Baroness: 'Yellow & Green'

The release of Yellow & Green made a lot of people nervous.  For one thing, Baroness had already put out two terrific records, and the odds of lightning striking thrice seemed long. For another, it's a double album, often a sign of overindulgence. Finally, John Dyer Baizley and his comrades were gradually drifting away from metal, at the risk of alienating their audience. Now the record is out, and the first charges are easy to answer — Baroness has done it again. They delivered an absolutely compelling listen that builds on what the band has done before while taking it in rewarding new directions. Some of the guitar work is the best we've heard from Baizley and Peter Adams, and the lyrics are rich with fascinating imagery. Though it clocks in at 18 songs, there's very little double-album bloat. The third charge is a bit tougher. Yellow & Green is, indeed, as far as Baroness has ever gotten from metal, to the degree that it's a bit silly to call it that. But if the purists can overlook this deviation from the cult, they'll be greatly rewarded. If Baroness has a masterpiece in them, this is it.

★★★★★ (out of 5 stars)