Iowa rock band Stone Sour fronted by Corey Taylor (Slipknot) will be playing a sold out show at MTelus in Montreal this upcoming Tuesday, and another show at Rebel in Toronto on Wednesday.
The band is on tour promoting their newest album Hydrograd released last June.
“Our only real idea was to make a kick-ass rock and roll album,” says Corey Taylor, lead singer of Stone Sour. “Let’s lean back, let the songs do the talking, and make the best rock and roll playlist, mix tape, that’s ever been made. That was the only thing we held to, and everything after that was so fucking easy.”
Hydrograd delivers the heavy, thunderous, metal-edged stuff usually associated with Stone Sour—songs like “Whiplash Pants” and “Taipei Person/Allah Tea” are full of what Taylor calls “combustible moments.” But other tracks—like “Mercy,” “Song #3,” and “Thank God It’s Over”—are more straight-up rock and roll, still aggressive but built on solid melodies and hooks.
“Those songs sound like if Alice in Chains grew up on the Sunset Strip,” says the singer, who won the 2013 Revolver Golden Gods award for Best Vocalist. “We’ve been talking about getting back to that big hard rock for years, but we really embraced it. Everybody mistook that we’re a metal band that plays rock and roll, when it’s really the other way around.”
Other songs, though, extend Stone Sour even further, most notably the powerful ballad “St. Marie,” which features a country-style pedal steel guitar. “That song is pretty special to me,” says Taylor. “I write stuff like that all the time, but I get self-conscious about playing it for anybody. But I played it for the guys and they just flipped out, It originally had more of an Eagles vibe, but Josh suggested a slide or pedal steel and Jay knew a pedal player who came in and just nailed it. The soul of the song really came out and it became so much more than I thought it could. It fits so well—every song has its place on the album.”
Hydrograd concludes with the sweeping, Pink Floydian ambition of “When the Fever Broke,” based on music written by Rand. “In the studio, I played piano and we used this cool effect to get it out of standard vibe, which triggered all these cool sonic ideas,” says Taylor. “We wanted an epic feel, wanted it to resolve at the end with this idea that nobody ever really goes home, so you’ve got to hold it closely in your heart.”
Since the House of Gold & Bones albums, Stone Sour went through some line-up changes, with Martucci and Chow joining the group. “Christian and Johny are two of the best dudes I’ve ever had the privilege to play with,” says Taylor, “and as writers, they came in with such great material that it made us step our game up. They blended so well with what we were coming up with, we didn’t lose a step.
It’s almost unbelievable that 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Stone Sour’s formation, and that Hydrograd represents a new peak in such an extensive career. “We’ve done a lot, we’ve come a long way,” says Corey Taylor, reflecting on his band’s accomplishments. “You’re definitely humbled by the fact that so many people around the world support and love you, that’s a gift. I’m proud of our history, but I’m not really tethered to it.
“I’m always thinking about what’s next, what’s the next great song I get to write and record with these guys? I’m not ready to turn around, because I’m still pointed in the direction of the future.”
Tickets for the remaining shows can be found here
The remaining North America Tour Dates are:
Feb. 13 — Montreal, QC @ MTelus (with In This Moment)
Feb. 14 — Toronto, ON @ Rebel (with In This Moment)
Feb. 16 — Grand Rapids, Mich. @ 20 Monroe (no Halestorm, Red Sun Rising joins)
Feb. 17 — Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Rave (no Halestorm, Red Sun Rising joins)
Feb. 18 — Indianapolis, Ind. @ Egyptian Ballroom (no Halestorm, Red Sun Rising joins)
