Stone Magnum-From Time...To Eternity

Rest In Peace Records
2013

There are few bands these days that are capable of releasing two albums in the same year. Of that lot, I'd be more then willing to wager a dollar or two, there are probably even fewer that can pull off having both releases be worth listening to. Enter Michigan City, Indiana's own Stone Magnum. With new vocalist/long-time metal legend Nick Hernandez (ex-Dysphoria, ex-Kommandant, ex-Violent Wisdom, ex-Incestuous) on board and a new bass player added in Ben Elliot (ex-Afterlife, ex-Lordes Werre) these fine purveyor's of doom are back with what just might be their best release yet! This sophomore undertaking features 7 new tracks of Black Sabbath worship that's likely to bring a smile to even the grimmest of doom metal fanatics. Of course all of these bands who participate in Black Sabbath love-ins can be one-dimensional at one time or another right? Well, seeing as there was numerous incantations of Black Sabbath that the guys in Stone Magnum could find their groove from (other then just the Ozzy years), founding member/lead guitarist/former lead vocalist Dean Tavernier (Skullview, Black Funeral, Prophecies et Sanctus, Sorath) ended up recruiting a new lead singer that echos Ronnie James Dio at times! So, while the guys in Stone Magnum, which is incidentally rounded out by guitarist Jim Brucks and drummer Brad Toth, might just still be loving on that Black Sabbath doom vibe there's simply more to love about the band thanks to this interesting directional turn. Clocking in at just over 46 minutes in length, with the opening title cut alone running over 8 minutes long, "From Time...To Eternity" is the logical next step for this young band. Formed in 2010, with just these two albums and a 2012 promo EP to their name, Stone Magnum now find themselves in a position that, with hard-work, good-fortune and just the right amount of mainstream press on their side, they could make some serious head-way towards the top of the proverbial doom mountain!

Stone Magnum-Stone Magnum

R.I.P. Records
2012
  
Doom from Michigan City, Indiana. Thankfully that's Michigan City and not "the" Michigan as I bleed scarlet and grey! Formed in 2010, and lead by the talented guitarist/vocalist Dean Taverniera (Skullview, ex-Black Funeral, ex-Sorath and more), Stone Magnum delivers the goods on this self-titled release. As this 7-track "journey into the darkest regions of the soul" soundtrack is their full-length debut album (previous to this they did release a 3-track demo) it's all the more impressive how well the band lovingly conveys a true sense of sorrow and sadness over a blanket of 70's inspired doom. Opening with the Black Sabbath-like "Fallen Priest", complete with vocals that sound like a younger (ie clean and sober) Ozzy, this album is loaded, front to back, with mid-paced doom that shows a surprising amount of maturity and individuality for a band so young. Then again when you've got a band that is jammed packed with veteran musicians (members having previously played with such bands Black Rhoades, Quadra and Latent Fury) it shouldn't be all that surprising to hear such glorious doom out of a band like this. y favorite cut would have to be "Pictures Of Your Life", but there's not a single filler track to be found out of these 7 cuts. Highly recommended if you're into bands like the aforementioned Black Sabbath as well as such greats as St. Vitus and Pentagram.