I appreciate being surprised by bands that I have followed for a long period of time. Sure, it’s always haywire when a band changes too much or throws curveballs that don’t work (Sleater Kinney still haven’t recovered from that St Vincent record), but you still can admire the refusal to stand pat to see where their talents take them. Some people are better at this than others.

There are no Baroness records that sound the same or even close. The long-running band started at the throne of sludge and doom and slowly morphed into something different each album, yet always maintaining a very recognizable DNA. That’s never been more apparent than on their sixth record “Stone,” the second with their currently and arguably best lineup—vocalist/guitarist John Baizley, guitarist/vocalist Gina Gleason, bassist Nick Jost, and drummer Sebastian Thomson. It also features some of their grittier, heavier material since 2007’s “Red Album,” and there’s an anger and anxiety that rips through the center of a lot of these songs. But there’s also beauty, triumph, and a creative and spiritual rebirth you can hear in these triumphant songs. It’s also notable Gleason takes a much bigger role here both with her guitar work and singing, and it helps this version of the band truly develop into what it is now, which is Baroness’ finest form.

“Embers” is a rustic and colorful intro track where nature meets psychedelic wonders, acoustics and soft singing bridging the gap, moving onto “Last Word” that chugs with power. The playing is burly and electric, the chorus simple but incredibly impactful, the magic amplifying and powering your blood. “When I am wired to oblivion, I’m closer to the end, we all become the setting sun, we have nowhere left to run,” Baizley calls as the soloing launches and burns, he and Gleason’s voices uniting, the first of many times this happens on the record. The pace gets more propulsive, guitars build, and the end chars.  “Beneath the Rose” delivers jolts and iron-sharp riffs, punchy talk singing, and a mood that’s decidedly more sinister and bloody than we expect from Baroness. “When you’re hanging from the rafters in my attic, you know I’ll never let you down,” Baizley seethes, a burly push making the pressure mount, a fucking fantastic chorus kicking your ass as everything ends in sludgy hammering. “Choir” trudges as the vocals burn like a tattoo gun, howls scathing as the guitars drip mind-altering syrups. “I know they’re out to get me, but they haven’t gotten me yet,” Baizley jabs, the darkness increasing and feeling like meaty midsection of a horror film. “The Dirge” is a short, folkish piece where Baizley and Gleason blend their voices, bringing down your blood pressure from what preceded it, as they unite to call out, “I know my breath is failing, now my time is up.”

“Anodyne” slides in with a filthy riff, your mind boiling as Baizley howls, “Take me to the ocean, lead me through the waves, hold me underwater,” as the psyche heaviness becomes a factor. The riffs mangle as the power consolidates, group “ah-ah” calls making the torment seem breezier, the playing ending abruptly with electric surges. “Shine” is moody and simmering, a more introspective track that bleeds vulnerability. “Did I go too far soaring higher and higher? If I touch the sun, will I shine forever?” Baizley posits as the guitars spread their wings, and the playing begins to thrash with energy. Dual vocals make the surge even more impressive, the playing continues to sink in its teeth, the steely bassline acting as a paved highway into oblivion. “Magnolia” drips in, Gleason singing lead and bringing a totally different vibe to the record. The playing moves softly, but you know the jabs are coming, and when they do, things get properly heated. “Now that you’re falling, I know I was wrong to let you go,” Baizley calls, the guitars beginning to lather as the blade penetrates flesh and muscle under your ribcage, the messages bleeding into the sea. “Under the Wheel” starts with strings and then a solid post-punk vibe, the vocals pulled back as the darkness is allowed to flourish. “Burning, I’m on fire, when we’re gone, what will remain?” Baizley wails, the playing trudging, the expression feeling raw and bruised. The guitar work turns more somber, feeling like a dirge to the late evening as oranges and purples wash the sky. “Bloom” closes the album and enters amid acoustics, slurry melodies, Baizley and Gleason singing as if on a back porch as the world burns around us all. “I wouldn’t stay here if I could leave,” they call, feeling like a noiry fever dream. “Home, where we go, will you bury me back home?” is a sentiment that stabs the heart, bleeding down exposed flesh and dripping onto the floor.

Baroness have a rich, varied catalog leading up to “Stone,” yet this might be their most surprising and rewarding record among them. This current lineup seems to have jelled, as they show their power and dexterity throughout this record, proving what time, pain, patience, and the bravery of creativity with no fear can bring to a band. I liked this record from listen one, but every time I go back, I sink deeper into its clutches, each song taking a piece of my heart and mind, making me thankful yet again that I was lucky enough to exist at the same time as Baroness.

For more on the band, go here: https://yourbaroness.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://baroness.lnk.to/STONE

For more on the label, go here: https://abraxanhymns.bandcamp.com/