Line #52 Music/HouseOfGoldAndBones


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/r_4103179_1442358401_6057jpeg.jpg]]
2	->''I'm not the devil, but I won't be your hero.''
3	-->-- '''"Absolute Zero"'''
4
5	'''''House of Gold & Bones''''' is a two-part ConceptAlbum by Music/StoneSour, released in 2012 and 2013, along with a four-part comic book series published by Creator/DarkHorseComics.
6
7	The story, written by Corey Taylor, revolves around a character called the Human, who wakes up in a strange world and is told by his doppelganger Allen that he must find the [[TitleDrop House of Gold and Bones]] before an event called the Conflagration happens, all the while being pursued by Black John and his gang of Numbers.
8
9	!!!!'''''House of Gold & Bones - Part 1''''' (2012)
10	-> 1. Gone Sovereign
11	-> 2. Absolute Zero
12	-> 3. A Rumor Of Skin
13	-> 4. The Travelers, Pt. 1
14	-> 5. Tired
15	-> 6. [=RU486=]
16	-> 7. My Name Is Allen
17	-> 8. Taciturn
18	-> 9. Influence Of A Drowsy God
19	-> 10. The Travelers, Pt. 2
20	-> 11. Last Of The Real
21
22	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stone_sour_house_of_gold_y_bones_part_2_frontal.jpg]]
23	!!!!'''''House of Gold & Bones - Part 2''''' (2013)
24	-> 12. Red City
25	-> 13. Black John
26	-> 14. Sadist
27	-> 15. Peckinpah
28	-> 16. Stalemate
29	-> 17. Gravesend
30	-> 18. '82
31	-> 19. The Uncanny Valley
32	-> 20. Blue Smoke
33	-> 21. Do Me A Favor
34	-> 22. The Conflagration
35	-> 23. [[TitleTrack The House Of Gold & Bones]]
36
37	Comics:
38	-> ''Part 1: The Overture'' (April 2013)
39	-> ''Part 2: The Questions'' (May 2013)
40	-> ''Part 3: The Answers'' (June 2013)
41	-> ''Part 4: The Conflagration'' (July 2013)
42
43	!House of Gold and Tropes:
44	* BookEnds: ''Part 2'' ends in the exact same key signature ''Part 1'' begins. Or more evidently, the [[FadeIn fade-in]] before the guitars enter in "Gone Sovereign" is the last thing we hear on "The House of Gold and Bones".
45	** The words "I woke up slowly..." are in the opening and closing narration of the comics and story.
46	* ClassicalAntiHero: The Human, as per "Absolute Zero".
47	* ComingOfAgeStory: Has shades of this [[spoiler:along with JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind.]]
48	* EvilCounterpart: Allen comes out of the smoke in ''The Overture'' as the Human's EvilTwin. Complete with a mirrored Zero patch on the jumpsuit. Clarified in [[IAmSong "My Name Is Allen"]].
49	-->''Look into [[TheDarkSide that part of you]].''\
50	''I am you without hesitation.''
51	* FreudianExcuse: Part of the reason the Human is in the situation he's in is because of [[spoiler:his childhood with [[AbusiveParents an abusive father]], later revealed to be Allen]]. The song "'82" in the second album provides some insight towards this:
52	-->''Once I get away from here\
53	I know it's gonna be my time\
54	I've seen too much to keep me here\
55	I don't want yours, I just want mine!\
56	Before I get away from here\
57	I think I'd better set you straight\
58	I know my place is miles from here\
59	You'll never understand, I'll make my fate!''
60	* MacGuffinTitle
61	* MeaningfulEcho: [=RU486=].
62	** ''Are you 486?''
63	*** '''''Are you for 86?'''''
64	* MindScrew: Concerning the albums, ''Part 1'' more than ''Part 2''. Also probably Allen himself.
65	* NoNameGiven: The [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep Human]].
66	* PokemonSpeak: Black John and the Numbers, whose only lines in the comics consist of "[=RU486=]".
67	* RedEyesTakeWarning: Black John and the Numbers in the comics. Allen in the music video for "Do Me a Favor".
68	* ScrewDestiny: Shades of this thrive in both the comic and the albums, particularly the final parts.
69	* ShoutOut: Peckinpah was named after the director of ''Film/TheWildBunch''.
70	-->"As in Sam Peckinpah?"
71	* VisualPun: You can literally [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnG6XPQlgZA build a house]] out of the album booklet.
72	** "Gravesend" is an actual graveyard in the third comic book.
73
74	!!The albums:
75	* AllThereInTheManual: The albums sound a bit like MindScrew on their own, but the Digipak versions of each one has an album booklet containing two halves of the story written by Corey.
76	* CallBack:
77	** "A Rumor of Skin" has background vocals reiterating the verse melody of "Gone Sovereign".
