It’s been a while since I’ve premiered something from the excellent Small Stone Recordings but it’s not for lack of listening; I always have one ear to the ground for this label, to check when their excellent roster produces something that also grabs my attention. This has now happened with Shun‘s Dismantle, an album that deftly swims in the waters between grunge, stoner, and doom. Now, you know I’m not the world’s biggest fan of grunge but here, the influences (mainly on the vocals but not only) work incredibly well. They blend with the heavier riffs to create a sort of dreaminess that’s very alluring, shrouding the album in something unique and ethereal all of its own. Scroll on down below to stream the whole thing in full and prepare to groove!
While the grunge influences kick in from the get-go, the second track, “Aviator”, is where you want to go if you’re looking for that. From the main riff, very shoegaze-y already, to the grunge drenched vocals, it does a great job of showcasing how well this sound works on Dismantle. The track also has this pop quality to it that made me think of Torche or Clutch in the best of ways. Elsewhere, this bouncy groove is channeled through heavier to create a bigger, more doom and stoner centered sound. Check out “Through the Looking Glass”, closer to the end of the album, for a great example. There, the riffs are more cavernous, working with the dreamy vocals and the present backing guitars to create an airy but engaging sort of doom that I am a sucker for.
Dismantle releases this Friday, July 19th, and I really implore you to pick it up if you’re in the mood for something that has a bit of everything, whether broodiness or a more electric, bouncy feel to it. It’s one of 2024’s more surprising releases and it only makes sense that Small Stone are bringing it to us.
Eden Kupermintz
Published 30 minutes ago