First thoughts: House of Gold and Bones Part 1

 The new Stone Sour album House of Gold and Bones Part 1 is out now. A couple of tracks ('Gone Sovereign' and 'Absolute Zero') have been available for a few weeks, and anyone who was at one of Corey Taylor's solo accoustic performances over the summer will have heard the fabulous 'Taciturn'.

The album opens with Gone Sovereign, a strong track heavy with guitar solo, catchy lyrics and punch. I am really looking forward to seeing this track played live as it has a really punchy rhythm and I am sure it will be a real crowd pleaser. This vibe continues strongly throughout the entire album, with carefully placed slower, more accousic tracks such as 'The Travelers Pt. 1' and the aforementioned 'Taciturn'.

I'm still listening obssessively to really get underneath the songs, and if I feel like it I will come back with a fuller review at some point. My first overwhelming impressions of this album are that it is dirtier, deeper, and punchier than anything that precedes it. It has some of the grit and determination of Stone Sour, combined with the catchier hooks of Audio Secrecy underlined by a stronger and more prominent rhythm section.

House of Gold and Bones Part 1 marks a more mature sound I think, more refined and polished, but with the feeling of being stripped down and without pretension. I am definitely looking forward to hearing some of the tracks from the album played live when I see Stone Sour in Vienna at the end of November.

House of Gold and Bones Part 1 is available from the usual online retailers and all good record stores. Go buy it!