Maryland hard rock band CARBONSTONE just released a new banger called “White Noise” February 17th, and fans are already loving it. It is a dark, emotional song, with a music video that fits the theme perfectly. It is the band’s first single since April 21st, 2023, but it was worth the wait.
The whole band was involved in the making of the song and the video – Corey James (lead singer/guitar); Neely Johns (guitar); Eric Dee (bass); Josh Provencio (synthesizers/keyboards); and Jeremy Robertson (drums). Producer Tony Correlli of Deep End Studio contributed on the synth elements during the recording process. Not to be forgotten is “Frankie Carbonstone”, the band’s vampire hype bear who has become either a fan favorite or worst nightmare, depending on who you talk to. There is no doubt that Frankie adds a very unique element to not only the band’s videos, but also live performances when he is on stage and will often go live on Facebook from his vantage point.
The music and lyrics of “White Noise” were all written by Corey. He wrote the song in increments over several months. As stated before, Tony Correlli contributed the synthesizer elements and production and Jeremy Robertson laid down the drum tracks. “White Noise” was recorded in Tony’s brand-new studio, which he actually moved into in the middle of the recording process for the song. Interesting fact: Corey actually helped wire the studio! The song is a little different than recent CARBONSTONE tracks. It has a faster pace with the rapid-fire drums, and really incorporates the industrial metal sound with the guitar riffs and the synthesizers. As always, Corey’s vocals are exceptional and emotional, and take you down into the depths of the song’s darkness.
Tj Darpino of Darpino Media filmed the video at Kim’s Krypt Haunted Mill in Spring Grove, PA. Josh Matthew of Resolution Media edited the video. The video was shot during a major January snow storm in frigid temperatures, but the band made the best of it and the end product turned out better than they maybe even expected it to. Corey says, “Kim of Kim’s Krypt was amazing for allowing us to do this. On video scout day she gave us a full tour so that we could pick out each and every room for the video.” Corey admits the days leading up to the shoot were very stressful, especially with the forecast calling for a major winter storm. He was truly worried they would have to cancel and reschedule, which could have taken months. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. Corey says they had a blast the day of filming. They had so much going against them, but they came together as a team and pulled it off. “No pain, no gain!” Corey says jokingly.
“White Noise” has a dark theme – which seems to be prevalent in a lot of CARBONSTONE songs. Corey says he doesn’t really set out to write about any specific theme. He just writes and lets the music and his thoughts take him wherever they may lead. He wants listeners to take their own meaning from a song that resonates with them. When I listen to CARBONSTONE songs, I feel like Corey writes from deep within his heart and soul. It’s like he understands that we all have our struggles in life, and he makes us feel like we’re not alone.
That being said, I’ll give my thoughts on “White Noise”. I interpret it as being about being trapped in a toxic relationship with someone who is selfish and wants to drag you down and leave you there.
As the lyrics say:
“Suffocating close to breaking
You left me buried alive”
“You never saved me from myself
Now I’ve become this empty shell”
I guess, ultimately, it’s up to you to get yourself out of this dark place you’re in to get out of this situation.
Corey says, “We as humans all have those moments in life where everything can feel so heavy and hopeless. Regardless if another person is the cause of it or just living life itself, it’s important for our own self-growth to continue clawing through all of the bullshit and madness.”
As for the video, the setting was perfect to reflect the haunting theme of the song. Corey’s wife, Chrystal James, the frontwoman of ANOXIA, makes a cameo appearance, along with “Frankie Carbonstone”. The very beginning of the video depicts an old-fashioned hearse with “UR NEXT” on the Maryland license plate. Most of the video depicts the band in a cylindrical space, which is supposed to be like a sewer drainage pipe. It was a perfect representation of the dark place we can all fall into and get lost in. It looks like filming in this space was challenging, which, ironically, could also relate to the challenge we face when trying to pull ourselves out of whatever dark situation we’re in.
Now that the first song of 2024 is out, CARBONSTONE isn’t about to slow down anytime soon. Corey says he actually recently finished writing a “really wicked” song that needs to be recorded immediately, so they’ll be jumping back into the studio in March. There are also some cool shows booked. One of those will be Thursday, April 18th, at Lovedrafts Brewing Company in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg, with Priest, Vampires Everywhere, Vision Video and Natalie Ness. Make sure to follow CARBONSTONE so you don’t miss the excitement to come!
Since this is my own blog, I would like to add a personal note. I just want to say how much I admire Corey and Chrystal James. They are two of the most genuine people I know. They truly care about their fans and treat them like family. I am really grateful to be part of the CARBONSTONE and ANOXIA circle.
There is currently a CARBONSTONE Spotify streaming challenge going on until March 17th. The song that gets the most streams will determine what color Corey has to have his hair dyed. The songs are:
“White Noise” – Rainbow
“Damaged Like You” – Purple
“Scream” – Orange
“Gangsta’s Paradise” (cover) – Blue
I’m definitely down with the rainbow hair — hopefully with glitter. I hope Corey doesn’t kill me for this!
In all seriousness, though — please make sure to follow CARBONSTONE on Spotify and check out the whole catalog of awesome music! You can find CARBONSTONE on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and the band’s website.
PHOTO CREDIT: Beth Starner of Beth Starner Photography
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