Album Review: Upon Stone – Dead Mother Moon (Century Media Records)

San Fernando Valley, CA melodeath quartet Upon Stone make their Century Media debut with ‘Dead Mother Moon’, their brand-new album. Out on January 19th, 2024.

It’s about time we got some melodeath in 2024 and with Dead Mother Moon, Upon Stone are taking us back to the past for a 90s -inspired style of melodeath. Focusing on the heavier side of the sound, and using melodies to add vibrancy, rather than making it the focal point of the music.

Yet, traditions be damned, Upon Stone aren’t sticking to the rules of melodeath either and many will be surprised to find that this album is chaotic and noisy throughout. Kicking off with a trio of exciting, varied, and feral sounding efforts in the form of the title track, Onyx Through My Heart, and My Destiny; A Weapon. If you like fast, heavy, and intense melodeath, then you’ll be sold on this bad boy from the start and eagerly awaiting what comes next.

It’s an album filled with delightfully twisted riffing, vigorous soloing, pounding drumbeats, massive bass hooks, touches of haunting melody, and guttural vocals that are screamed out. Making the continuation of head-banging heaviness that ticks all the right melodeath boxes from Dusk Sang Fairest and Paradise Failed so damn lovable.

There’s just time to catch your breath with the short melody-led intermission that is Nocturnalism before things gets a bit more elaborate with the pairing of To Seek and Follow the Call of Lions and The Lantern. The former is one of the most manic tracks of all, the speed of the instruments liable to make eyes water and the vocals having so much garish howl to them, even the denizens of hell with run and hide. Whereas the latter is a wild ride of riffs, tantalising melodies, and tenacious heaviness. It’s one of the more ‘epic’ sounding tracks of the album and the last original track.

That’s because Dig Up Her Bones is cover of the Misfits hit and Upon Stone nail it. Keeping the horror punk spirit burning brightly, but adding their own heavier touches without trying to sound like Misfits. If that initial wolf howl doesn’t get you excited, you may be beyond saving. Thankfully, Upon Stone have everything you need to recover in this album.

Upon Stone – Dead Mother Moon Track Listing:

1. Dead Mother Moon
2. Onyx Through the Heart
3. My Destiny; A Weapon
4. Dusk Sang Fairest
5. Paradise Failed
6. Nocturnalism
7. To Seek and Follow the Call of Lions
8. The Lantern
9. Dig Up Her Bones

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