With their debut album The Beast (2018) and sophomore album Rise of the Apophis (2021) in the books, France’s groove death metal heroes, Stone Horns is ready to embark on an exhilarating sonic journey with their upcoming third album, Chimaira. Slated for release via Rockshot Records on January 26th, Chimaira is an intricate tapestry of diverse tracks that reshapes metal’s boundaries.
An epic odyssey of mythic proportion, Chimaira’s seven relentless chronicles rejection and the quest for vengeance. In its raw and unyielding spirit, Chimaira is a torrent of visceral emotion and dives into the need of fame and recognition that roams and ravages the senses.
The band says this of the album,
“We’re all chasing a chimaera, but isn’t it the chimaera that’s chasing us? That’s the question this album tries to answer, combining freshness and warmth, violence and peace, waves, and digressions.”
While a concept album, Chimaira’s tracks are their own orbiting planets around a centralised theme. On the diversity of the album, the band says,
“There’s something for every metal taste and colour. The aim of this album is for fans of every subgenre of metal to be able to say to themselves at some point when listening to it: ‘I really like that beat’.”
Opening with the ambitious and longest song on the album, “Grasping the Embers of Exile” sets the pace for Chimaira. While “No Mercy” pulsates with groove and aggression, “Terra Genesis” on the other hand rages with an intensity that echoes that of Slipknot. Lead single, “Age of Chimairas” is laden with groove and depth and “Chrysalis” pushes vocal boundaries that adds to the band’s every expanding repertoire.
Closing with a ferocious mix of speed and groove, “In the Clutches of the Abyss” and “Echoes of a Fallen Empire” deliver a face-melting, soul-crushing culmination. With heavy rhythms, soaring guitars, and defiant vocals, Stone Horns delivers a satisfying yet tantalising combination that leaves listeners craving more.
Chimaira is out January 26th on Rockshots Records. Pre-order at https://bit.ly/ChimairaCD.
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: “Terra Genesis”, “Chrysalis”, “In The Clutches of The Abyss”, “Echoes of a Fallen Empire”
