White Stones
White Stones
White Stones is a groove-oriented death metal band created by Opeth bassist Martin Mendez. They will be releasing their debut album, Kuarahy, in 2020.
Discography
Kuarahy (2020)
Kuarahy (1:24)
Rusty Shell 4:25)
Worms (3:57)
Drowned In Time (5:17)
The One (4:34)
Guyra (4:45)
Ashes (4:04)
Infected Soul (5:59)
Taste Of Blood (4:10)
Jasy (2:48)
Kuarahy was written during Opeth's year-long break after their extensive Sorceress touring schedule.[3]
In an interview with Loudwire.com, Martin Mendez said:
"I feel strongly connected to Uruguay still," commented the bassist.
"I wanted to write music related to that — the sun on the Uruguayan flag I transformed into the White Stones logo; there are a lot of small things that connect the record to that place.
'Kuarahy' is the native Uruguayan people’s word for ‘Sun.'"
Speaking about his ambitions with White Stones, Mendez offered:
"I’ve always written music at home but never had the confidence to do anything like this.
I never wrote a song, never presented something I wrote for Mikael (Åkerfeldt).
I didn’t have any direction, I came up with the first song for fun.
I used to sing death metal 25 years ago, and the plan was for me to sing, as I’d written it all, but when it came to it, I didn’t feel comfortable at all!”
Joining him on the recording is vocalist Eloi Boucherie (Vidres A La Sang) and drummer Jordi Farré (Cruciamentum, Vidres A La Sang). Opeth guitarist Frederik Akesson played lead guitar on every song except "The One," which features a solo from Per Eriksson (ex-Katatonia, ex-Bloodbath).
Speaking about the differences between the two bands and his appreciation for what each group offers, he added:
"I love the challenges Opeth presents, we experiment a lot in the studio.
When it comes to me writing death metal for White Stones, it’s the style of metal I like the most.
I’ve loved Morbid Angel since I was a kid- death metal is inside me.
White Stones is nothing to do with Opeth, I see no relation between the two.
I played Kuarahy to Mikael a few months ago, he really liked it and was happy for me.
Everyone in the band has side projects, it’s important.
We tour so much you can become consumed by it; it has been really nice to do something different.
White Stones has renewed my strength and energy."
Kuarahy was recorded at the Farm Of Sounds studios in Barcelona and produced by Martin Mendez himself, while Jamie Gomez at the Orgone Studios in the United Kingdom. was responsible for mixing and mastering.[4] Kuarahy will be released on March 20, 2019 on Nuclear Blast.