Stoned Jesus

About the artist

Since 2009, Stoned Jesus has served as one of Europe’s leading forces in heavy rock. Igor Sydorenko, a veteran of the Ukrainian underground music scene, started it as a solo project after stumbling upon some heavy and angry riffs that would become the song “Occult.” He fed off his Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin influences and was soon turned onto Electric Wizard and Sleep, two bands who mastered the art of bold, lurching heaviness, thus creating a sonic template to abide by. The Songs to... trilogy spans all of the different phases of Stoned Jesus. As if climbing above a mountain in the desert, the massive opener of Songs to Sun slowly appears on the horizon before bursting into flame behind a heavy psychedelic groove. More nods to Seven Thunders Roar and The Harvest appear throughout the tracklist. An existential shadow hangs over Songs to Sun. The album reflects the unstable ground that Sydorenko navigated once the band's previous lineup dissolved. But whether shrouded by depression, amidst a break-up or the grind of tour life, Stoned Jesus are guided by the spirit of innovation “I’m tired of ideals, they’re fragile and unreal”. Written many years ago, but deemed too personal to share until now, “Quicksand” closes the album with Stoned Jesus stripping away any and all pre-conceived notions in preparation for the dark next phase of this epic journey. On Songs to Sun, Stoned Jesus set their heavy progressive rock to stun.