Stoneman – Steine (Out 23 September 2016 via Nocut / SPV)
Swiss (German side) band Stoneman are a young 4 piece who, if the PR are to be believed (my German isn’t as good as it used to be), will be the next big thing.
With very little information available on the band, even less in English, it’s hard to give any background. That said, the band formed in the early 00s and have released a number of well-received albums and toured hard around Europe.
The album kicks off with some solid keyboards before the heavy crunchy guitars come in. The guitars and deep vocals (think Mission or NFD) instantly give a gothic feel, the mix of heavy guitars with the bursts of keyboards and female vocals found in more operatic metal add to a full sound. That and the clearly alternative edge to the guitar sound and there’s a definite Kerrang! feel to it.
The second track drives with a solid bass line and opens with whispered rapid fire vocals.
There’s a nu-metal feel to ‘Eiskalt’, a rough guitar and a growl to the vocals, and lingering gothic undertones.
The title track has a bigger production, and a nod to big power metal ballad (at least as far as a grungy gothic metal band can), the odd spooky feel.
There are hints to melodic operatic power metal peppered through the album, amongst the overriding alternative metal guitars and gothic metal vocals.
Definitely a band to look out for, but they may need to present themselves in English to broaden the appeal. 7/10
Joe Geesin
Line-up
Mikki Chixx: Vocals
Rico H: drums
Dee: bass
Y: guitars
Tracklisting:
1. Wir schreiben Geschichte
2. Kofferlied
3. Eiskalt
4. Steine
5. Wenn der Teufel
6. Ich hass mich nicht genug, um Dich zu lieben
7. Gott weint
8. Spiegelficker
9. An der Leine
10. Kaltes klares Wasser
11. Dein Geheimnis
Tour dates 2016:
2016-11-09 A-Wien – Down Under
2016-11-10 München – Backstage Café
2016-11-11 Dresden – Puschkin Club
2016-11-12 Stuttgart – Club Zentral
2016-11-13 Frankfurt – Nachtleben
2016-11-15 CH-Zürich – Ebrietas
2016-11-16 Hannover – Lux
2016-11-17 Leipzig – Hellraiser
2016-11-18 Hamburg – Logo
2016-11-19 Bochum – Rockpalast
2016-11-20 Berlin – Musik und Frieden