The current incarnation of Greenleaf, pictured above, are getting ready to head out on a Fall tour co-headlining with Slomosa and supported by Magnetic Eye Records labelmates Psychlona. They just put out the new album The Head and the Habit (review here), which is a masterclass in hard-hitting, sans-bullshit heavy rock and blues.

The upcoming reissues of 2003’s Secret Alphabets (discussed here), 2007’s Agents of Ahriman (reissue review here) and 2012’s Nest of Vipers (review here) covers different lineups and the bulk of the Swedish band’s Small Stone Records era, which capped with 2014’s Trails and Passes (review here), at which point vocalist Arvid Hällagård took over for Oskar Cedermalm — also of Truckfighters — who had fronted them for the latter two of these three LPs, and Greenleaf set about changing from Tommi Holappa from Dozer‘s side-project and became a full-time, hard-touring band.

There were years I swore by Agents of Ahriman as the best thing Greenleaf ever did. Then Nest of Vipers came out and that narrative got more complicated. It has not become less so with the records they’ve done since, either, including The Head and the Habit. But if you don’t have these — and I’m not ignoring Secret Alphabets here either; their second LP is a landmark — and have gotten on board with the band in the years since, these are worth having both for contextual purposes in hearing the beginnings of the Greenleaf of today, who I have no qualms touting as one of the best heavy rock acts in Europe or anywhere else, and more importantly, just for hearing them because they’re great records.

They’ll be out around the time the tour with Slomosa and Psychlona starts. The PR wire has more:

Magnetic Eye is stoked to present exclusive new editions of three classic albums from our own almighty GREENLEAF!

Before they became a proper band, Greenleaf started as a loose collective of friends making 70s-inspired hard rock and proto-metal. Led by guitarist Tommi Holappa, co-founder of Euro desert rock originators Dozer, various configurations of Greenleaf included members of Lowrider, Truckfighters, Demon Cleaner, Dozer and more. And despite the rotating cast of players, they managed to release multiple albums of the highest caliber riff rock across the 14 years in their original unstructured form.

Now, in celebration of the Swedish heavyweights’ astonishing 25-year career and the stratospheric release of their latest LP ‘The Head & The Habit’ this year, Magnetic Eye Records brings forth brand new reissues of three of GREENLEAF’s iconic out-of-print classics, with new editions of ‘Secret Alphabets’, ‘Agents of Ahriman’ and ‘Nest of Vipers’ on sleek new colored vinyl and digisleeve CD. Coming this October and available just in time for their massive European tour with Slomosa and Psychlona!

See all the variants of these masterworks right here: http://lnk.spkr.media/greenleaf-reissues

GREENLEAF & SLOMOSA w/ PSYCHLONA
30 SEP 2024 Leipzig (DE) Werk2
01 OCT 2024 Berlin (DE) Lido
02 OCT 2024 (DE) Hamburg (DE) Gruenspan
03 OCT 2024 Köln (DE) Club Volta
04 OCT 2024 Bielefeld (DE) Forum
05 OCT 2024 Leeuwarden (NL) Into the Void
06 OCT 2024 Pratteln (CH) Up in Smoke
07 OCT 2024 Innsbruck (AT) PMK
09 OCT 2024 Wien (AT) Arena
10 OCT 2024 Zagreb (HR) Vintage Industrial Bar
11 OCT 2024 Graz (AT) PPC
12 OCT 2024 München (DE) Keep It Low

GREENLEAF is:
Arvid Hällagård – vocals
Tommi Holappa – guitars
Sebastian Olsson – drums
Hans Fröhlich – bass

www.facebook.com/greenleafrocks
https://www.instagram.com/greenleafband/
https://greenleaf-sweden.bandcamp.com/

http://store.merhq.com
http://magneticeyerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords
https://www.instagram.com/magneticeyerecords/

Greenleaf, Secret Alphabets (2003)

Greenleaf, Agents of Ahriman (2007)

Greenleaf, Nest of Vipers (2012)

Nobody seems to want to talk about it, myself included, but the heavy underground has a persistent thread of mental health problems such that when I see someone involved, whether that’s a musician, fan, or somebody else adjacent to the music has died, especially died young, it’s almost assumed they’ve taken their own life. I don’t think that’s the case in other communities, but it is a sad reality in doom and heavy rock and roll. I’m not really sure what can be done about it beyond broader political reform in healthcare and social services — at least in the States, though as illustrated below this is by no means only a US-wide concern — and no matter who ends up being the next American president, I’m not holding out much hope for it. We got Obamacare once and the insurance industry is still trying to take it apart. They may yet.