78	** In turn, the chorus from "A Rumor of Skin" has a reprise near the end of "Do Me a Favor".
79	** "Blue Smoke" has a reprise of the verse melody from "Red City".
80	** 'I'm on my own' from "The Travelers" gets a reprise at the end of "The Conflagration".
81	** The chant of "[=RU486=]" in the TitleTrack, which itself has [[BookEnds reprises]] of "Gone Sovereign" and "Absolute Zero" as well.
82	* CharacterSignatureSong:
83	** "Gone Sovereign" [[SiameseTwinSongs and]] "Absolute Zero" dignify The Human, saying that although he's not perfect he'll do whatever is necessary to make it through.
84	** [[IAmSong "My Name Is Allen"]] and [[VillainSong "Do Me A Favor"]] both represent Allen, the arrogant villain who wants his way or the highway.
85	** "[=RU486=]" represents Black John and the Numbers. In the comic, these characters constantly chant "[=RU486=]?!" as a way of intimidating the Human.
86	** "Peckinpah" and "The Conflagration" dignify Peckinpah, a wise man who helps lead the Human to the answers he's looking for, while encouraging him to do what's right.
87	* DarkerAndEdgier: ''Part 2'' than ''Part 1''. Clearer concept, too.
88	* DeathGlare: Allen ''loves'' giving these with a big SlasherSmile.
89	* DesignStudentsOrgasm: Both albums' cover artwork is this ''in spades''.
90	* EpicRocking: "Taciturn" and "Sadist" both exceed five minutes. Most others consistently end just under that mark.
91	* IAmBecomingSong: [[TitleTrack "The House of Gold and Bones"]].
92	* IgnoredEpiphany: In "Black John", Allen realizes that villains never win, and that he should at least give The Human a chance. He goes through with this halfway, the next song "Sadist" is Allen trying to convince The Human to quit while he's ahead.
93	* LyricalColdOpen: "Red City". Notable that it's the only lyrical cold open on either album.
94	* QuarrelingSong: "A Rumor of Skin" is a dialogue between the Human and Allen at the beginning of ''Part 1''.
95	** Corey revealed to [[https://www.artistdirect.com/corey-taylor/interviews/interview-corey-taylor-of-stone-sour/3274 [=ArtistDirect=]]] that there are actually ''three'' voices in this song: the Human, Allen, and the third doing the melody line from "Gone Sovereign", noticeable near the final hook.
96	* RecurringRiff: Quite a few.
97	* SequelSong: "The Travelers" in HOGAB 1 has two parts, the second more dramatic than the first. The refrain gets a CallBack near the end of HOGAB 2.
98	* SiameseTwinSongs[=/=]FadingIntoTheNextSong: Played with. Several of the tracks can easily be split where a new riff begins.
99	* TheSongBeforeTheStorm:
100	** From ''Part 1'':
101	*** "The Travelers Pt. 1" [[FadingIntoTheNextSong >>]] "Tired"
102	*** "Taciturn" [[FadingIntoTheNextSong >>]] "Influence of a Drowsy God"
103	*** "The Travelers Pt. 2" [[FadingIntoTheNextSong >>]] "Last of the Real"
104	** From ''Part 2'':
105	*** "Blue Smoke" [[SiameseTwinSongs >>]] [[VillainSong "Do Me A Favor"]]
106	*** "The Conflagration" [[FadingIntoTheNextSong >>]] [[TitleTrack "The House of Gold and Bones"]]
107
108	!!The comics and story:
109	* BadassInANiceSuit: Peckinpah in ''The Answers''.
110	* BeardOfBarbarism: Black John.
111	* BigNo: Allen near the end.
112	* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:After the Conflagration destroys the House, the Human wakes up slowly, realizing he's still alive and ready to face the real world once more.]]
113	-->'''Human (narrating):''' The house of gold and bones [[spoiler:was destroyed. But it could be rebuilt. It could be stronger.]]
114	* ChekhovsGunman: Peckinpah.
115	* ClusterFBomb: The Human after Peckinpah leaves him alone to outrun the shadowy ZergRush yet again.
116	* ConservationOfNinjutsu: Neither the Human nor Peck have weapons but they still manage to take out several Numbers.
117	* CreepyCathedral: Subverted. It looks like one on the outside, but inside the Human manages to find some peace.
118	* CyanidePill: Peckinpah gives the Human a pistol grip full of Paris green before leaving, asking him to swallow it for there's really nowhere to go. [[spoiler:The Human takes a drink just as Black John and the Numbers have caught up to him. And unable to get an answer, the Numbers throw him out.]] Subverted as he doesn't die.
119	** EmptyShell: Near the end of the story written in the first album booklet, Peckinpah gives the Human the [[CyanidePill Paris green]] because of the threat of the latter becoming this trope.
