For Stone Sour, a band born 10 years ago, it’s true that what goes round….. No, that’s too easy. Vocalist Corey Taylor’s travels from Stone Sour to Slipknot and back again are more like a Thomas Wolfe novel. But in this case, you can go home again.
As Taylor emphasized in interviews, when he made the decision to return to the Stone Sour fold he planned to work with both bands. Having two distinct musical outlets is something the veteran singer said he looks forward to. Slipknot is, without apology, a metal band. The group plays heavy music, so there! But Taylor, along with James Root and Josh Rand (guitar), Shawn Economaki (bass) and Roy Mayorga (drums), takes a different direction with the original group.
Stone Sour delivers mellowness and pays particular attention to melody, with several ballads among their recorded work. Not a surprise, since the group lists The Beatles among their influences, along with Led Zeppelin and Metallica. "Through Glass" on Come What(ever) May puts emphasis on lyrics and a contemplative mood for most of the song. "sillyworld" shows the strong English band influence in its early measures. (Is that sadness and philosophical questioning I hear?) But the drums and guitars take a stronger role in the last minute or two of the tune.
Then there is "Made of Scars" from the 2006 album. That song alone should keep metal/Slipknot fans in the fold. In spite of an extended break when Taylor worked exclusively with the masked marauders of Slipknot, Stone Sour seems to have recovered nicely.
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