Since their beginnings, the Americans of Baroness have built a body of work placed under the sign of colour — their albums bear the names of hues, and their music has never ceased to evolve from a rough sludge toward a melodic, luminous progressive metal. Stone, the first record to break with the chromatic nomenclature, pursues this move toward accessibility and the great chorus.
The critics, out in force (an 80 average across nine reviews), hail a solid record but one that divides more than in the past. Many see in it the confirmation of a melodic craft; others regret that the band have put away part of their bite in favour of a smoother, more rock-oriented writing.
Musically, Stone stakes everything on vocal harmonies, careful arrangements and an immaculate production by the band themselves. John Baizley leads the whole with his warm voice and inspired melodies, between contained power and more intimate flashes.
The downside of this clarity is a certain loss of edge: the early Baroness, more abrasive and unpredictable, is sometimes missing. The record seduces without always unsettling, and its quest for efficiency can verge on the consensual.
Verdict: 8/10. A melodic, controlled record, confirming the band’s accessible turn, at the risk of blunting part of their bite.
