Review : BARONESS – “Blue Record”

Baroness – Blue Record
Release Date: 2009Oct13 (US)
Label: Relapse
Rating: 5/5

Cut from the same cloth—and hailing from the same state—as Mastodon, the two bands share stylistic similarities and are inspired by a select canon. While their brothers have recently soared into Voivod-ian skies, here Baroness has taken Kyuss by the hand and staked a claim deep in the earth.

Fearlessly embracing their evolution, they welcome new guitarist/vocalist Pete Adams to the fold, who provides solid harmonization on all fronts throughout. Gruff yet understandable, John Baizley’s throaty roar utters some of the most profound—albeit cryptic—lyrics in heavy music, and his ever-intriguing artwork is a feast for the eyes. Mind the penetrating hooks, cuz they’ll land ya like the bullhead that graces the album cover (not to mention the instrumental intro and outro).

From entrancing acoustics (“Steel That Sleeps the Eye”, “O’er Hell And Hide”, “Blackpowder Orchard”) to liquid riffs lifted right from Leviathan (“A Horse Called Golgotha”) to drums in “Swollen and Halo” that sound suited for a dance club, it keeps you guessing but pleasantly rewards time and again. This has the markings of ‘classic’ all over it, satisfying with both single shots and front-to-back immersion. Most astonishing is how the arrangements—on both a song and album level—are so meticulously wrought yet flow organically.

Baroness fully realizes the goal they set to accomplish with their most powerful statement yet. Those that don’t catapult this to the top of their Best of 2009 lists are either in denial or have not yet listened.

FCC OK
Try 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

01. Bullhead’s Psalm
02. The Sweetest Curse
03. Jake Leg
04. Steel That Sleeps the Eye
05. Swollen and Halo
06. Ogeechee Hymnal
07. A Horse Called Golgotha
08. O’er Hell And Hide
09. War, Wisdom and Rhyme
10. Blackpowder Orchard
11. The Gnashing
12. Bullhead’s Lament