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Stone Sour Audio Secrecy Review by Peter Lizano Most people who listen to metal know about Stone Sour being Corey Taylor's first band before Slipknot and coming back as more a side project, but any fan will tell you that Stone Sour is a band to stand alone on its own merit. With two albums out already, Stone Sour has released Audio Secrecy in 2010. As they get ready to headline the Avalanche Tour with Theory of a Dead Man, Skillet, Halestorm, and Art of Dying, I thought it might be a perfect time to review this great album. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2011 Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review

Audio Secrecy A one minute and forty fives second instrumental, this starts out with just a piano playing an almost horror film-like score. This song definitely sets the mood going into the album.

Mission Statement After a quiet intro, the second song just rips into your head with a very tight sound and Taylor's powerful voice. It's very addicting listening to this song - with its chug-chug riffs that then go off into a sick solo by James Root and Josh Rand.

Digital (DID You Tell) This song is very vocal-heavy for the first part and then turns into showcase of the band before going back to vocal heavy. It’s not one of my favorites with its heavy produced feel to it.

Say You'll Haunt Me As much as I wanted to not like this song, it traps you and makes you like it. With a very pop rock feel at first, the track then launches into an amazing hard rock in-your-face feel before going back, but by then you're hooked. I love the light and dark this song has to it.

Dying This starts out with an acoustical guitar and Taylor's light lyrics. It then goes into a power ballad. This includes a nice guitar solo and a very 80s feel like the great hair bands, but with the anger of Taylor's voice.

Let's Be Honest Okay, with a title like this, I will be. This is not my favorite. It’s very polished and we have to wait until the last minute before Taylor lets out his anger; maybe in the next song.

Unfinished This track starts off with what the last track left to be desired and hits a homerun. It’s a great song with very catchy hooks and despite a well-produced texture, it has a dirty sound to it.

Hesitate This is another power ballad. Stone Sour has always produced a few softer songs that became big hits and I can see this one doing the same thing. It’s a well written tune.

Nylon 6/6 This song opens with killer guitar licks and the growl of Taylor. The middle of the cut has keyboards interlaced with the voice of Taylor being spoken through a megaphone.

Miracles This opens with country style playing and is another slower song. It shows a softer side of the band and how they can play pretty much anything and make it sound good.

Pieces A well produced track, this shows why Stone Sour is growing into more of a rock fan base and separating from the Slipknot fan. That is not a bad thing, but shows how talented Taylor is with all genres of metal and rock.

The Bitter End The opening of this number comes with heavy guitar chords and the drumming of some insane marching soldiers. Again, the guitar work on this album is some of the best I have heard.

Imperfect This is another slow-down song, sounding a bit like "Through Glass" and just as good, if not better. One of my favorites off this album and reminds me a little of Pink Floyd.

Threadbare The song sounds like Led Zeppelin’s, "When the Leave Breaks" and it’s another slow one. Around mid-point, the tune stops and goes into a long echo effect of Taylor's voice, with a thick bass line followed by some great guitar playing before building into this huge wall of sound. It might not catch you right away, but listen to this a few times and you can't help but like it and the trippy ride it takes you on.

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