Hydrograd
Studio album by
Stone Sour
ReleasedJune 30, 2017 (2017-06-30)
Recorded2017
StudioSphere Studios, North Hollywood, Los Angeles
Genre
Length65:14
LabelRoadrunner
ProducerJay Ruston
Stone Sour chronology
Straight Outta Burbank...
(2015) 		Hydrograd
(2017) 		Hello, You Bastards: Live in Reno
(2019)
Singles from Hydrograd
  1. "Song #3"
    Released: April 27, 2017
  2. "Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)"
    Released: September 13, 2017
  3. "St. Marie"
    Released: 2018

Hydrograd is the sixth and most recent studio album by American rock band Stone Sour. Recorded at Sphere Studios in Los Angeles, it is the follow-up to the band's 2012–2013 double concept album, House of Gold & Bones Part 1 and 2. It was released worldwide on June 30, 2017 via Roadrunner Records.

Hydrograd also had a special album premiere with commentary on each song from frontman Corey Taylor on June 29, 2017 on Octane (Sirius XM). Two singles were released in promotion of the album ahead of its release: "Fabuless" and "Song #3". A third single, "Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)", was released on September 13, 2017. On October 24, 2017, Hydrograd won the award for Hard Rock Album of the Year at the Loudwire Music Awards. On April 4, 2018, the album's fourth single, “St. Marie” was released.

Hydrograd is the first album to be produced without founding guitarist Jim Root, as he departed Stone Sour in 2014 to focus more on his and Corey's other band Slipknot. On August 23, 2018, the album's fifth single, "Knievel Has Landed" has been released. Hydrograd is the last album the band released before they entered an indefinite hiatus in 2020.

Background

According to Johny Chow, the record is said to be a departure from previous Stone Sour albums, more of a rock-and-roll album. He also mentions that the album has more of a groove feel to it and very melodic with large choruses added to it. A total of 19 songs were recorded, with 15 making the final cut on the standard edition, while the other 4 were later released on the deluxe version.[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic73/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Blabbermouth.net[6]
Cryptic Rock[7]
Kerrang![8]
Loudwire(Positive)[9]
Rock Sins[10]
Metal Injection[11]

Reviews for Hydrograd were very positive. Ali Cooper of Rock Sins gave the record a 10 out of 10, calling it a risk-taking gem for Stone Sour and Slipknot fans.[10]

Commercial performance

Hydrograd debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 with 33,000 album-equivalent units, with 30,000 of that figure coming from pure album sales.[12] Hydrograd would go on to win Hard Rock Album of the Year in the 2017 Loudwire Music Awards

Track listing

All lyrics written by Corey Taylor; all music composed and performed by Stone Sour.

No.TitleLength
1."YSIF" (instrumental)2:02
2."Taipei Person/Allah Tea"5:16
3."Knievel Has Landed"4:01
4."Hydrograd"4:37
5."Song #3"4:16
6."Fabuless"4:00
7."The Witness Trees"4:45
8."Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)"4:56
9."Thank God It's Over"3:36
10."St. Marie"4:27
11."Mercy"3:23
12."Whiplash Pants"4:19
13."Friday Knights"5:17
14."Somebody Stole My Eyes"3:47
15."When the Fever Broke"6:32
Total length:65:14
Japanese edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
16."Burn One Turn One"3:19
17."Unchained" (Van Halen cover)3:25
Total length:71:58
Deluxe edition[13]
No.TitleLength
1."Burn One Turn One"3:19
2."Bootleg Ginger"3:36
3."Live Like You're on Fire"4:33
4."Subversive"3:55
5."Unchained" (Van Halen cover)3:25
6."Bombtrack" (Rage Against the Machine cover)4:13
7."Outshined" (Soundgarden cover Live at Sphere Studios)5:15
8."Song #3" (acoustic)3:56
9."Mercy" (acoustic)3:21
10."Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)" (acoustic)4:53
11."The Witness Trees" (acoustic)4:25
12."Mercy" (Live at Sphere Studios)3:25
13."Fabuless" (Live at Sphere Studios)4:03
Total length:52:10

Personnel

Stone Sour

Additional personnel

Technical personnel

Charts

References

  1. ^ "In Stone Sour's 'Hydrograd,' Corey Taylor trades anger for absolution - Reviews - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. June 30, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  2. ^ "2017 Loudwire Music Awards Nominees Revealed". Loudwire. August 15, 2017.
  3. ^ "Watch Stone Sour's Video For New Single 'Fabuless'". Blabbermouth.net. April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  4. ^ "Reviews and Tracks for Hydrograd by Stone Sour". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  5. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Allmusic review". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Gorania, Jay (June 30, 2017). "CD Reviews - Hydrograd Stone Sour". Blabbermouth.net.
  7. ^ "Stone Sour - Hydrograd (Album Review) - Cryptic Rock". crypticrock.com. June 28, 2017.
  8. ^ "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com.
  9. ^ Bowar, Chad (June 30, 2017). "Stone Sour, 'Hydrograd' – Album Review". Loudwire.
  10. ^ a b Cooper, Ali (June 29, 2017). "Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Rock Sins.
  11. ^ "Album Review: STONE SOUR Hydrograd". July 10, 2017.
  12. ^ Caulfield, Keith (July 9, 2017). "DJ Khaled Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Calvin Harris Debuts at No. 2". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  13. ^ "Stone Sour announce Hydrograd deluxe edition". June 22, 2018.
  14. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  15. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  16. ^ "Ultratop.be – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  17. ^ "Ultratop.be – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  18. ^ "Stone Sour Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  19. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 27.Týden 2017 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  20. ^ "Stone Sour: Hydrograd" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Stone Sour – Hydrograd" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  22. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2017. 27. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  23. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Stone Sour". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  24. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  25. ^ "Charts.nz – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  26. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  27. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  28. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Stone Sour – Hydrograd". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  29. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  30. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. July 7, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  31. ^ "Stone Sour Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  32. ^ "Stone Sour Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  33. ^ "Stone Sour Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  34. ^ "YEAR END CHARTS: Top Rock Albums (2017)". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  35. ^ "YEAR-END CHARTS: Hard Rock Albums (2017)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
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