Album Review: The House of Gold and Bones, Vol. 1 by Stone Sour

The first in a two-part concept album, House of Gold & Bones finds Stone Sour returning from the relatively subdued sound of their last outing with fire in their belly, bringing some of the aggression back into their sound while still keeping the more nuanced songwriting of Audio Secrecy intact. Following the story of a man who finds himself at a mystical crossroads in his life while on a journey through a kind of self-made perdition, the album follows an arc both thematically and sonically, with the intensity of the songs rising and falling in a way that feels more like a musical than an album of chest-thumping hard rock. This creates a nice dynamic between songs like the driving "My Name Is Allen" and its follow-up, the more contemplative and reflective "Taciturn," creating a palpable shift that comes through both lyrically and musically.

Full Review >>

Corey and Co are back with a blinder. Did you ever doubt it though? Based on Corey Taylor’s fictional tale of a man faced with the choice of growing up or sheltering in the irresponsibility of youth, ‘House Of Gold & Bones Part 1’ finds Stone Sour thriving like never before. In embracing the narrative on this first instalment of a double concept album, they’ve created a gargantuan record that truly gives the sense that you’re joining them on a journey.

Full Review >>

Mediocre and forgettable American rock, devoid of any bells or whistles. Raziq Rauf 2012 This fourth Stone Sour album was described by frontman Corey Taylor, during its recording, as a cross between Pink Floyd’s The Wall and Alice in Chains’ Dirt. So it’s perhaps needless to say that it has a lot to live up to. Comparisons with two of the finest, most influential albums in rock’s history are always going to present difficulties to the listener.

Full Review >>