Album Review: Stone Sour – ‘House of Gold and Bones Part 2’ (2013)
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Label: Roadrunner Records
Earlier today, Stone Sour streamed the sequel to their chart-topping album “House of Gold and Bones Part 1” (2012). Though “House of Gold and Bones Part 2” won’t officially be released in the States until next week, I am reviewing it now.
It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to an album that has genuinely kept me entertained the whole way through. When I heard HOGAB Pt. 2, I didn’t find myself looking back at the track list every so often, wondering, “Just how many songs are there left?” It is a fantastic album and fitting sequel to Part 1 with its schizophrenic time and style changes, sometimes during single songs.
HOGAB is singer Corey Taylor’s brainchild–two concept albums and a 4-part comic book miniseries about temptation and vice. The music itself is a representation of the conflicts the protagonist, Human, endures. It brings the lyrics to life, and the theme continues through Part 2.
Part 2 starts off with a melancholy piano ballad, “Red City”. It is quite the departure from “Last of the Real,” the final track of Part 1. But during the second track, “Black John,” thrashing drums kick in, signalling the alternative metal tour de force that is the rest of the album. “Sadist” is a slower, groove metal-esque number with chromatic riffs akin to Ozzy’s “Diary of a Madman”.”Peckinpah” is another grooving number, but the next song, “Stalemate,” is one of the highlights of HOGAB 2.
“Stalemate” starts off as an acoustic ballad with piano flourishes, and one assumes that it will be similar to the first track. But suddenly the electric guitars and drums kick in and you wonder what the hell just hit you. You just got your ass kicked and now your neck is broken from headbanging so much. Then there’s a key change to throw you another curveball.
In addition to hard rocking tracks like “’82,” “Do Me A Favor” and “House of Gold and Bones,” HOGAB 2 has its share of powerful ballads. While still heavy, “The Uncanny Valley” and “The Configuration” would do well in mainstream or crossover charts. “The Configuration” reminds me why 80s metal power ballads so great (Skid Row bassist Rachel Bolan, who contributed to this album, should know). It would be wise for Stone Sour to release it as a single.
This album showcases why Stone Sour is so great. The lyrics are very relatable, telling tales of adversity, self-doubt and self-empowerment. They actively troll their listeners with their musical epicness and make you go, “what the hell just happened?” You’re not sure what hit you, but it is well worth the bruise you’re left with.
Track Listing:
- Red City
- Black John
- Sadist
- Peckinpah
- Stalemate
- Gravesend
- ’82
- The Uncanny Valley
- Blue Smoke
- Do Me A Favor
- The Configuration
- House of Gold and Bones
Lineup:
Corey Taylor – vocals
James Root – guitar
Josh Rand – guitar
Roy Moyarga – drums
Rachel Bolan – bass
CORRECTION (4/6/13): Human is the protagonist of the story, not Allen.
Welcome to Warhead
Warhead is a speed/thrash metal band based out of Phoenix, Ariz. Their songs are written in the vein of the Big Four of Thrash Metal (Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer). They look like they got time-warped into 2013 straight from the 80s, and they sound like it too.
TBOS got the opportunity to interview Warhead and film them as they were rehearsing for their upcoming show. You can also hear their song, “Death Row,” in the video below.
Tomorrow March 15, they will perform at the Rocky Point Cantina in Tempe, Ariz. Other bands on the bill include: Hemoptysis, Scattered Guts, Existence AD, and Fail to Reason. The show is all ages and tickets are $5. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Warhead will be touring in May in support of their debut album, “Death Row”. The full-length interview and more concert footage will be posted on TBOS closer to the album’s release date.
Warhead “Death Row” West Coast Tour 2013:
May 16 – Phoenix
May 17 – San Diego
May 18 – Los Angeles
May 19 – San Francisco
May 21 – Sacramento
May 22 – Eugene
May 23 – Portland
May 25 – Seattle
May 26 – Boise
May 27 – Salt Lake City
May 28 – Las Vegas
For more updates, visit their Facebook page.
DORO, SISTER SIN and More Live in Tempe, Ariz.
Last month, TBOS had the honor of interviewing the Metal Queen, Doro Pesch. The interview was transcribed in four parts, and the audio was featured on Blabbermouth.net.
Doro Pesch onstage. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Saturday, we had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Doro do what she does best–making people headbang till their necks turn sore!
Tempe’s Rocky Point Cantina held an epic mini metal-fest Saturday night, with a total of six bands performing.
Local Phoenix bands Unconscious Minds, Hands of a Traitor, Epyon and NightSphere primed the audience for Sister Sin and DORO.
First up were classic/thrash metal outfit, Unconscious Minds. They made Pantera fans proud with their soaring vocals and melodic bass lines.
