Album Review: Baroness - 'Red Album'

31 December 2007 | 11:14 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

A new heir to the ambient metal throne...

More Baroness More Baroness

Having released two well received

EP's and garnering critical acclaim from the underground metal community, Baroness still aren't what you'd call a household name. With the

“Red Album”, I think it's safe to say that the band's profile will

rise rather rapidly, because this is a near flawless record that fans

Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter

of Clutch and Neurosis will lap up. 


For those of you who are un-familiar

with the band, imagine a cleaner and more to the point version of Mastodon and you'd be on the right track. Utilizing a similar style

of singing to Troy Sanders and Neil Fallon (look them up if you don't

know who I'm talking about), Baroness' more streamlined take

on the southern rock meets metal genre is complex enough to appeal

to all the instrumental gurus out there, while still having the hooks

to please your average music fan.  


It was a smart decision opening

the record with “Rays Of Pinion” as the band successfully showcase

their instrumental prowess without sounding self indulgent. After building

the track for the first few minutes with layer upon layer of Isis-esque

guitars it all culminates in a crushing tirade that would have the rest

of the Relapse Records roster nodding in approval.  


“The Birthing” will instantly

draw comparison to the previously mentioned Mastodon, but if

you're going to be heavily influenced by a band, it may as well be the

best. The riffs and the groove of this tune provide an unbeatable backbone

for Baroness to build from and John Baizley's vocals are the icing on the cake. Oh yeah, the instrumental breakdown

at the two minute thirty mark of the song is close to being the musical

highlight of 2007. 


“Isak” slows the pace right

down with its classic rock leanings and provides the perfect segway

into “Wailing Wintry Wind”, which is a six minute filled with delay

soaked guitars and driving rhythms. A lot of bands try and mix up the

dynamic of their records with the inclusion of a slower tune... and

often they completely lose the momentum they've worked so hard to build.

Luckily for us,  Baroness don't suffer from the same problems

as the album's mid section perfectly compliments the remainder of the

record.  


The acoustic stylings of “Cockroach

En Fleur” make way for my personal favourite “Wanderlust”, which

wouldn't sound out of place on a Doomriders record. The grinding

guitars and soaring vocals makes the tune stand head and shoulders above

the rest of the Red Album... which is no mean feat when you consider

the quality of the record.  


“Aleph's” bass driven rumble

slows things down again and gives the band's drummer Allen a

chance to show off the wide variety of beats he is capable of, while

“Teeth Of A Cogwheel” proves that if Baroness opted to release

a purely instrumental record then they would reign supreme over that

genre as well. “O'Appalachia” is one of the band's shorter songs

but is no less effective, which brings us to “Grad”... hands down

one of the best songs of 2007! Finishing in the same fashion that the

record began, the slow and melodious guitars make for one hell of a

powerful noise. 


One final thing, make sure

you actually buy this record kids! Yes, I'm talking to all you downloading

fiends... The artwork on offer is stunning and it's courtesy of the

band's front man John Dyer Baizley who's also worked on

various records for Darkest Hou, Pig Destroyer and The Red Chord... so get excited already!


  1. Rays Of Pinion
  2. The Birthing
  3. Isak
  4. Wailing On Wintry

    Wind

  5. Cockroach En Fleur
  6. Wanderlust
  7. Aleph
  8. Teeth Of A Cogwheel
  9. O'Appalachia