Stonus Premiere Séance EP in Full; Out Friday
Cyprus rockers Stonus will release their new three-song EP, Séance, this Friday, March 26, on Electric Valley Records. Actually, I’m not about to commit 100 percent to that geography since they’re recording in Cyprus (maybe they went back? I don’t know), but wherever they are, Stonus follow-up their 2020 debut album, Aphasia, with this third EP release that takes a mere 18 minutes out of your day and rewards with vibrant heavy fuzz and spacey push. In “Evil Woman,” “Messianism” and “El Rata,” the five-piece’s sound is only suited to its live recording process, and there’s a palpable flow between the tracks that comes through despite the EP format. That is, cuts are individualized, they’d work on their own as singles, but there’s plenty of fluidity tying them together as well.
Channeling their inner mid-period Monster Magnet, they start with “Evil Woman” and shift easily into “Messianism” before the willfully chuggier and more aggressive “El Rata,” bringing Mediterranean folk elements along for the ride into the farther-out. “Evil Woman” brakes from its thrust in its midsection with Kyriakos Frangoulis‘ vocals no less a part of the swirl than the guitars of Pavlos Demetriou and Nicky Ray (the latter also bass), who bring the riff back around circa 4:20 and are joined by drummer Kotsios Demetriades for the renewed push that culminates, underscoring the songwriting
that lurks beneath the wash. “Messianism” pulls its riff early with some spoken word and drumroll for an intro. I haven’t seen a lyric sheet but there’s certainly plenty of subject matter around which they might explore the title’s theme, and they do so in a range shortly under seven minutes that’s engaging and adventurous in kind, whispers dug into the mix, room for rhythmic changes and a progressivism that, if nothing else, speaks to the obvious craft gone into putting these tracks together before they hit the studio to play them live. These are not half-baked pandemic-era tossoffs, and this is not a band without purpose.
Weightier thud and more spacious reach collide in the second half of “Messianism,” and it becomes no mystery why the band positioned it as the centerpiece of the outing. Is that a plugged-in tzouras (like a bouzouki, but smaller) I hear, or a guitar with effects? No clue, but that’s part of the fun as the second of three hits its peak and subsequently rumbles to its close. “El Rata” rounds out with Stonus‘ most effective heavy psychedelic elemental blend, bringing the heft of the prior cut and the wash of the opener together in succinct and deceptively efficient fashion until its long fade leads the way into whatever beyond the band are heading toward. In an uncool universe, these songs wear sunglasses at night, and for those who slept on the LP last year (like me), they represent a hand of outreach on the part of the band, bidding warm welcome as they chart their particular course through the void. It’s not too late to get on board.
So be it. If you think you’re up for what Stonus are delivering throughout Séance, to be honest, you’re probably right. There’s a bit of preaching to the converted, but that doesn’t make their communication with the ethereal any less switched on. They’re willing to leave the world behind for 18 minutes. Maybe you are too.
Séance is streaming in its entirety below, and under the player you’ll find preorder and bundle info.
Enjoy:
We are proud to announce that the Pre-orders of our new EP “Séance” are now Live! Pressed on a 140g Side A Black Vinyl/side B picture Disk including a poster, all designed by Petros Voulgaris / Design, Illustration & Screenprinting ??
Available for Pre-order on our official Bandcamp: https://stonusofficial.bandcamp.com/album/s-ance
‘Seance’ is the 3rd EP of the Cypriot Heavy Rock band Stonus, a fully analogue 18:24 minute EP recorded live at Hot Soap Studios in Larnaca, Cyprus under the supervision of Andreas Matteou and mastered by George Leodis. The delicate artwork, perfectly translating the visualisation of Seance was crafted by Petros Voulgaris.
In this trip, Stonus take a more experimental approach seeking into tradition, experiencing folk sounds, gypsy sceneries and expose themselves into the darkest side of nature. In some parts they are raw and heavy, while in others lost in a psychedelic trance, filled with roaring basslines, heavy riffs and dreamy melodies, always bloodthirsty for revolution and change. Whether you’re bound by the evil chains of pretentious love, feeling disconnected from your dreams or being chained to the system, Seance is a kind reminder that you are not alone…
-35 x “The Ritual Bundle”
Signed Vinyl, Séance T-shirt available in Red, Gray and White, poster, stickers and an ultra-limited edition Séance card oracle deck and a game board delicately hand-drawn by Rafael Marquetto with garments designed by the young talented designers Eleni Oronti and Apocahlipse
-35 x “Evil Woman Bundle”
Signed Vinyl & Evil Woman T-shirt Bundle. Includes poster and sticker
-10 x “Mystery Bundle”
Seance and Aphasia signed Vinyls, random T-shirt, poster and stickers
-70 x Signed Vinyl poster and sticker
Or directly through Electric Valley Records: https://www.electricvalleyrecords.com/
Pre-save & Pre-Order: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/stonus/sance
“Evil Woman” Pre-save: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/stonus/evil-woman
It was a hard year for all of us, away from gigs, bars, friends and family and we are hoping that our music helped you pass through some of those hard times the same way your warm support and love keeps us alive!
Stonus are:
Kyriakos Frangoulis (Lead Vocals)
Pavlos Demetriou (lead Guitar, tzouras)
Nicky Ray (Rythm guitar, tzouras, bass)
Kotsios Demetriades (Drums)
Electric Valley Records on Thee Facebooks
Electric Valley Records website
Tags: Cyprus, Electric Valley Records, London, Seance, Stonus, Stonus Séance, UK
