Solace, the veteran Asbury Park, New Jersey-based stoner metal band, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the release of its fifth full-length album, Fading Failing Ruin. This album marks a significant moment in the band's journey, as it is my first encounter with their unique sound. While stoner metal often struggles with overdrawn subject matter and generic fuzz tones, Solace has managed to carve out a distinct identity, setting them apart from their contemporaries. Personally, I find their ability to blend southern charm with a folksy swagger particularly fascinating, drawing comparisons to the likes of Corrosion of Conformity and Kyuss. What makes this album truly intriguing is how Solace navigates the genre's typical themes of apocalypse and end times, infusing them with a sense of southern-fried stoner doom. The album opens with the defiant lead of 'Spiral Will', which sets the tone for the ponderous riffs and slow-burn song structures that follow. 'Beyond Below' and 'Malengine the Scaffold' exemplify this approach, building tension through fuzz-soaked guitars before unleashing slick variations and solos. The band's new vocalist/keyboardist, Justin Goins, adds a renewed vitality to the sound, his vocals landing somewhere between Live's Ed Kowalczyk and Pepper Keenan. However, one glaring issue that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the album is its length. The 15-minute 'Wraths Object the Big Fall' feels bloated, and the album's overall composition could benefit from a more concise approach. Despite this, Solace still delivers under an hour of extremely strong riffs and music, and I recommend giving Fading Failing Ruin a spin. Big riffs and impassioned clean singing may seem like basic building blocks, but when executed with such skill, they stand out. So, if your world seems like a Fading Failing Ruin, seek solace in Solace's music.
