Baroness formed in the Summer 2003 in Savannah, GA, United States with all members, past and present, hailing from Lexington, VA in the foothills of the mighty Blue Ridge Mountains. Maybe that’s where the band draws inspiration for their music, or maybe their style is inspired by their name, or maybe it's just when these four band-mates come together the end result is always bold and impressive?
With a sound built upon a resolute sense of purpose and shaped by hundreds of explosive live shows, Baroness position themselves at the forefront of heavy music with their first full length and Relapse debut Red Album. Red Album is at once powerful, expressive, confident, and commanding. The record sees the band expand its sonic vision; colossal riffs and haunting vocals roll like thunder across epic songs spanning both the intense and the sublime. As with each Baroness recording, Red Album was recorded at the Jam Room Studio in Columbia, SC w/ producer Phillip Cope and engineers Jay Matheson and Steve Slavich.
In 2009, the Blue Record was released by Relapse Records. With this release, they continued to push the envelope and development as their style progresses. This progression ultimately gave them the Album of the Year award from Decibel Magazine and gave them numerous Best of lists from Pitchfork, Village Voice, Popmatters, Revolver, Rock Sound, and Metal Hammer.
Baroness hadn't toured for the entire year in 2011 to focus on creating a new, both in the sense of music and in the literal meaning, album. Yellow-Green was recorded with producer John Congleton in Hoboken, NJ and Dallas, TX. The new album was released on July 17th, followed by extensive touring.
BARONESS has forged forward with heavy independent touring -almost 250 shows a year - since the band’s inception. They've criss-crossed the U.S. three times, Europe, and the UK twice, and have performed at international music festivals such as SXSW, MacRock, ZXZW in The Netherlands, Australia's Soundwave Festival and more. Baroness has toured with many friends and peers, including Mastodon, MUNICIPAL WASTE, TORCHE, KYLESA, ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY, CURSED, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN, and many more.
On May 23, 2011, the band launched their official website.[17] The first content released on the new page gave hints to work on a new album being produced again by John Congleton. On May 14, 2012, the single "Take My Bones Away" from the new album was released over YouTube, along with an album teaser.
Baroness released Yellow & Green on July 17, 2012 through Relapse.[18]
On August 28, 2015 towards the end of a two-week tour in Europe they released the song "Chlorine & Wine" and announced that their new album Purple would be released December 18, 2015 on their own newly formed label Abraxan Hymns.
Purple was recorded with Dave Fridmann at Tarbox Road Studios in Cassadaga, New York.
On September 24, 2015, Baroness released the official music video for "Chlorine & Wine" and announced a North American small venue tour for the fall of 2015.
On November 15, 2015, the band released the first official single "Shock Me" from the forthcoming album Purple, which debuted on BBC Radio 1's Rock Show with Daniel P. Carter.
Purple's track "Shock Me" was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Gina Gleason joins Baroness in June of 2018 after Peter Adams departure.
In 2019 and 2023 Baroness released their fifth and sixth albums, "Gold & Grey" and "STONE."
Baroness is:
Sebastian Thomson - drums
Nick Jost – bass
John Baizley – guitars, vocals
Gina Gleason – guitars
Discography
2004 First (Hyperrealist Records)
2005 Second (Hyperrealist Records)
2007 A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk (At a Loss Recordings)
(aka: Third), split CD with Unpersons
2007 Red Album (Relapse Records)
2009 Blue Record (Relapse Records)
2012 Yellow & Green (Relapse Records)
2015 Purple (Abraxan Hymns)
2019 Gold & Grey (Abraxan Hymns)
2023 STONE
Psalms Alive
Baroness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am the spear that will run you through
And when the shots were falling we were sound asleep
And you filled your palms with dirty bombs
Instead of hand-grenades
I am teeth which cannot bite
And when the shots were falling we were sound asleep
And you filled your palms with dirty bombs
Instead of hand-grenades
Hear the seven bell tolls
Ringing loud for you
Coroners and vultures
Cry out, “Gloria!”
All across the valley
Onward towards the sun
The two-bit prophet sways and
Pulls a price from everyone
Feel the heavy hoof-beats
Pound across the land
The sin of our forefathers
Lies within our clutching hands
Watch the planes pass over
Hear its call-to-arms
The golden drunk of morning
Made me straight my bended knee
The lyrics of Baroness's song "Psalms Alive" are a reflection on the destructive nature of humanity and the consequences of our actions. The lyrics are filled with imagery of violence and destruction, and suggest a sense of defiance towards those who seek to bring harm. The first two lines, "I am the nail that you can't strike / I am the spear that will run you through" express a sense of invincibility and power, suggesting that the singer cannot be defeated or destroyed. However, this confidence is juxtaposed with a sense of regret and sadness in the following lines, "And when the shots were falling we were sound asleep / And you filled your palms with dirty bombs / Instead of hand-grenades." These lines suggest a missed opportunity for change, and a sense of disappointment in our collective failure to prevent violence and destruction.
The later lines of the song continue this theme of human destructiveness, with references to the "sin of our forefathers" and the toll it takes on future generations. The line "Watch the planes pass over / Hear its call-to-arms" suggests a sense of urgency and the need for action, but the final line "The golden drunk of morning / Made me straight my bended knee" hints at a possible moment of epiphany or realization that comes with the dawn of a new day.
Overall, "Psalms Alive" is a powerful and poignant reflection on the destructive nature of humanity, and the missed opportunities we have to make positive change. The lyrics are filled with vivid and striking imagery, and the song as a whole is a thought-provoking commentary on the state of the world today.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the nail that you can’t strike
I am unbreakable and cannot be defeated or harmed by you.
I am the spear that will run you through
I am powerful enough to defeat and destroy you completely.
And when the shots were falling we were sound asleep
While chaos and danger were all around, we were oblivious and didn't care.
And you filled your palms with dirty bombs
You sought to cause destruction and pain with your actions.
Instead of hand-grenades
You had other means of causing violence and chaos but chose the most destructive option.
I am teeth which cannot bite
I may seem threatening, but I am powerless to cause any damage.
I’ll tear your garden up by the roots
I have the power to destroy everything you care about and leave you with nothing.
Hear the seven bell tolls
Warning of the impending doom that is coming your way.
Ringing loud for you
The warning is specifically targeted towards you.
Coroners and vultures
Symbols of death and decay that follow destruction and chaos.
Cry out, “Gloria!”
Celebrating the destruction and the devastation that has been caused.
All across the valley
The destruction is widespread and affects everyone.
Onward towards the sun
The aftermath of the destruction leaves nowhere to go but forward.
The two-bit prophet sways and
A false prophet leads the way, promising salvation in the chaos.
Pulls a price from everyone
The false prophet extracts a heavy cost from everyone, regardless of their beliefs or actions.
Feel the heavy hoof-beats
The footsteps of an incoming army or destruction.
Pound across the land
The destruction and chaos is widespread and relentless.
The sin of our forefathers
The consequences of the actions of those who came before us.
Lies within our clutching hands
We have the power to continue the cycle of violence and destruction or to break it.
Watch the planes pass over
The world moves on and ignores the destruction happening below.
Hear its call-to-arms
The plane is a symbol of war and destruction, calling for more violence and fighting.
The golden drunk of morning
The illusions of a new day and a brighter future to come.
Made me straight my bended knee
I am hopeful and willing to work towards a better future, despite the destruction and chaos around us.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind