25 years, a quarter of a century, is a very long time in the life of any human being. And maybe even more so, in the lifespan of a recording of music. Yet "Further" by American stoner metal band SOLACE, first released at the turn of the millennium, has stood the test of time. Its tracks feel just as contemporary and relevant as in the year 2000.
A 25th anniversary is a great occasion for an enhanced, extended, and re-mastered edition of a timeless classic, but this much-deserved reissue was already decided upon when original SOLACE singer Jason L. sadly passed away in January 2025. This turns the new edition of "Further" into an unplanned but due tribute to his legacy and everything that Jason brought to the band during his formative years as their tortured and brilliant frontman.
SOLACE are celebrated veterans of the American metal scene. Hailing from Asbury Park, New Jersey at the windswept shore of the Western Atlantic, the band was founded in 1996. Built on a solid foundation of classic metal, early doom and punk ethic, the original four-piece infused a healthy dose of hardcore fury into grooving, grinding sludge.
SOLACE call their amalgamation of doom and heavy metal with hardcore elements dirt metal, while elsewhere it has been somewhat tongue-in-cheekily dubbed shorecore. Others file the New Jersey five-piece under stoner metal – and in truth, all these descriptions fit to an extent. Raise a glass to Jason's legacy and enjoy his outstanding performance on SOLACE's debut album "Further" that has been diligently and respectfully remastered to shine brighter than ever before!
TRACKS
01. Man Dog (2025 Remaster)
02. Black Unholy Ground (2025 Remaster)
03. Followed (2025 Remaster)
04. Whistle Pig (2025 Remaster)
05. Hungry Mother (2025 Remaster)
06. Angels Dreaming (2025 Remaster)
07. Suspicious Tower (2025 Remaster)
08. Heavy Birth/2-Fisted (2025 Remaster)
09. Another Life
10. We Bite
11. On the Hunt
12. Heavy Birth/2-Fisted (Distanced from Reality version)
13. Dirt
14. Funk #49 (Live in Tokyo '98)
