Doomed Confessionary: Mark Weeks (Stonewielder)
Stonewielder is a three-piece doom/sludge metal band out of St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 2025, Stonewielder consists of Mark Weeks on guitar and vocals, Dalton Mason on drums and Kevin Kirkpatrick on bass.
Formed with the intention of crafting slow-moving, emotionally heavy music, Stonewielder quickly established an identity defined by seismic riffs and brooding, cinematic soundscapes. What began as a small creative project evolved into a fully realized force within the doom scene. Their live performances are marked by dense sonics, controlled intensity, and an atmosphere that pulls listeners into the depths of each narrative.
Stonewielder’s debut EP »The Suffering Ritual«, released in September 2025, delivers a punishing yet hypnotic experience, weaving seismic low-end grooves with gritty, soulful vocals and crushing mid-tempo rhythms. The result is a record that feels ritualistic, oppressive, and strangely cathartic, capturing the spirit of doom metal at its most primal.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Stonewielder is a sludgey doom metal band that blends the line between trad doom, sludge and stoner doom. We worship loud amps and sick riffs. We are equal parts groovy, melodic, atmospheric and aggressive.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
There were some lineup setbacks at the beginning. The hardest part was finding a lineup that wanted the same musical direction and gig booking consistency. I believe we are now at the point and are much stronger than 8 months ago when the band took form.
What can you be most proud of so far?
There are a few things to be proud of. Hard to pick just one. Booked a few shows with bands I thought I never would, organized my own doom fest and released our first EP. That is quite a lot to be proud of in the short time we have existed.
What was your biggest regret?
Not forging this path sooner.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
The last show we played was the best. There was magic in the air and everything felt right.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Just how supportive the local scene is of each other.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Whatever current songs we are preparing to record and YOB.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Do whatever the hell you wanna do. Now is the time you can do anything.
Also, the power of the riff compels me.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Outlaw country haha.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in St. Louis / Missouri?
There are about 10 to 15 solid bands that book together, group chat and I’m general look after one another. It’s one of the most family oriented scenes I’ve been involved in form all the states I’ve live. STL Doom forever!
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We are currently booked in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. Eventually will branch out more of the opportunity arrives. St. Louis is the best place to catch us live.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We are working on our second EP. I already have a path forged for the third. We hope to catch the interest of our favorite labels and hopefully land backing with one to allow to focus more on the music and less on the business.
How can people best support your band?
There are quite a few ways! Follow our socials: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify and even better grab merch from us directly or through Bandcamp!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
We hope you enjoy the music as much as we enjoyed creating it. I hope when everything crashes down and we return to dust we leave behind a body of work that can continue finding new ears to pollute. That is the great thing about music and art in general. Once your insignificant life (speaking in the grand scheme of the universe only) is over your art can live on for years to come.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well