Hydrograd
Hydrograd is the sixth studio album by American rock band Stone Sour. Recorded at Sphere Studios in Los Angeles, it is the follow-up to the band's 2012–2013 double concept album, House of Gold & Bones Part 1 and 2. It was released worldwide on June 30, 2017 via Roadrunner Records. Hydrograd also had a special album premier with commentary on each song from frontman Corey Taylor on June 29, 2017 on Octane (Sirius XM). Two singles were released in promotion of the album ahead of its release: "Fabuless" and "Song #3". A third single, "Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)", was released on September 13, 2017. On October 24, 2017, Hydrograd won the award for Hard Rock Album of the Year at the Loudwire Music Awards. On April 4, 2018, the album’s fourth single, “St. Marie” was released. Hydrograd is the first album to be produced without founding guitarist Jim Root, as he departed Stone Sour in 2014 to focus more on his and Corey's other band Slipknot. On August 23, 2018, the album's fifth single, "Knievel Has Landed" has been released. Hydrograd is the last album before singer Corey Taylor announced that Stone Sour will enter a indefinite hiatus on August 10, 2020.
Hydrograd | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 30, 2017 | |||
Recorded | 2017 | |||
Studio | Sphere Studios, North Hollywood, Los Angeles | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 65:14 | |||
Label | Roadrunner 1686-174542 | |||
Producer | Jay Ruston | |||
Stone Sour chronology | ||||
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Development
According to Johny Chow, the record is said to be a departure from previous Stone Sour albums, more of a rock-and-roll album. He also mentions that the album has more of a groove feel to it and very melodic with large choruses added to it. A total of 19 songs were recorded, with 15 making the final cut on the standard edition, while the other 4 were later released on the deluxe version.[3]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 73/100[4] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Blabbermouth.net | |
Cryptic Rock | |
Kerrang! | |
Loudwire | (Positive)[9] |
Rock Sins | |
Metal Injection |
Reviews for Hydrograd were very positive. Ali Cooper of Rock Sins gave the record a 10 out of 10, calling it a risk-taking gem for Stone Sour and Slipknot fans.[10]
Commercial performance
Hydrograd debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 with 33,000 album-equivalent units, with 30,000 of that figure coming from pure album sales.[12] Hydrograd would go on to win Hard Rock Album of the Year in the 2017 Loudwire Music Awards
Track listing
All lyrics written by Corey Taylor; all music composed and performed by Stone Sour.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "YSIF" | 2:02 |
2. | "Taipei Person/Allah Tea" | 5:16 |
3. | "Knievel Has Landed" | 4:01 |
4. | "Hydrograd" | 4:37 |
5. | "Song #3" | 4:16 |
6. | "Fabuless" | 4:00 |
7. | "The Witness Trees" | 4:45 |
8. | "Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)" | 4:56 |
9. | "Thank God It's Over" | 3:36 |
10. | "St. Marie" | 4:27 |
11. | "Mercy" | 3:23 |
12. | "Whiplash Pants" | 4:19 |
13. | "Friday Knights" | 5:17 |
14. | "Somebody Stole My Eyes" | 3:47 |
15. | "When the Fever Broke" | 6:32 |
Total length: | 65:14 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
16. | "Burn One Turn One" | 3:19 |
17. | "Unchained" (Van Halen cover) | 3:25 |
Total length: | 71:58 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Burn One Turn One" | 3:19 |
2. | "Bootleg Ginger" | 3:36 |
3. | "Live Like You're on Fire" | 4:33 |
4. | "Subversive" | 3:55 |
5. | "Unchained" (Van Halen cover) | 3:25 |
6. | "Bombtrack" (Rage Against the Machine cover) | 4:13 |
7. | "Outshined" (Soundgarden cover Live at Sphere Studios) | 5:15 |
8. | "Song #3" (acoustic) | 3:56 |
9. | "Mercy" (acoustic) | 3:21 |
10. | "Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)" (acoustic) | 4:53 |
11. | "The Witness Trees" (acoustic) | 4:25 |
12. | "Mercy" (Live at Sphere Studios) | 3:25 |
13. | "Fabuless" (Live at Sphere Studios) | 4:03 |
Total length: | 52:10 |
Personnel
Stone Sour
Artwork
Production
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Additional musicians
|
Charts
Chart (2017) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] | 2 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[15] | 5 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] | 22 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] | 27 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[18] | 7 |
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[19] | 16 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] | 14 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[21] | 4 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[22] | 17 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[23] | 6 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[24] | 3 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] | 4 |
UK Albums (OCC)[26] | 5 |
US Billboard 200[27] | 8 |
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[28] | 1 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[29] | 2 |
References
- "In Stone Sour's 'Hydrograd,' Corey Taylor trades anger for absolution - Reviews - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. 2017-06-30. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- "2017 Loudwire Music Awards Nominees Revealed".
- "Watch Stone Sour's Video For New Single 'Fabuless'". Blabbermouth.net. April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- "Reviews and Tracks for Hydrograd by Stone Sour". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- Monger, James Christopher. "Allmusic review". AllMusic.
- Gorania, Jay (2017-06-30). "CD Reviews - Hydrograd Stone Sour". Blabbermouth.net.
- "Stone Sour - Hydrograd (Album Review) - Cryptic Rock". crypticrock.com. 2017-06-28.
- "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com.
- Bowar, Chad. "Stone Sour, 'Hydrograd' – Album Review". Loudwire.
- Cooper, Ali (2017-06-29). "Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Rock Sins.
- "Album Review: STONE SOUR Hydrograd". 2017-07-10.
- Caulfield, Keith (July 9, 2017). "DJ Khaled Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Calvin Harris Debuts at No. 2". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- "Stone Sour announce Hydrograd deluxe edition".
- "Australiancharts.com – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- "Austriancharts.at – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- "Ultratop.be – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- "Ultratop.be – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- "Stone Sour Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201727 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- "Stone Sour: Hydrograd" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2017. 27. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- "Charts.nz – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- "Swisscharts.com – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- "Stone Sour Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- "Stone Sour Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- "Stone Sour Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.