Review: Valley Of The Sun ‘The Blacklight Sessions’
I have a few consistent thoughts that tend to infiltrate my mind whenever I listen to the long-running, Cincinnati, Ohio-based heavy fuzz-rockers Valley Of The Sun. The first is that, as someone who was born and raised in the desert, I smile good-naturedly at the idea of a Midwestern, Rust Belt city-based band with that name. The second is that I never cease to be amazed at founder, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer Ryan Ferrier’s uncanny ability to tap into all the cosmic forces in the rock and roll universe, absorb them, and then wield them with awesome prowess.
Let us face it: for over fifteen years now, the group – having gone through multiple lineup changes, but currently comprised of Ferrier, bassist Chris Sweeney, and drummer Johnny Kathman – have consistently released stellar, heavy, stoner-style records that run the gamut from total balls-out rock fury to psychedelic, spaced-out desert vibes and back again, sometimes all within the same song. Additionally, the trio has been amazingly reliable in terms of releasing new material, dropping a new record every two to three years.
Coming off the self-released Quintessence in 2024, here we have The Blacklight Sessions, their sixth full-length and first for global stoner/doom label Heavy Psych Sounds. As I understand it, the title is a nod to pre-Valley Of The Sun outfit Blacklight Barbarian (which might be one of the best names in the history of the universe) as they kick the proverbial door down with opener The Whiskey Elf.
A track that evidently has been around since those early days, it is a totally pummeling, instrumental riff-fest that had me recalling the much-missed Karma To Burn and the nasty, filthy sounds of their leader Will Mecum (RIP). The Whiskey Elf, simply put, does not fuck around. It is overflowing with all the riffs, ‘70s shred, and crushing groove any fan of stoner rock or heavy music in general could possibly want.
Next up, Low Not Slow blasts through the speakers with a charge that I would describe as The Atomic Bitchwax and Fu Manchu riding in the same van, hauling ass down a deserted highway at dusk. A minute or so in, we hear Ferrier’s voice for the first time, and as always, he packs a tuneful, rock and roll punch delivered with plenty of range, authority, and conviction. Riff-wise, not surprisingly, there are plenty, all of them addictive and all drenched in crackling fuzz. It also boasts a driving, rhythmic wallop felt right through my headphones, with a few doses of cowbell thrown in because, why the fuck not? For my money, one would be hard-pressed to find an album released this year that opens with a bigger one-two punch than the one featured here.
a smorgasbord of stoner rock shred anchored by a formidable rhythm section…
The Long Song, another instrumental, is indeed just that, clocking in at over ten minutes. Yet, the group uses every second of that time effectively. A slow build of echoey yet clean guitar gets things rolling. After a few bars, it is joined by the rhythm section, wherein they ride this energy for a while before hitting the fictional throttle, kicking things up a few notches as pedals are hit and fuzz is added. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout, including some trippier action that sees Ferrier make skillful use of letting his notes ring out, engaging in a smorgasbord of stoner rock shred anchored by a formidable rhythm section.
I have always sensed a strong Queens Of The Stone Age influence in aspects of their sound, and this notion is on full display with A Greater Meaning. First, as the shortest song on the record, it gets right to the point with a vintage Homme-esque riff backed by a driving, Era Vulgaris-style beat complete with more well-timed cowbell. However, the chorus is all their own, a catchy, soaring refrain that burrows its way deep into the listener’s psyche.
Hitting the home stretch with the penultimate Mountain, it begins life as a spacey, desert-rock affair with awesome, fuzzed-out bass noodling from Sweeney before exploding into a massive, crushing, all-out stoner rock maelstrom featuring a vicious main riff and killer vocals, including the line ‘staring at the sun, staring back at me.’ Closer No Hope rides an immaculate, fuzzed-out, mid-tempo groove to an aural, meditative bliss, highlighting each musician’s individual skills and their deft ability to cohesively meld them all together.
At the end of the day, one would be hard-pressed to find a better heavy rock and roll album released this year than The Blacklight Sessions. The trio checks every box needed in an amazing stoner rock record, and then some. The musicianship is out of this world as always, and while nodding to the past, it succeeds in moving them forward. This is high-grade heavy rock and roll performed by musicians who know this style inside and out, constantly evolving as they continue to push their sound further. Highly recommended.
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Martin Williams
