German grunge quartet Stonebourne released their new full-length album »Play This Record Backwards«; available now on CD, vinyl and digital!

Nuremberg, Germany based grunge quartet Stonebourne stream their second full-length album, »Play This Record Backwards«, which was just released on October 17th, 2025 via Subwave-Music.

Listen to »Play This Record Backwards« on all major streaming platforms!

Tracklist:
01. Peaceful Soldier
02. The Hate you Give
03. Blame It On The Youth
04. Hello From The Gutter
05. Hope Is For Believers
06. What It Takes To Love
07. New Salem
08. Needless Things
09. Dissolve
10. Children Of Men
Bonus Tracks (CD only)
11. This Life
12. Damaged
13. Angry White Man
14. Hope Is For Believers (acoustic version)

Courtesy of Subwave-Music:

On October 17, 2025, Stonebourne return with their third studio album. It’s been a while since their self-titled EP (2018) and the full-length »Squirrels On A Plane« (2020), but the wait is over: the Nuremberg Über-Grungers are back. The cover doesn’t beat around the bush either – it flat-out tells us to give the record a serious backwards spin. So what’s hidden in the grooves of this new LP?

The press already credited the previous album with pulling off a perfect time-warp straight into the ’90s (Rock Hard Magazine), but Stonebourne aren’t content to just camp out in grunge’s mothballed attic. Instead, they’ve brought the whole thing up to date, pushing the needle firmly into the here and now.

Yes, the echoes of Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Stone Temple Pilots are there for anyone with an ear, but the four-piece from Franconia don’t stop at Seattle’s city limits. Their brand of heavy, uncompromising Über-Grunge kicks the doors wide open with urgent riffs and soulful dual vocals, carving out a sound that’s unmistakably their own.

Compared to its predecessor, »Play This Record Backwards« feels darker, heavier, more melancholic – but also deeper. Frontman and guitarist Sven Kartscher lures listeners into his brooding inner world with hooks that linger, laid over the pulsing groove of Dierk von Tesmar’s driving basslines and Heinz Salomon’s pounding drums. Lead guitarist Peter Loy alternates between crushing riffs and intricate solos laced with bittersweet harmonies.

Somewhere between Seattle and Franconia spins a record that breathes, sweats, and bleeds raw intensity, full of soul. Grunge isn’t dead. It just moved to Nuremberg.

Order »Play This Record Backwards« here:
stonebourne.bandcamp.com/album/play-this-record-backwards

What do Stonebourne themselves say about it?

Heinz: “»Play This Record Backwards« means a lot to me, not just because everything finally sounds exactly the way I imagined. It’s a milestone on a path we walked together – a path that made us grow, that turned us more into a family. It’s also a signpost for where this journey is heading. I’m grinning ear to ear thinking about the years ahead, the clubs and festivals we’ll play. This isn’t just a project anymore; it’s life itself. Every note, every second – pure energy we share with each other and with everyone in the crowd.”

Sven: “For me, this record is a huge leap forward and, honestly, a bit of a release. We had to weather the departure of our guitarist right in the middle of making it, which threw us back a long way. But that change forced us to grow – to dig deeper, to take things more seriously. I think you can hear that in the songs. At the same time, Peter joining the band was the best thing that could have happened. It untied a knot, restored the foundation, and suddenly the whole process felt lighter again – fun again. Sure, some of the songs still came out darker and more melancholic than before, but that probably says more about my messy headspace while writing – and about the ominous times we live in.”

Dierk: “For me, it was also a big step forward. Unlike on the last record, I had the time and space to really dig into the songs, which was necessary because they have more depth this time – more maturity, sometimes even a progressive edge (which is where I originally come from musically). The lineup couldn’t be better. The chemistry is spot on – otherwise touring would be torture. Peter joining was a blessing, and so was finding Heinz, because great drummers who are also great human beings are rare. And of course Sven, who, after a long search, finally became the voice we needed back in the early days.”

Peter: “»Play This Record Backwards« – my Stonebourne debut! What can I say? If you don’t want to play covers and you don’t have time to write your own material, you need two things: a killer singer/songwriter and a killer band. …and luck. So I joined Stonebourne. Great guys, and they can seriously play. Sven spits out amazing songs, Dierk glues everything together with his bass, and Heinz nearly destroys his hi-hat every time – I love it. The album was hard work, though! Everything was pretty much done when I walked into the studio, as unprepared as possible. There was sweat, there was beer, and Sven whipped me on – nobody whips quite like him. The result speaks for itself, and I’ve found real friends in this band. So yeah – I nominate »Play This Record Backwards« for a Grammy. See you on tour. With love…”

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well