Vocalist Manny Lopez of Unconscious Minds. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Unconscious Minds were the first act of the night and played a thrashing set. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Next were metalcore group Hands of a Traitor. They were definitely the youngest out of all the local bands, and they had a dedicated fanbase moshing in the audience. If you’re into newer metal like Asking Alexandria, this band is for you.
Hands of a Traitor tear it up as their fans moshed in the background. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Epyon played an impressive instrumental set that reminded concertgoers of classic Metallica (think “Orion”) and Death Angel. They also announced that they had found a singer, though the band performed as an instrumental quartet.
Members from Epyon played an instrumental classic metal set. Photo by Alec Damiano.
The last local band to perform was power metal act NightSphere. They made an impressive stage entrance with dimmed lights and fog floating through the air.
Power metal outfit NightSphere. Pictured are singer CJ McConnell and guitarist Elsthon Gomez. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Next were Swedish glam metallers Sister Sin. They played a nine-song setlist, which included tracks from all their albums. Four of the songs were from their latest record, “Now and Forever”. Liv Jagrell interacted energetically with the crowd, actually stepping off the stage to greet fans at one point. The audience was left clamoring for more after they finished.
Liv Jagrell, the energetic frontwoman from Sister Sin. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Finally, at 11:20 p.m., headliners DORO took the stage. They played 20 songs, about half of which were from Pesch’s previous band, Warlock. Highlights from the set were “Hero,” which was written as a tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio, a cover of Judas Priest’s “Breaking The Law”, and the Warlock anthem “All We Are,” where the members from Sister Sin returned to the stage to sing along and engage with the crowd.
Doro Pesch, DORO’s frontwoman and namesake, interacts energetically with the clamoring crowd. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Saturday night was an unforgettable night for Tempe metalheads. The headliners more than delivered and great local talent was also showcased.
Sister Sin joined DORO onstage for a memorable rendition of “All We Are”. Photo by Alec Damiano.
Ex-Anthrax Guitarist Rob Caggiano Joins Volbeat
Today, Danish groove metal band Volbeat announced that former Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano has joined their band.
Caggiano onstage with Anthrax. Photo courtesy clintjcl on Flickr.
The guitarist announced his departure from Anthrax exactly one month ago. Caggiano wished to focus on a career in music production and was in Denmark to producing Volbeat’s latest album, “Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies,” when vocalist Michael Paulsen asked him to join the band.
Caggiano was a member of Anthrax from 2001 to 2005 and again from 2007 to 2013.
Doro Pesch Interview Transcript- Part 2
Part two of TBOS’s interview with Doro Pesch. Here, she tells about her experiences at Wacken Open Air Festival, her first tour with Judas Priest, and receiving health advice from Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P. Part 1 is here.
Doro Pesch Performing in 2008. Photo credit: liveratum on Flickr.
The Blog of Shredding: So you were the first woman to ever play at Donington (Monsters of Rock) and Wacken (festivals). Can you tell us about that?
Doro Pesch: I didn’t realize it at the time, and for me it was just like so amazing and so overwhelming. At the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival, it was actually—it was the biggest (metal festival). Back then, it was like unbelievable, and when we heard that we would play on this festival. And I tell you, I guess I was the happiest girl on earth, and that was actually when I quit my job.
Actually, I heard that we would go on Judas Priest’s tour right after the festival and then we would play this big festival in England. Then actually I quit my job as a graphic artist, and I thought, “I wanna try it”.
Then we played there, and it was 120,000 people. And the stage was very high. They had a lot of stairs to go up, a lot of steps. I tell you, my knees, they were like pudding. I walked up the steps and I went (surprised noise) and all the guys in the band felt the same. It was so amazing and the fans were in so (sic) good spirits and so into it, singing along, everybody headbanging. It looked like 120,000 people would headbang at the same time. Back then, there weren’t any iPhones, but in my memory, it was one of the greatest memories.
Then Wacken (Open Air Festival)—I’ve played there eight to nine times. I was there the first time in 1993, and it was a little tiny village. And it was actually when metal wasn’t doing well. It was in ’93, when grunge was so big. And there’s two fans doing a metal festival. I’m like, “Really? That’s so cool!” And I said, “I want to be part of it.” And we get there, and we couldn’t find it because it was such a tiny village, so we asked some farmers, and they actually brought us there on their tractors. It was so funny.
These two fans, it was like metal came out of their hearts. It was great. There was maybe 2,000 people there. But the huge stage, the huge P.A., so probably, I mean 50,000 people could have been easily there to listen. But yeah, the first time, we played with 2,000 maybe.
