Stoned Jesus Cover HIM

January 16, 2025

Having celebrated their 15th anniversary with two reissues last year, Stoned Jesus are turning over a new leaf in 2025. The Ukrainian psychedelic prog rockers are rolling across the European summer festival circuit in heavy anticipation of their upcoming sixth album and first with the band's new lineup.

To kick off the new year in high gear, Stoned Jesus are honoring their fellow trailblazers HIM with a faithfully heart-pounding ode to love metal.

Listen to Stoned Jesus cover "Buried Alive By Love" below.

Though they were already a known force on the international album charts, before "Buried Alive By Love", HIM were at odds with how they were perceived by the music industry. Igor Sydorenko - the mastermind behind Stoned Jesus - understands the feeling all too well.

"We constantly struggle with the limitations of the genre, having been pigeonholed as a stoner rock band early in our career, so HIM are very relatable to us", Igor says. "It's absolutely unfair that such a diverse and interesting band are remembered as this moody, one-dimensional bunch by the general public. I truly consider Ville Vallo one of the most underappreciated rock and metal composers ever. His way of balancing the heavy and dark stuff with the catchiest melodies is very inspiring when I'm busy with my own songwriting".

With the opening track on 2003's Love Metal, HIM truly hit upon their signature style. "Buried Alive By Love" shot the album to the top of the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. Now, more than two decades later, the hit single is launching a new era for Stoned Jesus. The band's new rhythm section add fresh sludge, while Igor's razor-sharp riff and coolly impassioned pleas match the Finn's gothic groove drop for bloody drop.

"This is just a phenomenal song", Igor continues. "Bumping HIM in the van with the new boys on our first tour together sure helped to build and solidify the chemistry that we have now".

While only their second album, Seven Thunders Roar marks an early milestone for Stoned Jesus. The riffs still roll downhill with all the sludgy force of a mudslide, but the band added crisp acoustic guitars to reflect their newfound inner strength. "Climbing up", Igor sings on "I Am The Mountain", a 16-minute instant classic that charges through lush folksy valleys and peaks of headbanging doom at full steam. "And we're never going to stop".

When it first arrived back in 2014, even Stoned Jesus were surprised by their follow-up to Seven Thunders Roar. Having already reached the summit of stoner metal, for The Harvest, the band dug into their progressive rock roots. With its synth-laden passages and weaving guitar solo, "Silkworm Confessions'' definitely sows those seeds. But while it leans heavily into the album's sci-fi narrative, "Here Come the Robots" comes busting out the gate with a hard-charging riff that's so aggressively catchy, it could've been programmed by alt-rock radio.

"After years of waiting we're finally reissuing two of our most-beloved albums, the heavy prog stalwart The Harvest and the already-legendary psychedelic classic Seven Thunders Roar!" Igor says. "It's funny now to think how surprised people were hearing The Harvest for the first time - a lot of them possibly expected Seven Thunders Part Two, but as a songwriter I'd never been into repeating myself. And with Seven Thunders, what else could I say about this overlooked-then-and-praised-now record, its importance and influence for the genre?

"This was our first release with our then-manager, Vlad Lyashenko, the man who helped to shape the Ukrainian rock and metal underground into the force it is today" Igor continues. "Both reissues are dedicated to his memory, since he passed away in 2023 - hauntingly, on the very same day we'd released our fifth album, Father Light. So please enjoy both The Harvest and Seven Thunders Roar with extended bonus tracks and have one for the guy to whom we owe our career"

The reissued editions of Seven Thunders Roar and The Harvest are now available through Season of Mist.

