Release Date April 3rd, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Stoner Metal
Origin Finland
Distressed comes from Jyväskylä, Finland, formed in 2020, with a path shaped by pandemic delays, drummer changes, line-up trouble and gigs around Finland. After "Nothing For No One" in 2023, "Made Of Stone" is their second full-length release, issued through Melodic Revolution Records. Their sound sits in grunge, heavy rock, hard rock, alternative metal and stoner territory, with Petri Lindström and Jarno Virtanen handling the songs.
Made Of Stone" has power, dirt under the nails, and a wider range than the debut. The riffs are heavier, the songs have more motion, and Distressed sounds less boxed in. The problem is the tag. Calling this mainly stoner rock/metal sells the wrong picture. A large part of the album leans closer to grunge and heavy alternative rock, especially in its vocal lines, song shapes and darker rock attitude. That is not a crime, it just means anyone expecting desert grooves and stoner metal worship may need to adjust fast.
The better cuts, "Masters Of Doom", "No. 1" and "In These Nightmares", show the album at its most focused. They have good riff work, a rough pulse, and enough hooks to stay in the head after a first spin. "Like Thunder" brings the live-energy subject without turning cheesy, while "Big Fat Lies" gives the album a darker, meaner edge through its black-humored story. "Agents Of Groove" and "You Haven’t Found It Yet" widen the palette, with the latter moving far away from stoner metal into 80s dark pop shades.
The variety is also the album’s main issue. Distressed moves between heavy rock, grunge, alternative metal and retro-colored rock with guts, although not every turn pays off the same way. Some songs have attitude and good ideas, others drift away from the heavier promise of the album title. The Pemon Indian jaguar mantra on "Sungod" adds character, and it gives the album one of its more unusual moments.
The production has enough roughness for this kind of music, and the band sound human, sweaty and imperfect in the right areas. "Made Of Stone" is a good second step, not a great one. It has character, decent songwriting and a few songs worth returning to, with one honest flaw, it is sold as stoner rock/metal, while its heart beats closer to grunge-heavy rock. Taken on that ground, it does its job.
|7.0
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