Stranded by Choice - Marooned in Stone Album Review
Montana-based rock band Stranded By Choice are back with their fifth studio album, Marooned in Stone.
Montana-based rock band Stranded By Choice are back with their fifth studio album, Marooned in Stone. SBC pull elements from southern rock, metal, and punk to create an unforgettable sound, and I’m grateful they reached out for this review.
Marooned in Stone kicks off with ‘Workhorse,’ a rumbustious opening filled with hard-hitting guitars that bring heaps of energy. An incredible opening that leaves you wanting more. The guitars are a driving force for Stranded by Choice as the following track, ‘Home Away from Hell, highlights the other side of them. Another guitar-driven track that feels more atmospheric, with huge vocals that carry that emotional impact.
‘Sage Wall’ opens with an interesting riff, but it’s the drums that catch my eye here. The thunderous rhythm, the beating heart of the track. It’s a one-two punch of impressive drumming with ‘Big Fascination,’ as you can hear that Thin Lizzy inspiration with hints of Iron Maiden.
Marooned in Stone is filled with impressive riffs like the opening to ‘Zero Hour AD.’ Each track is filled with unique riffs that really separate the tracks. I’ve heard metal albums where the riffs blend into each other, but here each track stands on its own. It also helps that they experiment with their sound, like on ‘Fog,’ a short instrumental with Japanese instrumental influences. A surprise, as it does sit outside the rest of the album’s sound, but a nice palate cleanser as we enter the second half of the album.
‘Rumination’ is a full, bombastic road trip track. Stunning guitars and a thumping drum. I enjoy the vocals as the faux gravel reminds me of Volbeat, with the instrumentals giving Royal Republic, two bands I enjoy. ‘Thrown Away’ is where the drums truly shine as the backdrop to vocals and where you can hear those punk elements they pull from. This is the punk-ish sound they have on the album.
‘Ancient Fire,’ the penultimate track, has a fantastic-sounding bass, chugging along as the vocals amplify the gravitas of the track. A strong warm-up to the album’s finale, the stunning ‘Killer in the Night.’ If there was a track to describe the album, this is it. Entertaining riffs, thunderous drums, and strong vocals.
I’m always nervous and excited when I’m asked to review an album. I never know what I’m going to hear, but I’m glad Stranded by Choice reached out. Marooned in Stone is a riff-tastic album from start to finish. I wish I’d known about them sooner. If you love raucous rock with great riffs and chugging drums, this is the band for you.