Baroness announced Stone, their sixth album and first one not named after a color. It’s due September 15 via Abraxan Hymns (pre-order). That’s vocalist/guitarist John Baizley’s artwork for the album above. John says:
An important through line in Baroness is we don’t like to repeat ourselves. It’s all about the willingness to take risks. When I was younger, the whole point of music was to be different, not to do the same thing, and not to listen to parents or play by the rules. That’s kind of goofy, but in practice, it works. It’s really sort of terrifying to be at the sixth record in your career and think that you’ll have to keep up with your history rather than continually invent. So, we doubled down on continuously inventing to see where it takes us. I think this record is a good reflection of that. STONE is a lot more alive, more direct.
The album was self-produced, mixed by Joe Barresi (Slipknot, Every Time I Die, Queens of the Stone Age, etc), and mastered by veteran engineer Bob Ludwig. The first taste is “Last Word,” which does indeed sound like Baroness at their most alive and direct, with a great concoction of big hooks, beefy riffs, and psych/prog passages. Check out the song and its Nick Jost-directed video below.
Baroness have also announced a tour with an amazing cast of openers varying by date, including Soul Glo, Chat Pile, Jesus Piece, Escuela Grind, Wayfarer, KEN mode, Primitive Man, Midwife, Sheer Mag, Imperial Triumphant, Uniform, Vile Creature, Cloud Rat, Portrayal of Guilt, Agriculture, Hoaxed, and Empire State Bastard. Tickets go on sale Friday (6/23) at 10 AM local.
NYC gets a stop on November 29 at Webster Hall, and that one’s with Sheer Mag and Imperial Triumphant. All dates are listed below.
UPDATE (8/18): Even more openers announced. Updated list below.
Tracklist
1. Embers
2. Last Word
3. Beneath the Rose
4. Choir
5. The Dirge
6. Anodyne
7. Shine
8. Magnolia
9. Under the Wheel
10. Bloom
Baroness — 2023 Tour Dates
October 13 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
-With special guests Jesus Piece and Escuela Grind
October 14 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club
-With special guests Jesus Piece and Escuela Grind
October 15 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
-With special guests Jesus Piece and Escuela Grind
October 17 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor
-With special guests Jesus Piece and Escuela Grind
October 18 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
-With special guests Jesus Piece and Escuela Grind
October 20 – Dallas, TX – The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
-With special guests Portrayal of Guilt and Escuela Grind
October 21 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
-With special guests Portrayal of Guilt and Escuela Grind
October 22 – Austin, TX – Empire Control Room & Garage
-With special guests Portrayal of Guilt and Escuela Grind
October 24 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
-With special guests Primitive Man and Midwife
October 25 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater
-With special guests Primitive Man and Midwife
October 27 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
-With special guests Primitive Man, Midwife and Agriculture
October 28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Bellwether
-With special guests Primitive Man, Midwife and Agriculture
October 29 – Berkeley, CA – UC Theater Taube Family Music Hall
-With special guests Primitive Man, Midwife and Agriculture
October 31 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
-With special guests KEN Mode and Hoaxed
November 3 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
-With special guest KEN Mode and Hoaxed
November 4 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
-With special guest KEN Mode and Vile Creature
November 6 – Edmonton, AB – Union Hall
-With special guest KEN Mode and Vile Creature
November 7 – Calgary, AB – The Palace Theater
-With special guest KEN Mode and Vile Creature
November 9 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
-With special guest Wayfarer and Destiny Bond
November 11 – Denver, CO – Summit
-With special guest Wayfarer and Destiny Bond
November 12 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room Lounge
-With special guest Wayfarer and Destiny Bond
November 14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
-With special guest Chat Pile and Spotlights
November 15 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
-With special guest Chat Pile and Spotlights
November 17 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs
-With special guests Vile Creature and Spotlights
November 18 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
-With special guests Vile Creature, Spotlights and Cloud Rat
November 19 – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall
-With special guests Vile Creature and Spotlights
November 20 – Montreal, QC – Théâtre Beanfield
-With special guests Vile Creature and Spotlights
November 22 – Albany, NY – Empire Live
-With special guests Soul Glo and Spotlights
November 24 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theater & Ballroom
-With special guests Soul Glo, Spotlights and Cloud Rat
November 25 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre
-With special guests Soul Glo and Spotlights
November 26 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
-With special guests Soul Glo and Spotlights
November 28 – Boston, MA – Royale
-With special guests Sheer Mag and Imperial Triumphant
November 29 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
-With special guests Sheer Mag and Imperial Triumphant
December 1 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
-With special guests Sheer Mag, Uniform and Zorn