SWEET OBLIVION SUMMER 2024
Last September saw the release of "Stone", Baroness' sixth studio album. Recorded in a remote cabin on the border between Pennsylvania and New York, it marks an important change in the way the band works: unlike their predecessors, singer and guitarist John Baizley and his colleagues produced the ten songs themselves. Because in the metal band's 20-year career, there has always been one constant: Baroness were not allowed to repeat themselves and had to keep reinventing their sound to see where it would take them. So this time, Baroness have put themselves behind the controls. This is perfectly reflected in "Stone" with its direct liveliness. Of course, this can also be seen in the choice of title: For the first time after "Red Album", "Blue Record", "Yellow & Green", "Purple" and "Gold & Grey", there is a material rather than a color. However, their DIY ethos remains. As always, Baizley designed the cover, they booked the tours themselves and the music was created completely independently and from a single source. And of course the record is a new milestone, once again crossing all metal and other genre boundaries and refusing to be pinned down. Baroness bring everything from post-punk to psychedelic into the songs that is necessary to tame the concentrated guitar power and link the lyrics with the sound. Conceptually, the new record is much more personal and darker than its colorful predecessors. "I tend to focus on the things that confuse me," Blaizley says of the writing process, "so this album is kind of a reflection of my life. I've had a rough couple of years and I found peace walking through Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. I found it almost peaceful. There's a song on Pink Floyd's 'Animals' where they use stone as a metaphor for a grave, in a poetic way. That was definitely on my mind." Baroness have now confirmed that they will be coming back to Europe this summer to perform "Stone" live. In addition to their appearance at the Wacken Open Air, they will also be playing four exclusive club shows as part of their "Sweet Oblivion" tour.
