Gold & Grey
by Baroness
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 124 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 124
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 124
  3. Negative: 17 out of 124
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  1. Andremax
    Jun 14, 2019
    9
    If Blue Album is actually amazing, Gold & Grey is even better. Spotlight for amazing rhythm section.
  2. SoundWaveV
    Jun 15, 2019
    10
    This is a fantastic album and deserves all the praise it’s getting. It’s Baroness’ best album and the best album of the year so far. Sure, the album has a muddy production, but the mix/master is what holds all the wonderful diverse songwriting together. Bravo!
  3. Neondevil
    Jun 14, 2019
    10
    Really consistent and enjoyable. They have a great ear for melody and it all just fits together very well.
  4. rocgni161803
    Jun 14, 2019
    10
    Great album. Could be their best. When I was done listening to it I started it again from the beginning.
  5. Adgalo
    Jun 16, 2019
    10
    Album of the year contender, really great stuff. It's a shame that the mix is not as good as it should...
  6. CMyers
    Jun 22, 2019
    9
    I'm listening to it for the 15th time. I hated the mix on first play - I have a very accurate system with a lot of range and flat frequency response that picks out every detail of a recording, and this one is definitely raw and abrasive sounding in direct stereo mode. I tried sending it through my Yamaha receiver's Dolby surround mixer and that seemed to smooth it out some. After theI'm listening to it for the 15th time. I hated the mix on first play - I have a very accurate system with a lot of range and flat frequency response that picks out every detail of a recording, and this one is definitely raw and abrasive sounding in direct stereo mode. I tried sending it through my Yamaha receiver's Dolby surround mixer and that seemed to smooth it out some. After the third time through I understood that much or all of the low-fi sounding distortion is deliberate and done for effect, and now I like the sound on any system or headphones.

    This one reminds me of Mastodon's last album, stirring as it drifts through fields of despair, without sugar coating or apologies. Highly recommended as a change of pace after becoming fatigued by driving, relentless death metal or mindless, throbbing house/EDM.

    I didn't really give Purple a chance when it was released, but I'm finding some replay value in that one now as well, now that I'm not expecting everything to sound like Red and Blue. I hope the band keeps evolving, it's been a journey for certain.    … Expand
  7. jvivas
    Jun 14, 2019
    10
    Great compositions to make this album worth listening to. Definetely one of the best albums of 2019. Screw those guys who just created an account to score the album 0. And one of them also gave Marvel's Spiderman a very low score.
  8. Number1TheLarch
    Jun 17, 2019
    9
    Gold & Grey: a complex album that's not as immediate as Purple. It's a dense progged out journey through hazy delirium and pain. Cold-blooded Angels is my favorite track currently, though this may change with further delving.

    It's a mature and impressive piece of work. A lot of curve balls and a feeling of emergent creativity instead of linear narrative. The bass is nasty, and the drums    Gold & Grey: a complex album that's not as immediate as Purple. It's a dense progged out journey through hazy delirium and pain. Cold-blooded Angels is my favorite track currently, though this may change with further delving.

    It's a mature and impressive piece of work. A lot of curve balls and a feeling of emergent creativity instead of linear narrative.

    The bass is nasty, and the drums are frenetic and killer.

    The rhythm work on this album is front and center in the mix and is very impressive.

    This was not an LP created with demographics, statistics, or product maximization in mind.

    The mix is jarring, but overall I'm very happy with it.    … Expand
  9. KDog1265
    Jul 26, 2019
    7
    This is an album that could've been truly amazing if it had a better mix. The production can get truly messy and even clip in the mix to make some of these songs enjoyable. Despite that, the band can still play like crazy and there are some songs that could even match what they delivered on "Purple". I just wish the production was better...
  10. Crocoperson
    Jun 14, 2019
    8
    Wasn’t a big fan of the mix/master on some of these tracks, but baroness really closes out the color series with a banger. The first few listens seem to blend all of the songs together. And as one “1 star” (lol) review points out it could seem like there is no difference, but after your second or third listen you’ll notice each song has its own character. Give this one more than oneWasn’t a big fan of the mix/master on some of these tracks, but baroness really closes out the color series with a banger. The first few listens seem to blend all of the songs together. And as one “1 star” (lol) review points out it could seem like there is no difference, but after your second or third listen you’ll notice each song has its own character. Give this one more than one listen. You’ll hear the gold.… Expand
  11. zackcurwen
    Jun 14, 2019
    10
    Despite the mix is raw, they try yo go further of the new sounds explored in Purple.
    It's a reinvention using elements of their four previous albums as a cornerstone.
  12. Pontios25
    Jun 14, 2019
    10
    The best album Baroness have ever done. And not only that. Its one of the best records this year, if not the best.
  13. Aidanbur
    Jun 14, 2019
    9
    Absolutely stunning. Definitely an album of the year contender. There's so much variety and interesting stuff to make the 17 song long tracklist worth every second. Listen with good headphones.
  14. brk0_0
    Jun 16, 2019
    10
    Keeping up with the other Baroness albums, Gold & Grey is one of the best metal albums of the year. The new material has so much personality, and is really special that Baroness doesn't loose quality when its members change. Borderlines and Tourniquet are real gems.
  15. All_ButTrU4
    Nov 28, 2021
    7
    Really consistent and enjoyable. They have a great ear for melody and it all just fits together very well
  16. liamgibson
    Jul 22, 2019
    9
    Baroness have created one of the finest hard rock albums of the decade.