I will not mince words and say I’ve never thought of taking my own life. There are times where killing myself seems like the most kind, most generous and most giving thing I can do for my family and those around me. The best way I can serve them is to remove my own inherently toxic presence. I recognize this view as skewed — suicide devastates, irrevocably — but I’ve been there, too, and when you’re in it it’s that much harder to see clearly. If you have ever felt that way or know someone who has, then you might understand where Sweden’s Suicide Records is coming from in putting together the new compilation, In the Loving Memory of You, as a benefit for the organization Suicide Zero.

And if you’ve ever been there or you’re there now — in it — I won’t patronize you by putting a hotline number here. If you’re looking for a thing to hang onto, hang onto the music. That’s what I do. And if you do want to talk about it — guessing you don’t, since nobody does — I’m here for that too.

Comp is out Sept. 10. Here’s info from the PR wire:

Suicide Records Releases Unique Compilation Album in Benefit of Suicide Zero

Suicide Records, the groundbreaking record label from Gothenburg, announces the release of their unique compilation album, In the Loving Memory of You, on September 10th, 2024. This album, featuring 16 bands with brand new songs, aims to support Suicide Zero, a Swedish non-profit organization dedicated to preventing suicide since 2013. All proceeds from the album will go directly to Suicide Zero.

Every six hours, someone commits suicide in Sweden, totaling four lives lost daily, not including drug overdoses or “accidents”. Roger Andersson, founder of Suicide Records, knows this pain personally. “After three incredibly tragic deaths among my close ones, there is no other path to take. I simply MUST do this,” he says. The album reflects emotions like anger, grief, and despair, hoping to aid in raising substantial funds for Suicide Zero’s essential work.

In the Loving Memory of You showcases a powerful lineup: Grand Cadaver, Skitsystem, Knivad, Demonic Death Judge (Finland), M:40, Downfall Of Gaia (Germany), The Moth Gatherer, Besvärjelsen, Novarupta and Firebreather among others. Most notably, punk icons Skitsystem will release their first new song in 18 years on this compilation.

Mikael Stanne (Grand Cadaver, The Halo Effect, Dark Tranquillity) remarked, “When we were approached to contribute, it was a no-brainer. Music is therapy for many, and we hope to help raise as much money as possible for Suicide Zero.”

Renowned Johan Reivén at Audiolord Mastering in Gothenburg mastered the album, ensuring a uniform and massive soundscape, while the album cover was designed by Error! Design from Barcelona and is intended to respectfully reflect the profound emotions related to the theme.

In the Loving Memory of You will be available as a double vinyl, sold exclusively through Bengans.se and Suicide Records’ Bandcamp: https://suiciderecordsswe.bandcamp.com

Founded in 2006 by Roger Andersson, Suicide Records has released over a hundred records, sticking to the philosophy of only releasing music worth paying for. Roger’s personal journey from addiction to becoming a key figure in Gothenburg’s music scene is a testament to his resilience and passion for music.

In December 2022, and again in April 2023, Roger faced tragic losses due to suicide within his family. These events, followed by the overdose death of a close friend, spurred Roger into action. He decided to use his connections in the music industry to create something positive out of his sorrow, leading to the creation of In the Loving Memory of You.

1. Grand Cadaver – Long Lost Light
2. Fredag den 13:e – Änglamakerskan
3. The Moth Gatherer – Black Lung
4. Knivad – Isen förlamar
5. M:40 – Tyngdlös
6. Skitsystem – Evig vinter
7. Downfall of Gaia – Concrete Cemeteries.
8. Demonic Death Judge – Poisoner
9. Division of Laura Lee – Vanishing Act
10. Firebreather – Last Train
11. Fabian Brusk Jahn – Perciption of the past
12. Besvärjelsen – Velvet Sky
13. Novarupta – Mosaic
14. Ulmus – Silenci
15. Guhts – Burn My Body
16. Rainbird – Going Down

https://www.suiciderecords.se
https://suiciderecordsswe.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/suiciderds
https://www.instagram.com/suicide_records

Guhts, “Burn My Body” official video

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Scott Shellhamer and Jason Butler of Moiii

—

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

Scott: I’ve known Jason since the 90’s. We have tried multiple times over the years to create music together, but it never quite worked. I’m into heavy, he’s into light. This was the first time we really found a middle ground.

Jason: Yea, the middle ground we found between us took lots of time to find. Maybe with age & more patience we were able to voice our respective selves in a way that offered cohesion to the other.