Order

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/StonedJesusReissues
https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/StonedJesusReissues

Line-up:
Igor Sydorenko - Lead-Vocals & Guitar
Andrew Rodin - Bass & Backing Vocals
Yurii Ciel - Drums & Percussion

Follow Stoned Jesus:
https://music.apple.com/sg/artist/stoned-jesus/396799004
https://open.spotify.com/artist/23lyMLxYNPS15hpVvFNptR
instagram.com/stonedjesusband
http://facebook.com/stonedjesusband
twitter.com/stonedjesusband
youtube.com/c/StonedJesus
stonedjesus.bandcamp.com

STONED JESUS Premieres New Album 'Father Light' via The Obelisk

March 3, 2023

PRE-ORDER

Ukrainian psychedelic rock trio STONED JESUS has teamed up with The Obelisk to stream the new album, 'Father Light,' in its entirety ahead of tomorrow's release! The album can be heard below.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments: "Written in 2019, recorded in 2021, released in 2023 - behold 'Father Light!' Serving as the first half of our ambitious five-years-in-the-making song cycle project, 'Father Light is heavy, intense and progressive - while its sister album, 'Mother Dark,' is expected to be more laid-back, hypnotic and introverted. You know when every artist ever says their new work is their best? Well, we actually believe this to be true with this one!"

For those who might be unfamiliar with STONED JESUS, the band is well-known for their explosive single, "I Am The Mountain," which reached a whopping 15 million views on YouTube! The iconic clip can be found HERE.

Pre-orders for 'Father Light' are now live and can be found HERE.

Pre-save 'Father Light' on your favorite streaming service HERE.

STONED JESUS recently announced their appearance on the mighty Hellfest of 2023! More information on tours/festival for 2023 will be announced on a later stage.

Ukrainian prog-stoner trio STONED JESUS held their first rehearsal since the Russian invasion in the middle of July 2022. It was a moment the band dubbed as “surreal” and justifiably so — the regular ritual of band practice was made impossible by the war. The members of STONED JESUS — Igor Sydorenko (vocals/guitar), Sergii Sliusar (bass) and Dmytro Zinchenko (drums) — captured the moment for their social media channels. A broad smile of defiance and satisfaction can be seen on their faces. Regardless of the senseless havoc and destruction reaped upon their homeland, STONED JESUS would play on. It was the resumption of a music career temporarily thwarted but not defeated by evil.

Since 2009, STONED JESUS has served as one of Ukraine’s leading forces in heavy rock. Sydorenko, a veteran of the Ukrainian music scene, formed the band 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 band was initially dubbed “STONED JESUS from the Outer Space” but shortened to the much crisper Stoned Jesus. The name was trimmed down out of necessity — Sydorenko wanted to legitimize the band immediately. “I realized that this may cause some problems,” he told the Psychedelic Baby webzine in 2010. “Some people wouldn’t take our music seriously, then. I don’t mind jokes and having fun, but music is always the most serious thing for me.”

Two demos ensued before STONED JESUS’s debut LP, 2010’s First Communion. Recorded in two hours, First Communion was a promising offering that dove headlong into the world of heavy stoner rock, with three songs going over the ten-minute mark for hypnotic effect. The album eventually saw a proper reissue in 2020, introducing it to a new group of fans. Seven Thunders Roar followed in 2012 and included “I’m the Mountain,” a 16-minute epic jam that has since become a live staple. The album also introduced a bevy of acoustic guitar and softer vocal approaches from Sydorenko.

The Harvest came next in 2015, deftly transitioning Stoned Jesus from sludge into new terrain, including alternative and progressive rock. This is a credit to Sydorenko’s evolving songwriting style and desire to never allow STONED JESUS to repeat itself. “It works brilliantly for the likes of Motörhead or AC/DC, but we’re not that legendary yet,” he told Outlaws of the Sun webzine in 2015. “So, let’s experiment, shall we? Let’s play with the genres, the sound, the song structures, the melodies, the timings — yes, my favorite trick!”

Pilgrim came next in 2018, which until now, has been the band’s career-defining moment. Stoned Jesus’s original plans were to record its follow-up in 2020. That, of course, was sidelined by the pandemic. The band then entered Spivaki Records in Kharkiv in July 2021 to record nine songs at 75 minutes. Two-thirds of the material was mixed and mastered before the invasion, leaving the final run-time of six songs at 43 minutes.

