A.D.

Released in 2010 after a long and troubled four-year recording process across three different states, A.D. stands as the definitive statement from New Jersey's Solace. The album is characterized by its immense sonic density, blending the band's foundational stoner-doom sound with unexpected bursts of hardcore punk and traditional heavy metal speed. Recorded at legendary spots like Trax East and Mad Oak Studios, the production captures a 'six-string maelstrom' where the guitars are the primary protagonists. Critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, with AllMusic praising its 'intensity' and 'urgency.' The album is notable for its track lengths, ranging from the sub-three-minute punk blast of 'The Skull of the Head of a Man' to the sprawling, doom-laden finale 'From Below.' It represents a peak in the 21st-century stoner metal underground, favoring a gritty, blues-drenched realism over the genre's typical space-rock tropes.