Stoned Jesus are true trailblazers. Though often associated with the stoner crowd, frontman Igor Sydorenko has experimented with folk, prog, pop and alternative rock amidst familiar doses of doom. But after hitting the road hard in celebration of the band’s 15th anniversary, Sydorenko and his new bandmates set off to find even more expansive creative peaks.
The Songs to... trilogy spans all of the different phases of Stoned Jesus. As if climbing above a mountain in the desert, the massive opener of Songs to Sun slowly appears on the horizon before bursting into flame behind a heavy psychedelic groove. More nods to Seven Thunders Roar and The Harvest appear throughout the tracklist. Lead single “Shadowland” slides into the band’s catchiest riff since “Here Come the Robots”, though the gloomy keys aren’t the only ghost that they're trying to outrun during its thrilling closing sprint.
An existential shadow hangs over Songs to Sun. The album reflects the unstable ground that Sydorenko navigated once the band's previous lineup dissolved. But whether shrouded by depression, amidst a break-up or the grind of tour life, Stoned Jesus are guided by the spirit of innovation. On Songs to Sun, Stoned Jesus set their heavy progressive rock to stun.
For fans of MASTODON, PORCUPINE TREE, ALICE IN CHAINS.
TRACKS
Side A: New Dawn / Shadowland / Lost in the Rain
Side B: Low / See You on the Road / Quicksand