The result is Father Light, the band’s first for Season of Mist. The album catches Stoned Jesus in full bloom. The foundational elements of STONED JESUS’s sound remain (fuzzed-out rock, driving bass lines and maximum groove) and are once again augmented by the combination of Sydorenko’s gentle clean vocals and hook-laden chorus choices, along with an array of ornamental guitar melodies. And, in true STONED JESUS fashion, the journey is often the reward: The cuts on Father Light expand and shift — all the while, the band’s trademark heaviness serves as the guide.

STONED JESUS subsequently resumed live activity in July 2022 with European festival dates and runs with countrymen (and labelmates) Somali Yacht Club and then VOVK. The shows provided the band the opportunity to air two of the songs that would end up on Father Light: “Con” and “Porcelain.” Moreover, the dates were an outlet for the band to connect with waiting audiences who supported their music and cause of raising money to help those impacted by the war.

The idea that music is the ultimate escape has never rung truer in light of what happened to Ukraine in 2022. The prospect of brighter days lies ahead, making the Father Light album title even more appropriate.

As 2022 drew to a close, the members of STONED JESUS posted their final message for the year, epitomizing their resilience and optimism:

All the missiles in the world can’t destroy freedom. Nothing will stop truth.

Line-up:
Lead-Vocals and Guitar: Igor Sydorenko
Bass and backing vocals: Sergii Sliusar
Drums and backing vocals: Dmytro Zinchenko

Recording studio - Spivaki Records, Ukraine
Producer / sound engineer - Artem Altunin and Dmytro Zinchenko
Mastering: Metropolis Studio, London, UK - Andy “Hippy” Baldwin

Recording line-up
- Igor Sydorenko (Arlekin, Voida, Krobak, Snakerider) – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, organ on track 3
- Dmytro Zinchenko (Doomed City, Orkectr Che, Sekunda Kota, Smeyushiysa Tigr, Small Depo) – drums and percussion, backing vocals
- Sergii Sliusar – bass, backing vocals

Links:
instagram.com/stonedjesusband
http://facebook.com/stonedjesusband
twitter.com/stonedjesusband
youtube.com/c/StonedJesus
stonedjesus.bandcamp.com

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/stoned-light
Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/STJ-FL

Photocredit: Mateusz Kluba
Artwork: Anton Pcholkin
Bio: David E. Gehlke

Formats:
Digital
Digipak
Vinyl in various colours
Merchandise

STONED JESUS Reveals New Song, "Get What You Deserve"

February 7, 2023

Ukrainian psychedelic rock trio STONED JESUS will release its new album, 'Father Light,' on March 3, 2023 via Season of Mist, making it the band's debut to the label! The band is now sharing the sludgy new song, "Get What You Deserve," which can be heard below!

Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments on the track: "We previewed 'Get What You Deserve' live on our autumn dates in 2022 and all the people absolutely loved it, even without hearing the studio version first! I love how the first and the last parts are almost the same riff, but then you also have this weird atmospheric breakdown in the middle. The lyrics were written with an environmental message in mind, but I guess they could be taken differently now...Either way, please enjoy this track and expect it to be the main set closer during our 'Father Light' tour!"

For those who might be unfamiliar with STONED JESUS, the band is well-known for their explosive single, "I Am The Mountain," which reached a whopping 15 million views on YouTube! The iconic clip can be found HERE.

Pre-orders for 'Father Light' are now live and can be found HERE.

Pre-save 'Father Light' on your favorite streaming service HERE.

STONED JESUS recently announced their appearance on the mighty Hellfest of 2023! More information on tours/festival for 2023 will be announced on a later stage.

Ukrainian prog-stoner trio STONED JESUS held their first rehearsal since the Russian invasion in the middle of July 2022. It was a moment the band dubbed as “surreal” and justifiably so — the regular ritual of band practice was made impossible by the war. The members of STONED JESUS — Igor Sydorenko (vocals/guitar), Sergii Sliusar (bass) and Dmytro Zinchenko (drums) — captured the moment for their social media channels. A broad smile of defiance and satisfaction can be seen on their faces. Regardless of the senseless havoc and destruction reaped upon their homeland, STONED JESUS would play on. It was the resumption of a music career temporarily thwarted but not defeated by evil.

