Release
date: October 20th 2017. Label: Studio Kerwax. Format: CD/DD
Time – Tracklisting
1.I
2.Sacrifice
3.Blackened sky
4.Only time
5.Shutter part I
6.Shutter part II
7.Animals 08:08
8.II
Members
Fañch
Sylvain
Antoine
Alx
Review
I don't know why
certain French Stoner Metal bands change their sound to a more dark,
adventerous and intense sound. Wheelfall went from Desert/Stoner
Metal to Post-Black/Sludge Metal and Los Disidentes Del Sucio Motel
recently went from Stoner Metal to a more hard-hitting Sludge/Stoner
sounds. Now it's StoneBirds to venture into the darker side of
Sludge/Post-metal.
StoneBirds last album
released in 2015 was firmly within the Sludge/Stoner metal side of
things but the band return with a heavier and more chaotic sound. As
their new album, Time – feels influenced by bands such as YOB,
Neurosis, ISIS (The Band) and Cult Of Luna. It's a gloomy and epic
post-metal affair with StoneBirds showing a wide range of different
themes and ideas buried within their music and lyrics that are held
on the album.
Opening track – I –
is an instrumental post-sludge/post-doom affair with the song
creating a bleak and sombre mood.
Second track – Sacrifice – is packed full of epic sludgy sounds that drift from Neurosis sludge/post-metal style passages to YOB doom based chants.
Third track –
Blackened Sky – is a myriad of different sounds with StoneBirds
playing moments of Post-Stoner, Sludge, Post-Rock/Post-Metal and
shades of Psychedelic Jazzy sounds that gives the album a more
dreamlike effect. The song can be very haunting and emotional at
times as StoneBirds slow the mood down.
The album only moves
further into heavier and darker musical territory on songs such as
Only Time, Shutter Part 1 and Shutter Part 2. The final two songs
Animals and II are perhaps the standout songs on the album as the
band convey a sense of mysterious dread within the final sounds of
the album.
Time is where you see
StoneBirds full transformation into the new Overlords of Doom and
Gloom. The album is beautifully produced and sounds incredible from
the start. Time can be very violent at times but the album also has a
soulful passionate side that you cannot ignore.
Overall this is an
exquisite, brutally heavy and emotionally intense album. It simply doesn't
get any better than this.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Time will be available to
buy on CD/DD from October 20th 2017.
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