Describe your first musical memory.

Scott: Music Machine. It was a Christian record for kids. The Music Machine is like no other gadget you’ve ever seen. Put something in and a song comes out!

Jason: Watching the Nelson Brothers at Six Flags Over Texas.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

Scott: I played cello with Shinichi Suzuki on the stage at Auditorium Hall in Chicago.

Jason: Performing at The Stateside Theatre in Austin.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

Scott: I’m fairly open and honest about things. Maybe when I was a teenager and left the Christian faith? I was evangelical and going door to door and such. I challenged myself to read the “good book” and didn’t care for what I found.

Jason: Im uncertain.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

Scott: Disappointment.

Jason: Discomfort with potential satisfaction.

How do you define success?

Scott: I will never attain it, so I’m not sure how to answer this. Any artistic endeavor I pursue can be judged by others.

Jason: The ability to sit quiet with yourself – no squirming, no anxiety.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Scott: The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Jason: Ha! I actually loved RHCP when I was a young’n. The Nelson Brothers.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

Scott: I have plans for a short film documenting my insomnia and weird dreams when I do find sleep. I’ve directed a couple videos for Jason’s band Thee Conductor and would like to continue working on similar things.

Jason: Would love to finish my screenplay for the short film I envision. The structure is there, just need to discipline myself to sit & write the dialogue.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Scott: Questioning your own existence. What it means to face your own mortality and what that means as you are still alive. Memento Mori.

Jason: My work (thee conductor) & the work that Scott and I do (moiii) together are so different. In creating both, it has made me appreciate that I or we or anyone doesnt have to be one thing (in this case one genre) all the time. Art allows for self exploration, absent of construct (if you allow it).

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Scott: I’m in TX working on a record with my punk band NIXD at the moment. Music is all that is on my brain. I’m going camping when I get back. That’ll be a good time.

Jason: I am currently building rental dwellings on my property in the woods here in ‘lil Elgin Texas. I very much look forward to finishing & renting out this first one to recoup my empty coffer.

https://www.instagram.com/moiiiband/
https://www.facebook.com/moiiiband
https://moiii.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/someoddpilotrecords
https://someoddpilotrecords.bandcamp.com

Moiii, Moiii (2024)

The impending Volume EP, Joy of Navigation, follows behind a 20th anniversary edition of the band’s Requesting Permission to Land, and sees a new lineup of the group led by guitarist/vocalist Patrick Brink that includes guitarist Ed Mundell (The Ultra-Electric Mega Galactic, ex-Monster Magnet, etc.), Dave Catching (Queens of the Stone Age, etc.) and Mike Amster (Nebula, Mondo Generator, etc.). That’s a pretty enticing prospect alone, and made no less so by the album’s title-track, which is streaming now. Golden Robot and Kozmik Artifactz have the release, and whether it’s the names and legacy that bring you in or the song itself, I don’t think you’ll be wrong in checking it out.

If you’re experiencing a disconnect between the lineup mentioned above and the photo of the band, it’s because the pic is likely the live lineup rather than that which recorded. I was squinting to see if that’s Amster in the back, but yeah, no. Different group altogether. The good news though is that a live-lineup means live shows. I wouldn’t expect Volume to go coast-to-coast at this point, but there’s a date listed below and more will likely follow to some degree or other.

The PR wire has details:

VOLUME share first single from forthcoming album ‘Joy of Navigation’

29 Palms, CA Desert/Stoner Rock supergroup led by Patrick Brink (Fu Manchu), Ed Mundell (Monster Magnet), Mike Amster (Nebula, Spoon Benders), Dave Catching

Pre-save HERE: https://orcd.co/joy-of-navigation

Pre-order HERE: https://kozmik-shop.com/

Twentynine Palms, CA band VOLUME shares the first single (and title track) to their forthcoming album Joy of Navigation today on all streaming services. “Joy of Navigation” is live on all DSPs HERE & Bandcamp.

The band is VOLUME and it deals primarily in density: Thick and weighty as the abundant sand surrounding their Twentynine Palms, CA hometown, but also comprised of a mass of fine grit that can sear the skin with a gust of wind, and quickly dissipate into the ether.

Yes, that is to say, VOLUME are purveyors of Heavy Acid Rock. Doomy psychedelia, but with more raw 70s punk brash than masquerading metal. VOLUME draw musical influences from bands such as The Stooges, MC5 and Black Flag to name a few, while also crafting their own distinctive heavy psychedelic identity. And, with Joy of Navigation, the band ventures into heavier, more psychedelic tones, while also keeping powerful hooks as the focus.

