Release Date: June 25th 2021. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Format: CD/DD/VInyl
Stoners Rule - Tracklisting
1.Rad Stays Rad 06:27
2.The Older Kids 05:09
3.Own Yer Blues 06:00
4.Nothin' 02:37
5.Evel Never Dies 02:51
6.Stand Down 06:19
7.Tribe/Fly Girl 13:19
Members
Brant Bjork
Nick Olivieri
Ryan Gut
Review
Stoners Rule is the debut full length album from STÖNER that is being released on the always excellent record label Heavy Psych Sounds Records. If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last 6 months then you should know STÖNER is the new album featuring Desert/Stoner Rock Legends and Godfathers of the scene - Brant Bjork and Nick Olivieri. Their first studio work together since their Vista Chino days.
In a sense I’ve already reviewed this album when I reviewed Live In The Mojave Desert: Volume 4. Though this “proper” version of the album - Stoners Rule - is the definitive version with much better sound production and a slightly different tracklisting. The 6 songs on offer show what Brant Bjork, Nick Olivieri and Ryan Gut delivering a classic Desert/Stoner Rock album that harks back to the good old days of KYUSS and some of the modern based work that Brant and Nick have released over the years.
STÖNER have gone into their own personal influences and musical archives for this release with the album showcasing different styles of Hard Rock/Metal with the band focusing on Blues Rock, Classic Rock, Desert Rock, Psych Rock and Stoner Rock. Throw in an abundance of Punk Rock attitude which perhaps comes mostly from Nick’s style of Outlaw Punk/Stoner Rock collection of grooves and ideas.
The album is quite a forward-thinking album with some of the lyrics STÖNER have released for this album. Maybe it’s a bit pretentious for a Stoner Rock band to call their album STONERS RULE but I’m fully 100% album title. Well, if I wasn’t then this blog wouldn’t exist they way it currently does.
Stoners Rule is perhaps what the VIsta Chino album should have most definitely been. This record has a stronger set of songs with Rad Stays Rad, The Other Kids and Own Yer Blues laying down the groundwork and law for STÖNER to play a stunning array of different styles of Psych Stoner Rock with the band not afraid to move out genre conventions and bring a dirtier style of music to the forefront of the album.
The final 3 songs of Evel Never Dies, Stand Down and Tribe/Fly Girl allow STÖNER the opportunity to play some exciting music of their own and actually become a force to be reckoned with and all under the name of STÖNER. Tribe/Fly Girl is a 13 minute plus track that offers some of the most sombre and heaviest parts of the album.
Stoners Rule is a beautifully made and soulful album that the world of Stoner Rock/Metal needs right now. With Brant, Nick and Ryan having long term plans for STÖNER, with tours planned in 2022. This could be another exciting chapter in the careers of the legendary musicians involved with STÖNER.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR and All Noir for the promo.
Stoners Rule is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds Records
Links:
Official | Instagram | BandCamp