    Now, one note: this isn't a "metal" album. It's certainly not another Blue Record (recommended listening from Baroness before you pick this one up), although it does retain some of the left-field aesthetic of that album. If you're coming in expecting pummeling double kick and vocal-shredding howls, this isn't for    Baroness have created one of the finest hard rock albums of the decade.

    Now, one note: this isn't a "metal" album. It's certainly not another Blue Record (recommended listening from Baroness before you pick this one up), although it does retain some of the left-field aesthetic of that album. If you're coming in expecting pummeling double kick and vocal-shredding howls, this isn't for you.

    With that in mind, Gold and Grey stands head and shoulders above most of today's hard rock. The band displays a fine craftsmanship in their songwriting and performance. From the sheer passion of "Seasons" to the syncopated transition from "Tourniquet" to "Anchor's Lament," this is a highly rewarding listen. One step further, however, lies in the production. While many listeners immediately found reproach in the heavily distorted, crunchy sound of the album, I found it to be a daring artistic statement. Baroness don't conform to the norm; nothing here is clean or perfect, but Baroness also don't sacrifice dynamic range for the intensity of the production. Several very well done instrumental interludes throughout (namely, "Blankets of Ash") ensure that the entire album isn't jacked up to eleven. Also, while the distortion does obscure the drums and other components quite a bit, it brings the vocals to the forefront. It grants Gold and Grey a highly melodic quality which so much hard rock and metal music lacks. That’s why it’s such a point of contention between the average listeners and those seeking a more daring display of artistry. The production can be distracting at first, but in my book and after giving the album several listeners it's a definite pro.

    Gold and Grey isn’t revolutionary. It probably won’t change the face of rock music. But it still stands as one of the finest displays of creativity from that genre in recent years, and as such deserves to be heard by anyone who follows hard rock. This is fine art. Challenge yourself. You won’t be disappointed.    … Expand
  17. Unit1001001
    Jun 22, 2019
    10
    A bold new direction pays off for Baroness. The sonic variety and great songwriting propel this album. This is the first of their records that feels as if all players have equal say at the table. And, where some people don’t like the production, i find it to be a bold choice that pays off in a unique listening experience throughout.
  18. Baron_Barbosa
    Aug 8, 2019
    10
    Gold & Grey is a journey through soaring peaks and deep, dark valleys. While undeniably a departure from the band’s earlier sounds, Gold & Grey exemplifies how experimentation can heighten a record, and by extension, a band’s discography. It would be no exaggeration to call this their Magnum Opus.

    The album is well paced, hard-hitting, instrumentally and lyrically creative, and    Gold & Grey is a journey through soaring peaks and deep, dark valleys. While undeniably a departure from the band’s earlier sounds, Gold & Grey exemplifies how experimentation can heighten a record, and by extension, a band’s discography. It would be no exaggeration to call this their Magnum Opus.

    The album is well paced, hard-hitting, instrumentally and lyrically creative, and thematically cohesive. No complaints here.    … Expand
  19. guijappe
    Sep 1, 2019
    10
    Mesmerizing album by Baroness. The addition of Gina Gleason made the band expand their sonic universe.
    The mix doesn’t bother me at all. It’s all part of the gritty texture of the heavier songs on the album.
    I would say they really shone through with the mellower stuff on this one!!
    10/10

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Album of 2019
47
#47 Most Discussed Album of 2019
59
#59 Most Shared Album of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. No Ripcord
    Jul 22, 2019
    70
    While their more reflective and even pop-oriented moments keep the double album catchy and worth revisiting, this new avenue also affords a clearer view of Baroness' Achilles' heels, which are a propensity for predictable lyrics and an occasional Foo Fighter sappiness. But those flaws aren't terminal, and for the most part, Baroness takes us on a thunderous langskip ride through angry seas that is as addictive and thrilling as their past output.
    Read full review
  2. Q Magazine
    Jul 2, 2019
    80
    Stellar fifth album is a determined attempt to push back the genre's long-established boundaries, folding in everything from glitchy electronica and lysergic Americana to gnarled pop into their full-frontal noise. [Aug 2019, p.108]
  3. The 405
    Jun 27, 2019
    90
    With Gold & Grey, Baizley and his cohorts have produced a monumental work of art that’s as dark and forbidding as it is bright and triumphant. It perfectly balances light and dark, revels in the creative possibilities of music-making, whilst plumbing emotional depths that might have you worrying a little for Baizley’s state of mind.
    Read full review
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