Originally formed in 1993 by ex-Fu Manchu singer Patrick Brink, the band has featured a revolving set of collaborators, with ex-Monster Magnet guitarist Ed Mundell playing leads on the forthcoming Joy of Navigation mini-album. David Catching (QOTSA, Arctic Monkeys, Iggy Pop) co-produced the tracks with Brink, as well as playing synth on the recording. Mike Amster (Nebula, Mondo Generator, Spoon Benders) plays drums on the mini-album. The current live lineup includes Mingus on drums, bassist Jason Hernandez and lead guitarist Derek Christiansen.

Brink founded the band in order to take the lead and steer the musical reins down psychedelic rocking routes. Having performed with a number of acts including the aforementioned vocals for Fu Manchu in their early days, VOLUME offered Patrick a new creative outlet. Over their career the band has shared stages with Queens of the Stone Age, Mastodon and Goatsnake, and performed at festivals including Emissions of the Monolith and Stoner Hands of Doom (SHoD).

Brink’s upbringing in the secluded desert town east of Joshua Tree and 60 miles north of Palm Springs had a huge impact on his songwriting. It is a place of beauty and harsh realities, and those contrasts are present throughout Patrick’s lyrics and songs. After getting into punk rock by accident in high school Patrick started his first band a couple of years later with the only other punks in town. This early love of punk rock inadvertently led him to the heavier bands on SST Records such as Wurm, SWA, DC3 and St. Vitus.

Heavy As Fuck (1996) and Love Is A Mountain And Heavy As Fuck (1998) were the band’s first recordings. In the Fall of 1998, the seven inch Check This Planet I’m Gone… was released on Superkool Records. Requesting Permission To Land (High Beam Records) was recorded with the help of Mike McHugh (Train, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion). Each song was recorded in one or two takes to retain the original heart and soul of the piece.

“It’s rock and roll. Not brain surgery,” says Patrick of the recording process. The end result is a potent blend of thirty-plus minutes of psychedelic fuzzfest freakout and perhaps some of the rawest riffs you’re likely to hear.

VOLUME draw inspiration from a time when music was truly experimental and free. They see themselves as rock’n’roll torch bearers whose duty it is to bring the flame, intact, into the future. They invite you to join in that endeavor, for the Joy of Navigation.

Joy of Navigation will be available for download/streaming on November 1st, 2024 via Golden Robot Recordings, and on LP via Kozmik Artifactz. Pre-save HERE: https://orcd.co/joy-of-navigation, Pre-order HERE: https://kozmik-shop.com/

VOLUME LIVE 2024:
08/17 San Diego, CA – Til Two Club

Artist: VOLUME
Album: Joy of Navigation
Label: Golden Robot (digital) / Kozmik Artifactz (vinyl)
Release Date: November 1st, 2024

01. Joy of Navigation
02. Mercury
03. Heavy Sunshine
04. Golden Age
05. Space Baby

https://www.facebook.com/volumerocksofficial
https://www.instagram.com/volume_rocks/
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSG1_Fr1lJvqGxsb-2QUyuA
https://volume-rocks.bandcamp.com/

Volume, “Joy of Navigation”

Hey, have you heard the one about the band touring this Fall around appearances at Desertfest New York and Ripplefest Texas? Yes, likely you have. But that band wasn’t Abrams, and the Denver four-piece are among the acts I’m most looking forward to seeing at the aforementioned NYC three-dayer. Led by guitarist/vocalist Zach Amster, the band released their Kurt Ballou-helmed Blue City (review here) album earlier this year on Blues Funeral, and I expect it will be fun to watch people who haven’t heard them before stand in front of the stage and become fans. Yeah, Abrams have been around a bit, releasing through Small Stone and Sailor Records before linking up with their current label, and their records have always been cool, well-crafted, and so on. But I’m guessing that live it’s another level, and I’ll have those high hopes with me (hopefully; I should send an email about press accreditation, huh?) at the Knockdown Center as they roll through, and I anticipate having a better sense of what Abrams are all about when they’re done than I will have had going in. I’m a firm believer in precisely that kind of lifelong learning.

The PR wire brought the dates uniting the two fest appearances:

Denver heavy rockers ABRAMS announce fall US shows; new album “Blue City” available now on Blues Funeral Recordings.

Denver heavy rock goldsmiths ABRAMS announce a string of fall US shows (including appearances at Desertfest New York and Ripplefest Texas) in support of their new album “Blue City” released this spring on Blues Funeral Recordings.

