#stonerror

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Album art by Justyna Verdavaine

We've always got our ear to the rumblings of the heavy underground, looking out for something special. Well, we've found a new record that will keep you floating on for a quite some time. It comes to us via STONERROR, a psychedelic stoner-punk foursome from Kraków that have been jamming since 2015. They made an impression on us two years ago with their freshman full-length 'Stonerror' (2017), of which I wrote:

"Stonerror is revved up, fuzzed out, and itching to go out for a spin -- and damn, what a bitchin' bassline this record has! Not your usual stoner rock fare. Stonerror have definitely put a lot of thought and craftsmanship into this one. Fans of Kyuss, Dozer, Fu Manchu, Greenleaf, take notice!

If the first album was fire, let me warn you to buckle in for the fantastically frenetic follow-up! Not only does 'Widow In Black' (2019) sound fantastic, sonically, the new record is taking us on a thematic joy ride that is sure to warrant your invested listening for the long haul.

Photo by Marcin Pawłowski

Without doubt, Widow In Black is one of the year's most engaging, heart-thumping, hair flying wildly in the wind kind of records. Take for example, the humorously named "Kings of the Stone Age," a genuine stoner-pop marvel, which musters the bouncy verve of QOTSA and the f^*%-you punk intensity of Mutoid Man. "Revelation" brings us pop sensibilities reminiscent of Torche, while "Hellfire" shreds as hard as anything Radio Moscow or Earthless has brought to the fore. "Ships on Fire" is one of my particular favs, channeling the balls-out fury of ASG, accented by some of those big, bendy, Soundgarden-esque riffs. And I absolutely love those sweet, sweet hooks and licks in "Asteroid Fields."

As with the first record, this Stonerror crew is lightning together. You've got Łukasz Mazur on lead vocals and guitar, with Jarosław Daniel shredding it up on guitar, Jacek Malczewski on bass (also pitching in on some nice vocal harmonies), and the steady hand of Maciej Ołownia on drums. It's an unbeatable, finely tuned machine that feels neither uptight nor undisciplined. They're just free, man, free.

To draw a comparison with Kyuss (yes, I feel one is warranted after soaking this all in): if Stonerror was the Wretch of the band's discography, then Widow In Black is surely its Blues For The Red Sun. Stonerror toggle between a wide range of interlocking styles with confidence, delivering exciting psychedelic touches, grinding desert riffs, soaring choruses, and dreamy post-metal finishes. It's a perfect companion to last year's The Sea by Somali Yacht Club, not to mention a fine complement to ASG's Survive Sunrise.

Widow In Black releases on Wednesday, May 22nd, and can be pre-ordered on CD and vinyl here. Leading up to its release, you can hear it all from edge to center right here, right now, on our bitchin' lil blog!

Give ear...

Widow in Black by Stonerror

A Chit-Chat with Stonerror

Congrats on the new record! It sounds fantastic. Would love to know more about the recording process.

Widow in Black was recorded live in one room, on a vintage 16-track Studer magnetic tape recorder and mixed in analog -- in real time -- to stereo track. That’s our usual mode of recording and mixing. We prefer it to digital technologies, because it allows us to catch the momentary energy and synergy of playing together as a band. Also, the sound is a lot more dynamic and “breathing” than in case of digital recording and mixing. Once again, we worked with one of the best producers in Poland – Maciej Cieślak, who’s also a renowned musician and composer.

Right on. Well, let's get into the thematic content of 'Widow In Black,' because that especially interests me.

Lyrically, “Widow in Black” is a concept album. The first four songs (“Ships on Fire”, “Widow in Black”, “Tumbleweed”, and “Kings of the Stone Age”) tell a story of a doomed, turbulent, and painful -- but also intense and all-consuming -- love affair. The apocalypse comes in “Domesday Call,” leaving the protagonist utterly alone, battered, and surrounded by ashes and rubble. In “Hellfire” he descends all the way to hell only to return stronger and mentally transformed. Having experienced excruciating and cathartic solitude in “Mothership”, he sets himself free and leaves the past behind in “Revelation.”

I have to say, I love concept albums. What was the underlying inspiration for these tracks?

Some of our lyrical inspirations include:

“Ships on Fire”: inspired by Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” dialogues, especially the famous “Tears in Rain” monologue.

“Widow in Black”: Freudian sexual motives, Greek mythology.

“Kings of the Stone Age”: made up of sexual innuendos from James Bond movies, with references to David Bowie (“Heroes”) and Iggy Pop & The Stooges (“Gimme Danger, “Raw Power”, and “I Wanna Be Your Dog”).

“Hellfire”: based upon Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy” and the ancient Icarus myth.

“Mothership”: references to David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and sci-fi movies.

“Revelation”: based upon the Buddhist concept of spiritual enlightenment.

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