120	-->'''Peck:''' Listen to me—[[spoiler:they're going to take you. Black John's whole assignment is to take you to Red City by any means necessary, in one piece or not.]]
121	-->'''Human:''' What? But we're already going to—
122	-->'''Peck:''' It's not about the destination. It's about how you get there. [[spoiler:They want you so [[DespairEventHorizon decimated]] that you make their choices—[[IndividualityIsIllegal not your own]].]]
123	* DatelessGrave: Inverted. "[[AC:September]] 1982" is engraved but with [[NoNameGiven no name]] [[TheUnreveal whatsoever]].
124	* DeadpanSnarker: The Human, in spades. Often overlaps with StepfordSnarker. Allen too has his moments.
125	* DownTheRabbitHole: Turns out the rabbit hole [[spoiler:is actually [[JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind his own mind]].]]
126	* FauxAffablyEvil: Allen, natch.
127	* {{Foil}}: Allen and Peckinpah are this to each other.
128	* ForWantOfANail: If it weren't for [[spoiler:[[DamselInDistress Rachel]] being so far out in the water at night...]]
129	* FreudianTrio: The Human (ego), Peckinpah (superego), and Allen (id). Not that they like to work together.
130	* GameFace: A partyful of people around the Human turn into demons who attack him all at once...[[CatapultNightmare in a dream]].
131	* GeniusLoci: TheReveal in ''The Answers''.
132	-->'''Human:''' This world is...'''[[spoiler:me.]]'''
133	* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Allen is first introduced as a smoking silhouette who offers the Human a stick.
134	* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Allen, though he's mostly heel [[spoiler:given his namesake.]]
135	* HowWeGotHere: The opening to ''The Answers''. [[spoiler: The Human was chilling at a beach party when he heard a girl screaming for help out in the water—Rachel. Without hesitation he rushed to the water and tried to rescue her but then ended up drowning himself.]]
136	** StartOfDarkness: Near the end of the same chapter, the Human and Peckinpah reach Gravesend where the former finds a nameless tombstone bearing the date [[AC:September]] 1982, further revealed in ''The Conflagration'' to be [[spoiler:the time he lost his innocence to Allen's bouts of abuse.]]
137	* ItIsDehumanizing: When the Human first meets Allen, he is referred to by the latter as "it".
138	-->'''Allen:''' There's been a lot of talk about the human returning to change things. Apparently, '''[[ItIsDehumanizing it]]''' is at a loss.
139	* LastGraspAtLife: The Human, [[spoiler: who himself drowns after trying to rescue Rachel.]]
140	* MutilationConga: PlayedForDrama. As the Human makes a run for the altar, [[spoiler:the injuries from Allen and Peck trying to kill each other become his own.]]
141	* OneTrueSequence: The [[MacGuffinTitle House of Gold and Bones]] ultimately becomes the setting for the [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind Conflagration]].
142	* OnlySaneMan: Peckinpah. The Human still has issues to sort out.
143	* PuttingOnTheReich: Allen's second appearance has him in a black Nazi-esque uniform with lots of smiley faces on it. The Human calls him "Adolf [[PrecisionFStrike Dipshit]]".
144	* RedOniBlueOni: Allen (red), Peckinpah (blue). Their eyes follow this trope in ''The Conflagration''.
145	* RedSkyTakeWarning: The city.
146	* RiteOfPassage: In ''The Questions'', Peckinpah explains the Conflagration as something like this.
147	* SamusIsAGirl: After getting stuck in a window trying to escape the Numbers, the Human receives a little help...from [[spoiler:Allen. [[LampshadeHanging (Ellen?)]]]]
148	-->'''[[spoiler:Allen:]]''' [[ManIFeelLikeAWoman I felt like roaring.]]
149	* SayMyName: ''The Answers'' opens with The Human [[CatapultNightmare catapulting himself awake]] and screaming [[spoiler:Rachel's name.]]
150	* ShapeShifterShowdown: [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind The Conflagration.]] Averted in the video for "Do Me a Favor".
151	* SinisterMinister: Allen's penultimate form in the comics, and the form we see of him in "Do Me a Favor".
152	* SuperSmoke: Allen loves this. Peckinpah, too.
153	-->'''Human:''' Another disappearing act?! Oh, that's just '''''[[SarcasmMode GREAT!]]''''' What the fuck was all that walking for?!
154	* SupernaturalGoldEyes: Allen. Notable in his first appearance.
155	* WakingUpElsewhere: The Human finds himself in the [[TitleDrop red city]] in ''The Answers''.
156	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The Numbers and especially Black John are no longer of concern, except for banging at the doors of the House of Gold and Bones.

Context Music / HouseOfGoldAndBones