schedule (something in which I gather – from the info available – the label aided) which also included some nice festivals. So now the band’s back with their sophomore album, recorded and mixed at Croatia’s own completely analog Kramasonic Studios, and mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Engineering in Chicago. Time to talk music, and return to that little remark on the songs of the band’s self-released EP being so “short”. You see, although some elements must’ve been present from the beginning (Heavy Blues) the band started expanding the length of their tracks with their label debut (shortest 5 ½ minutes, one 6 ½, and two others around the 7 ½ minute boundary), with the album closing “Drag & Drop” even just over 11 minutes. Although Summon The Waves’ instrumental intro “The Phoenix” is only 1 ¾ minutes long, it doés flow seemlessly into the album’s first song “Shadows Like Snakes”, which is a very nice, dragging, but not uneventful (as tempo changes and intensities go) 9 ½ minutes long. Followed by the somewhat shorter but still pleasantly dragging “Crimson Tongue” (6:14 and shortest song on the album) and “Mute Heart Rivers” (6:30), we come to the 9:17 “Moonflower” (an early version of which the band already uploaded at myspace.com/stonebride in June of last year) and the stunning album closer “Silver Ship” which, with an incredible length of 19:15, will keep the listener at the tip of his seat from start to finish (with the occasional jolt into the air when one needs to move along with the more aggressive moments). To have the fan of Stoner and Doom get acquainted with their music, the band has currently posted the album opening song off their new album (for some reason they’ve removed the “Moonflower” version), alongside a track each off both their debut and EP. If you’re into dragging Stoner, or even into Doom Metal, you should definitely chack out this band’s music and albums. Vinyl freaks, you stand notified of the fact that one of these days the LP of this 52:39 album will be released! People wanting to see the band on a stage after having read this…sorry, but with the promo coming at the Concrete Web office richely late, the European tour the guys did just recently (Greece, Ittaly, Switzerland, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Austria, Czech republic, and Croatia) has already passed…but check the MySpace page for future dates (some German festivals, I see) in late August! I love this band, and to show my appreciation they get a perfect rating & nomination into mmy year-lists! 98/100 Tony. |