Since 2009, STONED JESUS has served as one of Ukraine’s leading forces in heavy rock. Sydorenko, a veteran of the Ukrainian music scene, formed the band 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 band was initially dubbed “STONED JESUS from the Outer Space” but shortened to the much crisper Stoned Jesus. The name was trimmed down out of necessity — Sydorenko wanted to legitimize the band immediately. “I realized that this may cause some problems,” he told the Psychedelic Baby webzine in 2010. “Some people wouldn’t take our music seriously, then. I don’t mind jokes and having fun, but music is always the most serious thing for me.”

Two demos ensued before STONED JESUS’s debut LP, 2010’s First Communion. Recorded in two hours, First Communion was a promising offering that dove headlong into the world of heavy stoner rock, with three songs going over the ten-minute mark for hypnotic effect. The album eventually saw a proper reissue in 2020, introducing it to a new group of fans. Seven Thunders Roar followed in 2012 and included “I’m the Mountain,” a 16-minute epic jam that has since become a live staple. The album also introduced a bevy of acoustic guitar and softer vocal approaches from Sydorenko.

The Harvest came next in 2015, deftly transitioning Stoned Jesus from sludge into new terrain, including alternative and progressive rock. This is a credit to Sydorenko’s evolving songwriting style and desire to never allow STONED JESUS to repeat itself. “It works brilliantly for the likes of Motörhead or AC/DC, but we’re not that legendary yet,” he told Outlaws of the Sun webzine in 2015. “So, let’s experiment, shall we? Let’s play with the genres, the sound, the song structures, the melodies, the timings — yes, my favorite trick!”

Pilgrim came next in 2018, which until now, has been the band’s career-defining moment. Stoned Jesus’s original plans were to record its follow-up in 2020. That, of course, was sidelined by the pandemic. The band then entered Spivaki Records in Kharkiv in July 2021 to record nine songs at 75 minutes. Two-thirds of the material was mixed and mastered before the invasion, leaving the final run-time of six songs at 43 minutes.

The result is Father Light, the band’s first for Season of Mist. The album catches Stoned Jesus in full bloom. The foundational elements of STONED JESUS’s sound remain (fuzzed-out rock, driving bass lines and maximum groove) and are once again augmented by the combination of Sydorenko’s gentle clean vocals and hook-laden chorus choices, along with an array of ornamental guitar melodies. And, in true STONED JESUS fashion, the journey is often the reward: The cuts on Father Light expand and shift — all the while, the band’s trademark heaviness serves as the guide.

STONED JESUS subsequently resumed live activity in July 2022 with European festival dates and runs with countrymen (and labelmates) Somali Yacht Club and then VOVK. The shows provided the band the opportunity to air two of the songs that would end up on Father Light: “Con” and “Porcelain.” Moreover, the dates were an outlet for the band to connect with waiting audiences who supported their music and cause of raising money to help those impacted by the war.

The idea that music is the ultimate escape has never rung truer in light of what happened to Ukraine in 2022. The prospect of brighter days lies ahead, making the Father Light album title even more appropriate.

As 2022 drew to a close, the members of STONED JESUS posted their final message for the year, epitomizing their resilience and optimism:

All the missiles in the world can’t destroy freedom. Nothing will stop truth.

Line-up:
Lead-Vocals and Guitar: Igor Sydorenko
Bass and backing vocals: Sergii Sliusar
Drums and backing vocals: Dmytro Zinchenko

Recording studio - Spivaki Records, Ukraine
Producer / sound engineer - Artem Altunin and Dmytro Zinchenko
Mastering: Metropolis Studio, London, UK - Andy “Hippy” Baldwin

Recording line-up
- Igor Sydorenko (Arlekin, Voida, Krobak, Snakerider) – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, organ on track 3
- Dmytro Zinchenko (Doomed City, Orkectr Che, Sekunda Kota, Smeyushiysa Tigr, Small Depo) – drums and percussion, backing vocals
- Sergii Sliusar – bass, backing vocals

