''Stargazer'' is the first studio album by American

alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With r ...

band Moodring.

Themes and composition

Songs from the album were released as singles as early as January 2022, however the album itself was first announced in April. Lead vocalist Hunter Young states: : "''We were excited to explore deeper themes and different aspects of our band throughout the full length. The album dives into our pool of influences unabashedly but resurfaces as its own entity. Each song was written with personal meaning and multiple themes, whilst remaining ambiguous and open enough for listeners to relate in their own way.''" The song "Xeno (Foreign Love)" deals with breaking up a toxic relationship. "N.I.K.E", a reference to the song A.D.I.D.A.S. by

Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...

, concerns a conflict between two pastors attempting to cope with their attraction to each other, at odds with their religious teachings. Young explains: : "''The lyrics are about fighting the taboos of dogma and judgement to love who you love and to be with the one you truly desire. After being forced into hiding for long enough, the characters in the song lose control. The tension has become too much to bear, coming together through what they've been taught is sin and blasphemy. But when they find each other all they feel is ecstasy.''" The album cover features a golden snake moving through

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

petals, which is a reference to Young's pet snake David Michael Fassbender. A spider ball python, such snakes suffer from a condition referred to as "spider wobble", resulting in a behaviour known as "stargazing". An

album, many tracks also incorporate elements of

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

. The release of the album was followed by a tour with

Cane Hill Cane Hill Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in Coulsdon in the London Borough of Croydon. The site is owned by GLA Land and Property. History The hospital has its origins as the third Surrey County Pauper Lunatic Asylum, designed by Charle ...

, VCTMS and Afterlife.

Reception

The album received generally very positive reviews. ''Prelude Press'' states the album "flows effortlessly from one song to the next without ever feeling repetitive or tired, and by the time it comes to an end, you’ll find yourself dying to listen to it all over again". ''Boolin Tunes'' states that it "cements itself as a debut to be proud of and one to return to time and time again". The sound of the album has seen comparisons to

Deftones Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. They were formed by Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), and Dominic Garcia (bass). During their first five ...

and

Glassjaw Glassjaw is an American post-hardcore band from Hempstead, New York. The band is fronted by vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck, and was a major part of the Long Island music scene in the early 2000s. The band has been influential i ...

Track listing

Personnel

Moodring * Hunter Young – vocals Additional personnel * Austin Coupe – production

References

{{Authority control 2022 debut albums