Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May

Track Listing.
1. 30/30-150
2. Come What(ever) May
3. Hell & Consequences
4. Sillyworld
5. Made Of Scars
6. Reborn
7. Your God
8. Through Glass
9. Socio
10. 1st Person
11. Cardiff
12. Zzyzx Rd

Stone Sour is a name I've been familiar with for a while, but not one I'd actively tracked down to listen to, thinking it would be almost identical to Slipknot.

So, nothing really rang a bell as I was listening to Kerrang Radio and heard an acoustic track come on, which immediately stood out amongst the rest. Wondering what would prompt such a track in the Metal show, I had to wait around to see who it was by.

Turns out what I'd just been listening to was 'Through Glass', and not a Slipknot-esque chunky riff to be seen - or rather, heard. Not surprisingly really, as half of Stone Sour's members (Taylor and Root) joined Slipknot after forming Stone Sour in the nineties.

Knowing I was about to be given a slap in the face for judging a band before even listening to them, I picked up 'Come What(Ever)May', Corey and co's second album, and, well, pleasently surprised would be an understatement, but a throw in the right direction nonetheless.

This is an album that not only has the loud tracks perfect for a festival audience (as their Download performance has proven) but also the more mellow tracks that allow Taylor's voice to truely shine, and take on a new direction from screaming at the top of his lungs on stage with eight other masked nutters.

'Through Glass', as I've already mentioned, is the radio-friendly acoustic track that seems mellow and relaxed upon first listen, but after a few spins, you realise this is Taylor's rant towards the Hollywood mentality, coupled with a fantastic concept for the accompanying video.

The real winner however, has got to be the last track of the album, the bizaare, but perhaps aptly named 'Zzyxz Road'. Again, another song that appears very mellow at first glance, until Taylor's vocals really do the job towards the end.

And then, of course, you have the trademark 'scream along to a downtuned chunk of guitarness' that every album needs to set the band up for the live setting. And if that's your cup of tea, '30/30-150' and 'Come What(ever) May' won't send you home disappointed.

Overall? A metal album that pauses to give you a break now and again...before picking you up and throwing you back in, horns first.

by Nade