Let’s face it, Corey Taylor might have the biggest mouth in all of music; the man has an opinion on everything. But when it comes to music, he has real talent. After the release of concept albums, The House of Gold and Bones – Part One and Two, Stone Sour have bounced around a bit when it comes to the music they have produced, releasing two covers albums and now the release of their newest album, Hydrograd.
With a handful of singles from the album being released over the past few months, the anticipation continued to build. I’ll admit it, the first single from the record, “Fabuless” was a bit underwhelming for me; I expected better songwriting from someone with as much talent as Corey, but it was catchy. Then “Song #3” hit YouTube and I began to get excited. Even though it was a slower song for the band, it was light years ahead of the album’s first single. After that we got “Taipei Person/Allah Tea” and my favorite track on the release, “Mercy”.
Stone Sour has created a great reflection of Rock and Roll, mixed with Corey’s soft vocal hooks and his brutal punchy verses, this album has something for everyone. Hydrograd is the first studio release that guitarist Christian Martucci recorded with the band after replacing Jim Root, and he effectively uses it as an opportunity to shine and solidify his own identity in the band.
So, what can we expect from Hydrograd? With a runtime of just over an hour, the release leaves you wanting more when the album closes. The album has some softer songs – “St. Marie”, being the softest on the release with its slight country undertones. I NEVER thought I would say “country undertones” and “Corey Taylor” in the same review. “Somebody Stole My Eyes” is by far the heaviest song on the release, one that flirts with the line between Stone Sour and Slipknot.
Overall, kudos to Corey and Stone Sour for creating another great record. Is it my favorite release from the band? No, but I still think that with the lineup changes in the band, they are still creating great music. You can check out the album now on every download and streaming site.
