Baroness - The Blue Record

\r\nAfter giving the world the first shock with “Red Album” in 2007, Baroness strike once again with “The Blue Record” and their evil purpose is to finish us off! With a unique sound this band manages to stimulate a person’s emotions with their music whether you are a fan of the genre or not. However, to make things right, these guys simply cannot be put in any genre or kind, they make a genre of themselves. So, we can say that their music is simply a piece of art.\r\n

\r\nBaroness began their journey in 2003 and have released two full length albums during these years. \r\n

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\r\nTheir first very good work was just a sign of their future music orientations. In Blue Record this band manages not to hang but stay firm in the balance between old and new,  between Thin Lizzy and Kylesa, between Black Sabbath and Mastodon and if continue on making such pairs, I tell you, this will go on for hours.\r\n

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\r\nBeginning from the exterior and then moving to the interior, we observe the unique artwork created by the band’s member John Baizley (guitars, vocals) who was also the artwork creator of the band’s first album. So what about the music itself? To be honest…this album kicks some serious ass!!! Acoustic and melodic parts, Old-school Doom (Black Sabbath and Pentagram) and NWOBHM riffs are combined with some new aged experimentation that, at times, reminds us a lot of Mastodon and Isis and all these influences, adding the many ideas that the band has to offer, come down to a sound that carries their band’s own copyright. Guitar work is excellent by John Baizley and Brian Blickle. The first one is also the singer of the band and manages to give an extra boost to Baroness’s music. \r\n

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\r\nWithout any further hesitation, “best choices” or "weaknesses", I present you one of the best albums of the year that passes us by and maybe one of the best in its own genre during the last years. Baroness’s music can truly make your mind travel to another dimension and “Blue Record” is the hand that you’ll have to hold on if you want to go there. \r\n

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\r\nChris "Wildchild" Zarkadakis  \r\n