Hydrograd

''Hydrograd'' is the sixth and most recent 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 premiere 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 the band released before they entered an indefinite hiatus in 2020.

Background

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.

Critical reception

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.

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. 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.

Personnel

Stone Sour
* Corey Taylor – lead vocals, guitars, backing vocals
*Josh Rand – guitars, backing vocals
*Roy Mayorga – drums, backing vocals
*Christian Martucci – guitar, backing vocals, talk-box on "Live Like You're on Fire"
*Johny Chow – bass, backing vocals

Artwork
*Stone Sour, Invisible Creature, INC. – art direction
* Ryan Clark for Invisible Creature, INC. – album design
* Travis Shinn – photography

Production
*Jay Ruston − producer, engineering, mixing
*Francesco Cameli – engineering
*Alejndo Baima – engineering
*John Douglass – additional engineering
*Paul Logus – mastering
*Ron "REM" Massingill – guitar and bass technician
*Jon Nicholson – drum technician
*Gary Myerberg – studio technician

Additional musicians
* Pearl Aday – backing vocals on "St. Marie"
* Joel Martin – Pedal steel guitar on "St. Marie"
* Sergei Ponzirelli – special voice-over on "YSIF"
* Dan Kaneyuki – orchestral musicians
* Brian Mantz – orchestral musicians
* Megan Milius – backing vocals
* George Adrian – backing vocals
* Alejandro Baima – backing vocals
* Francesco Cameli – backing vocals
* Rem Massingill – backing vocals
* Jason Christopher – backing vocals
* Matthew "Stubs" Phillips – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

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Stone Sour albums
Roadrunner Records albums
2017 albums