Hailing from France, this is the band's fourth full length of darkly melodic heavy metal with a slight gothic tinge. It's also their third record for label Pitch Black and I must say I like when labels stick by a band like that. There's a bit of Nevermore or Iced Earth feel to this band, but without all the unnecessary jammin' that Nevermore tends toward. This is straight forward, dark, modern heavy metal. I can hear a little Manowar in their sound as well, when they lean into an epic riff, and they do it often enough to notice. The songwriting is interesting, and arresting, with a focus on hooks and catchy riffs as well as memorable vocals. The vocals aren't virtuosic, but are perfectly capable of holding down the melodies, and the singer turns in a good performance. His voice has a dark quality that I like quite a bit. They employ some interesting time shifts in some of the songs that keep things fresh and keeps the listener watching out for the next little flourish. This is quite a good record overall, and it's a totally different flavor of heavy metal, which is refreshing. Highly recommended for the classic metal fan.
Showing posts with label Pitch Black Records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pitch Black Records. Show all posts
Monday, August 3, 2026
Stonecast--Expand Crimson Chaos (CD) (2026 Pitch Black Records)
Hailing from France, this is the band's fourth full length of darkly melodic heavy metal with a slight gothic tinge. It's also their third record for label Pitch Black and I must say I like when labels stick by a band like that. There's a bit of Nevermore or Iced Earth feel to this band, but without all the unnecessary jammin' that Nevermore tends toward. This is straight forward, dark, modern heavy metal. I can hear a little Manowar in their sound as well, when they lean into an epic riff, and they do it often enough to notice. The songwriting is interesting, and arresting, with a focus on hooks and catchy riffs as well as memorable vocals. The vocals aren't virtuosic, but are perfectly capable of holding down the melodies, and the singer turns in a good performance. His voice has a dark quality that I like quite a bit. They employ some interesting time shifts in some of the songs that keep things fresh and keeps the listener watching out for the next little flourish. This is quite a good record overall, and it's a totally different flavor of heavy metal, which is refreshing. Highly recommended for the classic metal fan.
Labels:
Heavy Metal,
Pitch Black Records,
Stonecast
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