Detroit’s Laid in Stone release their first feature full-length Echoes Left Behind via Dark Harvest Records. Since 2009 the group’s toured constantly, last year self-releasing the record with the intention of hitting the top of the American heavy metal heap. In June they returned home inking a deal with Dark Harvest in August.
Echoes is a record heavy on strong, catchy vocal harmonies countering and balancing the loud screaming cries of former vocalist Chad Rice. There’s a beautifully loud combination of Hatebreed, Hell Yeah, Arkeaea and Threat Signal nicely arranged, smashed together in the same musical vehicle.
The guitars play a clever dance between metal-core temptations and thrash while keeping the music strong, loud and aggressive but pleasant to the ear. The title track opens briefly tranquil before thrashing guitars take over. There’s some unexpected Iron Maiden’ish riffs in Lead Me Lost. On the Horizon has melody galore with some Aaron Lewis inspired vocals taking the music to astral planes and constellations in space ending with some Alice in Chains harmony.
With upraised voices some of the choruses are almost gospel-like in delivery. Ten Fold says Fight, save your spirit for flight. Empty, abandoned buildings and night lit fields in the middle of nowhere just have a way of screaming “metal video”. Current vocalist David Keoppen’s vocals can be heard on their new demo and future releases.
