Adding new guitarist Gina Gleason to their ever-evolving lineup, Baroness have just served up their sixth LP, Gold & Grey.
At a mammoth 17 tracks, the adventurous heavy metal outfit deliver Gold & Grey in such a way that you forget it’s an hour long. It’s a bold step from their previous outing Purple, but it isn’t oversaturated with long tracks.
More so, they fill the LP with organic yet colourful songs and break up the album smartly with subtle intermissions that add texture rather than unnecessary time.
Their first single and lengthiest song off the LP, ‘Borderlines’, contains a complex riff that can be recalled on any Baroness song. Its chorus is made all the better with frontman John Baizley’s distinct vocal harmonies. But then again, this can be said for every song – his voice bringing satisfying new highs in songs, ‘I’m Already Gone’, ‘Front Toward Enemy’, ‘Seasons’ and ‘Cold-Blooded Angels’.
Drama is no stranger to Baroness’ lyrics as well. ‘I’d Do Anything’ can be seen as a prime example – it may be melodramatic, but it’s equally anthemic at the same time. Another one is ‘Tourniquet’, where Baizley sings, “I’ve got an artificial heart, it bleeds but I can’t feel a thing” against pulsing guitars and drums, advancing its emotive intent.
Sustaining, daring and a much better attempt at a lengthy LP, could this be Baroness’ magnum opus?
