North Carolina’s STONEKIND Go Heavy & Deep in 2nd Album ‘Hollow Ground’

Without doubt, one of the most exciting bands to emerge from North Carolina and onto the scene at large is Winston Salem duo STONEKIND, the impressive heavy rock duo of Jeff Ayers, Jr. (drums, vocals) and Davis Templeton (guitars, bass). I say heavy rock, as it brings you the full weight of the rumbling, low end appeal of doom metal and weds it with hard driven desert and stoner rock instincts.

Today, we present the world premiere of ‘Hollow Ground’ (2024), their second album following 2021’s Spirit of the Void and the eponymous EP in 2019, and it is a rip-roaring rager.

“Story Teller” kicks open the doors with bombastic bass and guitar riffing in the great tradition of BelzebonG, Bongzilla, and Bongripper. There’s a little more of a southern flair to this one, Davis Templeton’s guitar has a swampy, humid feel here that just pulls you right in, and the vocals are a great match. Jeff Ayers, Jr. opts for mid-range vocals, Neil Fallonesque in the sense of those early Clutch Records, only Stonekind vox are more along the soulful side – a style which is effectively matched in a heavier sound (and a great companion to Denmark’s Sonic Moon).

In “Glass of hours,” Stonekind really build on a concept and develop it beautifully, instrumentally that you can’t help but get swept away in. The song takes the time it needs to develop, from airy desert notes into bluesy middle-eastern sounds into soaring and fuzzy. Clearly this is a band capable of depth in their song development.

“Masters of man” is the quintessential track on the album, in my estimation. It blends so many of the band’s strongest elements: deep, downtuned, searing, meaty guitar riffs (here they’re ultra doomy), a hearty, rambunctious bass (rocks like Tool here), and a bold, brash, workman beat. Combine that with vocals that have an Alice in Chains flair (“What the Hell Have I”) and a mysterious, wandering desert feel. Winning combination all around.

The song takes to barren plains and windswept prairies. Vocals have a Godsmack feel, reminiscent of the foggy vocals of “Voodoo.” Contemplative moments of ambience usher us out with desert winds and acoustic plucking with elements of Spanish and traditional desert guitar.

Speaking of “Dune,” this one really bounces with one of those beats you don’t want to just bang your head to, you want to move your body. Big sound, with guitar that flirts more with metal, with a lot of stop-start stuff and rocking notes, the whole thing is infused with energy. The drums remind me of Dan Laudo’s punch in the band Prong. It’s a get-up-and-go song for sure, with vocals that had me thinking Josh Homme. Like the previous song, there is an atmospheric, mirage-like ending.

“Dressed as man” man gives us the feel of sunset (or an eclipse), with winding heavy desert grooves sporting crackling electric fuzz. There’s a surreal quality to some of it, like many of the moods on Soundgarden’s Down on the Upside. The drumbeat steadily moves us ahead to the chorus (which Apostle of Solitude fans should dig), which mesmerizes with the dead stare of someone who’s seen too much over the years. The guitar gets wild and free with a nice quick solo that buzzes around you like a bee threatening to sting. There’s a Sabbath-like romp of a B-section, prefaced by a fantastic drum solo, then some menacing, grip your heart bass notes and a glorious psychedelic guitar solo.

The album concludes on a solid doom metal note, with “Echus Chasma” and was beautifully produced and mixed by Stonekind’s Davis Templeton, with drums recorded by David Roland at Storyteller Sound. Mastering by Jay Matheson at the Jam Room. Great team on a great record. The instruments are clear, full, and well-managed in the mix.

Look for Stonekind’s Hollow Ground on Friday, June 14th (pre-order here), issued on vinyl, digital, and compact disc. Stick it on a playlist with King Buffalo, OM, and Red Mesa.

Give ear…

Stonekind Speak on 'Hollow Ground’

We are beyond thrilled to finally share our third record, Hollow Ground. With this album, we sought to create something heavier and more visceral… while still allowing for the ebb and flow of dynamics and intensity found on our previous records. Hollow Ground is essentially a concept album in which the songs flow into one another and contain recurring themes like many of the classic records we all know and love. There are four instrumental tracks dispersed throughout the album and plenty of psychedelic interludes and unexpected transitions… possibly a treat for those more keen on instruments and atmosphere rather than vocals/lyrics. We hope this record takes you on a journey from start to finish and brings you back feeling inspired… as it has for us.

The lyrical theme of the album comes from a place of pure exhaustion with what’s going on in the world around us… being so fed up with what you’re told when you know you’re being lied to… watching powerful people shape the way information is given to us while at the same time destroying our surroundings. The weight and anxiety associated with these experiences is a recurrent theme throughout the record. Most of us can relate to the challenge of maintaining a normal life and responsibilities while it seems we are being driven off a cliff… to hollow ground.

We can’t thank you all enough for listening to our music. Much love.

TRACK BY TRACK:

1. Storyteller

This was a bonus song of sorts. We had about an extra hour of studio time when tracking drums for the album at the brilliant studio, Storyteller Sound, in Winston-Salem. We had a bluesy riff we coined “ZZ riff” in a previous rehearsal, and put it together to track the foundation of the song. The lyrics speak to the lies/manipulation our leaders and those with power bestow upon us.

2. Glass of hours

Instrumental track and was initially intended to be the album opener before “storyteller” was written. It was sort of an abbreviated, instrumental nod to our previous song “spirit of the void” for some continuity between albums.

Hollow ground

A brief guitar instrumental and atmospheric prelude to “masters of man.” The sound of rain was recorded with a mic to the skylight in our home studio during a downpour while the classical guitar outro to “masters of man” was tracked.

4. Masters of man

Overall, probably the most difficult and complex Stonekind song we have written so far, and our personal favorite from this album. Lyrically, you are in the killing fields, fighting as a result of our masters’ greed and lust for power.

5. Dune

The music on this one was more of a challenge writing compared to other songs on the album because it’s just weird haha. We were going for a Soundgarden-esque time signature/feel and it ended up being mainly 6/4 but also has a 4/4 shuffle in there and an 11/4 intro/interlude. Lyrically, it refers to the realization of our time/opportunity drifting away and never feeling satisfied or appreciating the current moment.

6. Veda

Another guitar instrumental and a nod to “dust” from the previous record with some post-rock vibes; serves as a breather before the next epic track.

7. Dressed as man

The working title was “space desert” since the music is more geared to space and desert rock genres. This one was a labor of love and the last song completed. We wanted to have a decent length drum solo backed by psychedelic guitar effects leading to a build-up / slow-down / build-up. The result would have been impossible with a click track haha. Lyrically, it refers to self-empowerment and maybe a glimmer of hope in the midst of famine, pestilence, and apocalypse.

8. Echus Chasma

Initially written to be a prelude to “dressed as man,” this instrumental turned out to be a more fitting conclusion to the album, combining both a sense of doom and hope.