Track By Tracks: Stonecast - Expand Crimson Chaos (2026)

1. Death:

We had the main riff written for years, and I just couldn’t come up with anything good at all. Then one day, I decided to stop overthinking, start from scratch and just let the words flow. Very intimate, on the fly, Death is about intense lucid dreaming experiences I had. Is there an afterlife? A spiritual world? In Stonecast’s lore, is Death linked to « The Place » we are looking for*? From the moment the vocals kick in, they take over the song; there is no more musical setup. I say everything I need to say, and then we wrap it up.

*refer to Haven, Compagnons, The place, Forevermore, A Ce Lieu from previous/current albums

2. Walking Dead:

The album’s warfare kicks off with this track. There’s no more room in Hell, and the dead have returned to ride along with the outlaws in the western era. I have the whole movie rolling in my head… Shall I say crimson clear (laughs)?! Don’t hold your breath, embrace insanity. The creepiest bastards are back; we’re screwed either way.

3. Bloodred:

Be careful what you wish for, because it might actually happen. And you’re definitely not ready for the consequences. This track is about a sick, creepy preacher, summoning the powers of evil while tied to the stake. The piece was written during the first Covid lockdown, breaking curfew after curfew.

4. À ce lieu:

This is our second track, fully recorded in French. We couldn’t have conceived it any other way. In fact, it was the very first song we wrote for the album. The lyrics came to me one night, while returning home late. I was the only car on a deserted road, lit only by my headlights and the reflection of the moon. It’s about knowing when to let go of everything to save a loved one.

5. Against the Tide:

It’s a manifesto of inner strength and resilience against all the bullshit we have to swallow in life. Move forward, every obstacle, confront it, and find a way to overcome it. One step forward, three steps back, so what? Stand against the tide, hold the wheel, no matter what, the fight is worth it. You are worth it!

6. King of Hell:

This track is a bit of a prequel to « Precipice to Hell », a song which appeared on our previous album « I Earther ». While « Precipice » was all about redemption, « King Of Hell » rather deals with the cult of personality and the mischievous charisma that goes with it. The main guitar riff was miraculously recovered from an old phone. I’m glad we managed to bring this (almost forgotten) idea to completion.

7. Kneel or Die:

That track actually predates Stonecast. Sebastian wrote it decades ago with his very first band, Tripalium. It always held a special place in our lore. It wasn’t supposed to appear on the album, but it fits so perfectly. This is Heavy Metal cliché territory, fully owned and claimed, Stonecast’s style. A banger!

8. 000001:

The idea we wanted to convey is a man isolated in a basement, maybe a nuclear shelter, from where he knows the countdown for humanity has already started. The time we have left is the knowledge that we don’t have time. It’s too late. Hence why the countdown as title.

9. Expand Crimson Chaos:

Originally supposed to be called « The Swarm », but given its impact on the album, we decided (for the first time in our career) to rename it after the album. It just fits; this is what the idea of « Expand Crimson Chaos » should sound like. Three words, three hammer blows driving a nail in.

Not sorry, not compromised, against the grain!

10. Gundown The Flag:

Pure insanity breathes through this song, inspired by the series « Bloodrive ». It’s a death race, led by a psychopath called the Master of Ceremony. Try to survive sixty seconds longer every sixty seconds (laughs). Find a way out? If you can, it won’t be easy. This track is packed with easter eggs, especially in the middle section, which we call the “House of Madness”. Listen closely, and you’ll find out….Or not. So much fun writing this one !

11. Nuclear Winter:

What better way to close all this mayhem than with Nuclear Winter? It was initially called Frozen, notably during the European tour we did in 2022. Perfect song to finish our concerts. There’s also a nod to our first demo, «The Crossing» if you can catch it (laughs). The title speaks for itself, marking the end of the « Expand Crimson Chaos » journey in an apocalyptic ending. A new beginning? Stay tuned!

À ce lieu (Demo / Ghost Track)

It’s a humble way to say thank you and reward our followers. It’s not mentioned on the physical album because of its intimate presentation. It doesn’t fit the storyline of «Expand Crimson Chaos», yet it belongs to its lore.

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