Links:
instagram.com/stonedjesusband
http://facebook.com/stonedjesusband
twitter.com/stonedjesusband
youtube.com/c/StonedJesus
stonedjesus.bandcamp.com

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/stoned-light
Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/STJ-FL

Photocredit: Mateusz Kluba
Artwork: Anton Pcholkin
Bio: David E. Gehlke

Booking:
Sound Of Liberation
facebook.com/soundofliberation
instagram.com/soundofliberation

Formats:
Digital
Digipak
Vinyl in various colours
Merchandise

STONED JESUS Premieres Music Video for New Song, Reveals New Album Details

January 18, 2023

Ukrainian psychedelic rock trio STONED JESUS will release its new album, 'Father Light,' on March 3, 2023 via Season of Mist, making it the band's debut to the label! The band is now sharing a music video for its brand new song, "Thoughts and Prayers." The song and video can be found below!

Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments: "I wrote these songs mostly in 2019, we worked on them through 2020, recorded them in 2021 and were ready to release them in 2022...and finally the first batch of them is coming out as 'Father Light' in 2023! So this is neither our 'pandemic' nor our 'war' record, this is something I was really obsessed about many months ago – climate change, media numbness, corporations' impact, social divisions...

"But revisiting these issues years later shows that they're still important and this is still something that resonates with us – and hopefully will resonate with many other people, too. Musically, I think this is our most diverse and mature record to date, but there's a good dose of old school Stoned Jesus there too!

"Anyway, enjoy this one and fingers crossed for 2024' release of 'Mother Dark' - the moodier, more personal, more experimental sister album to 'Father Light.'"

For those who might be unfamiliar with STONED JESUS, the band is well-known for their explosive single, "I Am The Mountain," which reached a whopping 15 million views on YouTube! The iconic clip can be found HERE.

Pre-orders for 'Father Light' are now live and can be found HERE.

Pre-save 'Father Light' on your favorite streaming service HERE.

STONED JESUS recently announced their appearance on the mighty Hellfest of 2023! More information on tours/festival for 2023 will be announced on a later stage.

STONED JESUS Shares New Song, "CON"

August 16, 2022

Ukrainian sludge rock trio STONED JESUS is now releasing a brand new song, "CON!" The song and visualizer, which was created by the band, can be found below.

The single release is in conjunction with the band's massive upcoming performance in support of DIE TOTEN HOSEN, which will take place on August 20, 2022 at Airport Tempelhof in Berlin (DE). The 60,000 capacity venue is currently sold out!

Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments on the track: "'CON' is a pure experiment, a crossroad of many 'what if's' - what if we play a Motorik-type beat in some weird time signatures, what if every word in the lyrics starts with 'con-,' what if the song is constantly evolving despite its short runtime, etc. I'm really happy that trying all these things led to this absolutely brilliant result! Also the guys in the band not only embraced my ideas but also helped on other levels, too: Dmytro (drums) recorded and mixed the whole thing, and Sergii (bass) did the video. Enjoy!"

"CON" can be pre-saved HERE.

"CON" is taken from STONED JESUS' forthcoming psychedelic rock album, 'Fatherlight,' which will be released in 2023. The band previously released the first single, "Porcelain," which can be streamed HERE. Stay tuned for more details!

For frequent updates on the recordings and the band in general, check out STONED JESUS' F acebook or I nstagram!

Formed by Igor Sydorenko in Kyiv in 2009, STONED JESUS quickly progressed beyond their tongue-in-cheek moniker. The Ukrainian trio's second full length "Seven Thunders Road" converged doom, prog and grunge in their own recognizable way and the album's centrepiece, 13-min long "I'm the Mountain", boasts 15 million plays on YouTube.

STONED JESUS's next LP "The Harvest" sounded like a blend of MASTODON, PORCUPINE TREE and SOUNDGARDEN, and their charismatic live shows and relentless touring schedule helped to double and then triple their fanbase in mere months.

