Stone Sour - ‘Hydrograd’

As the Rock Sound 50 reflects, Corey Taylor is a bona fide legend. Deeply invested in all manner of creative outlets, he’s one of the most charismatic figures to have ever come from the world of rock music.

It’s just a shame that, on Stone Sour’s sixth album, he’s put all that aside for a throwback-based, and strangely one-dimensional record.

The frontman sounds great as ever, as on the powerful ‘Fabuless’ and ‘The Witness Trees’, but his usual conviction isn’t as present and the album feels largely colourless – a hard-rock number rolling into a ballad, before the cycle repeats.

It’s hardly a classic and may be reserved for hardcore fans but, ultimately, if this is purely Corey having fun, he’s earned that right.