Baroness – Yellow & Green
Baroness – Yellow & Green CD (Relapse)
‘Yellow & Green’ is a Baroness album. Full stop. I feel the need to start there lest any statements I make as the review progresses get interpreted to indicate otherwise. This is a Baroness album and it is as engaging and uncompromising as anything else the band has released to date. As I shift into the review, let me clarify that I am going to approach this in what I feel is true Baroness fashion – color coded segments that I’ll call yellow and green (why not?). These segmented sections of the review do not speak to different aspects of the album, as such; instead, they are meant to represent two different ways to approach the album as a whole. My intent is for all of this to make sense by the end of the review, so on with it I go. First, the yellow portion of the review, which is something of an easy-way-out approach that makes heavy use of comparisons. Baroness have been innovators in heavy music since they first appeared, but like every other band, their influences are easy enough to spot for those well-versed in a wide variety of music. And comparisons are simple to make: listen to something and comment on something to which it seems reminiscent. On ‘Yellow & Green’, Baroness seem to have leapt light-years ahead of the pack by incorporating more elements of classically-tinged progressive metal and juicy melodic hardcore than ever before. They also have honed their songwriting skills to a frighteningly sharp point, adding driving rhythms and riffs that are pure classic rock, melodies and hooks that are as unforgettable as the best power-pop, and a refined pattern of well-placed repetition to their repertoire. In some places the resulting sound is akin to Pink Floyd filtered through Mastodon. In others I have to shake myself out of thinking that I am listening to Katatonia, Opeth, or Amorphis. In still others it seems as if either earthtone9 or Killswitch Engage has entered the fray. And in many places – this is a compliment, so keep reading, you savages! – the sound is pure Foo Fighters. This is a win, since all of these comparisons happen within the context of pretty much every song. It’s not like the band decided ‘let’s write a melodic death metal tune!’ and then ‘let’s write a bombastic radio rock song!’ or any such nonsense. (This is probably a good time to announce that I’m shifting into the green portion of the review.) Baroness have indeed added some accessibility to the mix, and it’s beautiful – the melodies, the harmonies, the hooks. Stunning. They’ve also added a deeper level of complexity than ever before. ‘Yellow & Green’ contains some of the most prog-tastic explorations of time and space ever committed to digital wax. The combination of these two elements with the band’s core template of twisted metal/melodic hardcore and a collection of provocative lyrics delivered with a wide array of vocal techniques is nothing short of genius. The twin vocal attack of John Baizley (who also plays rhythm guitar) and Peter Adams (who also plays lead guitar) feels as adventurous as the experimental guitar passages that give this album its intricately shaded palate of colors. The lyrical themes – which are as hopeful as they are melancholy – add significant depth to the proceedings, as does the tightly wound rhythm section of Alan Blickle (drums) and the recently added Matt Maggioni (bass). The Impaler’s verdict: ‘Yellow & Green’ represents the type of artistic growth that passionate music fans hope for from acts that are in that ‘more than just another band I listen to’ category, and I hope that it doesn’t take 20 years of reflection for their core fanbase to recognize it. The Impaler @impalerspeaks