While being integral to the European psychedelic rock scene STONED JESUShelped popularize, creatively STONED JESUS never stopped pushing the envelope, taking influences for their newer material from such diverse acts like SWANS, THE CURE, KING CRIMSON and DEFTONES.

Line-up:
Lead-Vocals and Guitar: Igor Sydorenko
Bass and backing vocals: Sergii Sliusar
Drums and backing vocals: Dmytro Zinchenko

Links:
instagram.com/stonedjesusband
http://facebook.com/stonedjesusband
twitter.com/stonedjesusband
youtube.com/c/StonedJesus
stonedjesus.bandcamp.com

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/stonedjesus-porcelain

Photocredit: Daria Mangubi

Booking:
Sound Of Liberation
facebook.com/soundofliberation
instagram.com/soundofliberation

STONED JESUS Premieres New Song, "Porcelain"

May 31, 2022

Ukrainian sludge rock trio STONED JESUS is now releasing a brand new song, "Porcelain!" The song and visualizer, which was created by the band, can be found below.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments: "'Porcelain' was one of the last songs I brought to my bandmates for the upcoming album, and they loved it instantly! In fact, we all loved this track so much we decided we'd play it live even before the album's out, so now it makes all the sense releasing it as a single. People told me it sounds like 2000s PORCUPINE TREE covering 2010s SWANS but to me it's just another amazing chapter in the STONED JESUS songbook. Hope you'll enjoy it too!"

The song is taken from the band’s new upcoming album, for which the details will be revealed at a later date. Stay tuned!

"Porcelain" can be pre-saved across streaming platforms HERE.

For frequent updates on the recordings and the band in general, check out STONED JESUS's F acebook or I nstagram!

STONED JESUS Signs to Season of Mist

March 30, 2022

Season of Mist is proud to announce the signing of psychedelic rock trio STONED JESUS. Forged in Kyiv in 2009, this Ukrainian band submerges themselves in the world of doom, grunge and prog, while maintaining their own identity. Their upcoming album will be the fifth in line and the first to be released through Season Of Mist.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Igor Sydorenko comments: "I've always been a huge fan of progressive music - progressive not in the number of notes played per second, but progressive in terms of songwriting, concept and attitude.

"And I rarely saw rock and metal labels encouraging this deeper approach, until I discovered Season Of Mist. This is the label that I can describe with one word: 'eclectic.' And this is the label that not only approves the idea of artistic freedom, but openly indulges in it! So we're extremely happy that these exact people are going to help us share our creative vision with the whole world from now on."

For frequent updates on the recordings and the band in general, check out STONED JESUS's F acebook or I nstagram!

STONED JESUS to Re-Release Groundbreaking Debut Album

June 10, 2020

First Communion on August 21, 2020 via Napalm Records!

Pre-Order Your Version NOW!

STONED JESUS’ electrifying re-release of First Communion on CD and vinyl (incl. new bonus track)!

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of their trailblazing debut album, stoner prog visionaries STONED JESUS are turning back the clocks and re-releasing their stoner doom offering, First Communion, on August 21st via Napalm Records.

Four hard hitting, sludgy originals are enriched with an unreleased demo version of “Red Wine”, presenting a heavy blend of uncompromising rawness and previously unheard nuances. Tracks such as “Black Woods”, with over four million of hits on YouTube, mark their peerless standing in the scene. With First Communion, STONED JESUS lays the raw cornerstone for their unmistakable signature style, melting barriers across genre boundaries in its wake.

Pre-Order your version of First Communion HERE:

First Communion tracklist:

1. Occult

2. Black Woods

3. Red Wine

4. Falling Apart

5. Red Wine (Demo Version)

First Communion will be available in the following formats:** 

- CD 

- 1 LP Gatefold Black 

- 1 LP Gatefold Purple (Napalm Records Shop / limited to 100 / EU only)

**See the North American Napalm Mailorder Webstore for more merch bundles!

Stoned Jesus is:

Igor Sydorenko - Vocals & Guitars

Serhij Sljussar - Bass

Dmytro Zinchenko - Drums

For More Info Visit: