Stoned Jesus Sign to Season of Mist
Ukrainian heavy rockers Stoned Jesus have inked a deal to release their next album and perhaps more through Season of Mist. The Kyiv-based trio follow quickly in the footsteps of countrymen and tour-mates Somali Yacht Club in aligning with the label, and their fifth full-length will follow behind 2018’s Pilgrims (review here), which was their most ambitious and progressive-sounding offering to-date. I’ve been looking forward to the new stuff since they entered the studio last July, and if I’m honest, before that as well.
It’s impossible to get out of this post (nor would I try) without mentioning that Stoned Jesus‘ home country has been invaded for the last month-plus (years, really) by neighboring Russian military forces. If you follow the band or guitarist/vocalist Igor Sydorenko on social media, you’ve already seen first-hand accounts of their current life in Ukraine, a question more of surviving than promoting their band. Their Spring tour with Samavayo, which was set to begin at the end of next week, was canceled owing to the fighting and the band’s very real need to be where they currently are. For what it’s worth — next to nothing — I wish them the best and hope this little bit of good news heralds more to come on the more serious issues they and their nation are facing. It seems low-stakes to compare heavy rock and war, but these are lives we’re talking about either way.
You can donate to help Ukraine here: comebackalive.in.ua
From the PR wire:
STONED JESUS Signs to Season of Mist
Season of Mist is proud to announce the signing of psychedelic rock trio STONED JESUS. Forged in Kyiv in 2009, this Ukrainian band submerges themselves in the world of doom, grunge and prog, while maintaining their own identity. Their upcoming album will be the fifth in line and the first to be released through Season Of Mist.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments: “I’ve always been a huge fan of progressive music – progressive not in the number of notes played per second, but progressive in terms of songwriting, concept and attitude.
“And I rarely saw rock and metal labels encouraging this deeper approach, until I discovered Season Of Mist. This is the label that I can describe with one word: ‘eclectic.’ And this is the label that not only approves the idea of artistic freedom, but openly indulges in it! So we’re extremely happy that these exact people are going to help us share our creative vision with the whole world from now on.”
Formed by Igor Sydorenko in Kyiv in 2009, STONED JESUS quickly progressed beyond their tongue-in-cheek moniker. The Ukrainian trio’s second full length “Seven Thunders Road” converged doom, prog and grunge in their own recognizable way and the album’s centrepiece, 13-min long “I’m the Mountain”, boasts 15 million plays on YouTube.
STONED JESUS’s next LP “The Harvest” sounded like a blend of MASTODON, PORCUPINE TREE and SOUNDGARDEN, and their charismatic live shows and relentless touring schedule helped to double and then triple their fanbase in mere months.
While being integral to the European psychedelic rock scene STONED JESUS helped popularize, creatively STONED JESUS never stopped pushing the envelope, taking influences for their newer material from such diverse acts like SWANS, THE CURE, KING CRIMSON and DEFTONES.
Line-up:
Lead-Vocals and Guitar: Igor Sydorenko
Bass and backing vocals: Sergii Sliusar
Drums and backing vocals: Dmytro Zinchenko
https://www.facebook.com/stonedjesusband
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http://stonedjesus.bandcamp.com/
https://stonedjesus.bigcartel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/seasonofmistofficial
http://www.season-of-mist.com/