And then four years later, in ’98 we came back, and I thought, “Another little metal festival with the die-hard fans,” and now there were already 35,000. We thought, “wow!” And then every two, three, four years I played there again, and every time, it was the 20, 30, more thousand people, and now I think it’s like 80,000 people. Yeah, that’s what the police allows.
But I think even more than 50,000 people could be more on the field. But it’s always a big honor to play there and metalheads from all over the world, they’re always, you know, going to Wacken. Many people from the States, Australia, Brazil, like from all over the world. It’s so unbelievable and all the bands, all the musicians feel like “wow,” you know? It’s definitely a great honor to play there.
And you can always show the best show, because Wacken—the guys there—are so supportive. When you want to do something outrageous or something super-special, they always support you in that.
You can always expect the fans to see like a totally unique show, and with the best pyrotechnics and fireworks and light show and state-of-the-art ideas. So that’s what makes Wacken so extra-special.
The Blog of Shredding: You’ve opened for Megadeth and other legends such as the Scorpions. Could you tell us more about that?
Doro Pesch: Oh, yes, yes. I’d love to. My very first big tour was actually in ’86 with my favorite band, Judas Priest. And like I told you before, that’s actually when I quit my job.
It was unbelievable. I got the phone call from my manager at the place I worked. It was actually totally forbidden to take phone calls there, and then my boss, he said, “Hey, little girl. It better be important!” And I’m like (stutters) “Yeah, I hope so!”
So I got on the phone and my manager said, “Hey, are you ready to quit your job?” I said, “Why?” “You’re going on tour with your favorite band.” I said, “What you mean?” “Yes. Judas Priest.”
And back then, it was—I mean, for metal, it was Maiden, Priest, Metallica. It was like-it was like bigger than life. So it was my first tour. It was packed, sold out.Back in the ‘80s, it was definitely the biggest places. Metal was so strong. It was so great to be on tour with them.
My second tour was in ’87 with Ronnie James Dio. And Ronnie James Dio is my favorite singer, and it was so fantastic, and I learned so much.
Then we wanted to go on tour in America. We did a couple of club tours and stuff, which we really did great. And then I got a phone call from the record company and from the manager that said, “Hey, you’ll never guess who you could tour with.” And I said, “Who?” They said, “Dave Mustaine and Megadeth.” And I thought, ‘OH! WOW!”
So actually, you know, we immediately canceled all the European dates because we had another tour in Europe already booked. And then we canceled all the dates. I said, “No, I wanna do it.” And then we did our first big tour in Spain.
It was great. You know, I love Megadeth. “In My Darkest Hour,” that was my favorite song. It was so great. I watched their show every night, and it was so-it was so special. So great.
Then we did many other tours, all with my favorite artists like Motörhead and the Scorpions, W.A.S.P.
It was my first big England tour, and Blackie Lawless, he was so super-nice to me. He was so cool to me because I was on tour with Judas Priest, and at the end of the tour in Scandinavia, it was this big ice hockey venue. And then everybody said, “Hey, girl, don’t walk on the ice!” And I said, “Oh, I can take it.” You know, I’m metal (laughs) and Judas Priest and it’s ok cause I was watching every day (sic) the sound check of Judas Priest. So I was walking on the ice and said, “Nah, it’s kinda cold. But it’s ok.”
So a couple of days later, we were on tour with W.A.S.P. in England, and I had pneumonia. I was so sick! And that was when I first met Blackie Lawless.
I was sitting on a staircase because there was only one dressing room. And Blackie said, “Hey, is that Doro? The singer of our support Warlock?” And I said, “Yes.” He said, “Wow! You look like you’re really sick.” And I said, “Blackie, I’m so sick, man. I don’t even know if I can do the tour. I’m so sick.”
He said, “You know what? You wait.” And then he told the band members to please give me the dressing room and said, “You know what? Lay down here on the couch. I will wake you when it’s time for you to get dressed. I will get you some great medicine.” And he got me like all this medicine and magic potions for the voice. He got me some fresh fruit juice and fresh fruit, which back in the day, was very, very difficult to get. It was, you know, in England, actually very difficult.
He got me all this medicine, magic potions, and then, he woke me up and he said, “Doro, it’s time for you to get dressed and have a great show.” And I tell you, I felt like a million bucks. I was immediately feeling so much better.
And I thought, “Wow. I will never forget.” You know, he was so nice and so kind. Then I thought, “If I ever have a support (band), I’m gonna treat them as good.”
I learned from all the great bands and artists. And I can definitely say I had a great chance to learn from the best and we played with so many bands. It was unbelievable.
I was always in Heaven. And I never thought, being a little metalhead from Germany, you know, that you could ever tour the world and tour with your favorite bands, with your favorite artists. It was such a dream come true, and it still is. I still deeply appreciate it and feel grateful for it.
To be continued…
The Blog of Shredding 