On ‘Gold & Grey,’ Baroness Becomes A Universe Unto Itself

After 16 years of hard rock evolution, Baroness, now more than ever, sounds fascinated with the possibility of rock and roll’s future. Gold & Grey is the final entry in the band’s long-running series of color-coded releases which began with The Red Album in 2007. It would have been poetic to bring the band’s sound back full-circle on this release, and in some ways the group does just that. But in the course of the record’s expansive 17 songs, the band members explore a palette of emotions and sonic ideas as varied as the numerous shades a painter can create with just two component colors — singer and guitarist John Baizley should know, he’s an accomplished painter by trade.