About the tour, guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster says: “Abrams is so excited to hit the road again this September promoting our latest release ‘Blue City’ out on Blues Funeral Recordings. We have been thrilled by the response and support we have received about how much people have been digging the album. It’s been a couple of years since we have played out East, so touring around two of the coolest heavy underground festivals in the States (DesertFest and RippleFest) is going to be so great. We can’t wait to see you out there!”

Recorded and produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge, High On Fire) at the legendary GodCity Studio, their new album and Blues Funeral Recordings debut “Blue City” is where genre-defying heaviness and perfect melodic songcraft converge, best described as “a sound that’s cathartic, contemplative and would fit right in on a playlist full of Mastodon, Torche and Baroness tunes” by Metalsucks and “an upswell of positivity in the face of frustration that’s sure to shake you from your existential slumber” by Metal Hammer Magazine, while Distorted Sound Magazine praised ABRAMS as “one of the most musically diverse and emotionally impactful bands in the scene.”

Abrams fall shows 2024:
Sept 8 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
Sept 11 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s
Sept 12 – Columbus, OH – Spacebar
Sept 13 – Queens, NY – Desertfest New York
Sept 14 – Toledo, OH – Ottawa Tavern
Sept 15 – Louisville, KY – Portal
Sept 16 – St Louis, MO – Platypus
Sept 17 – Lawrence, KS – Replay Lounge
Sept 21 – Austin, TX – Ripplefest Texas

Fusing melody and dissonance, ABRAMS blast forth a cathartic mix of catchy, driving rhythms, soaring vocals and ethereal ambiance into the heavy music landscape. Wielding elements of heavy rock, shoegaze, grunge and post-metal with ease and fluency, they create a crystalline heaviness that’s bittersweet and nostalgic yet also gazes forward.

Having shared the stage with Unsane, KEN mode, King Buffalo, Khemmis, Jaye Jayle or Emma Ruth Rundle, ABRAMS has always strived to deliver memorable live shows. A spearhead of the Denver rock scene, the foursome has recently joined the ranks of tastemaker label Blues Funeral Recordings (Acid King, Dead Meadow, Dozer…) for the spring 2024 release of their fifth album “Blue City”, recorded and produced by Converge’s Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio.

ABRAMS lineup:
Zachary Amster – guitar, vocals
Taylor Iversen – bass, vocals
Ryan DeWitt – drums
Graham Zander – guitar

https://www.facebook.com/abramsrock
https://www.instagram.com/abramstheband
https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bluesfuneral/
https://www.instagram.com/blues.funeral/
https://bluesfuneralrecordings.bandcamp.com/
bluesfuneral.com

Abrams, Blue City (2024)

This past Spring, Cincinnati, Ohio-based heavy rockers Valley of the Sun posted up the first five songs of their Quintessence LP as Quintessence Pt. 1, heralding their fourth album to come and subverting the general expectation of a single here, a single there ahead of a release date in favor of doing things their own way. Recorded with John Naclerio at Nada Recording Studio — with whom they’ve worked before, notably on 2011’s The Sayings of the Seers EP (review here, discussed here) and the band’s 2014 debut, Electric Talons of the Thunderhawk (review here); Naclerio also adds guitar to “I’ll See Them Burn” here — in April, Quintessence arrives some two years after the band’s third full-length, 2022’s The Chariot (review here), and finds the lineup shifted from a double-guitar four-piece to a trio with guitarist/vocalist Ryan Ferrier, bassist/keyboardist Chris Sweeney and drummer Johnny Kathman, self-releasing after a stretch with Fuzzorama Records and Ripple Music.

While the title seems to speak to some sense of an archetype, the album has been touted by the band as a departure, and in some ways it is. More likely the title refers to the fifth element of space alongside the traditional earth, air, fire and water; song titles like that of opener “Terra Luna Sol,” “Graviton,” “The Late Heavy Bombardment,” “Red Shift,” “Palus Somni” (located on the moon), “Theia” and “Aurora” speak to a spacey theme at least in terms of outward presentation, and the narrative (blessings and peace upon it) holds that this emerged from the fact that they were recording during the total solar eclipse (depicted on the Jarrod Warf cover art) earlier this year. Either way, much of what one has come to expect from a Valley of the Sun outing remains intact, and considering the quality of their craft over the better part of the last 15 years, that should be read as a compliment. “The Late Heavy Bombardment” opens to a fuzzy nodder of a hook that stands alongside a swath of compatriots from their discography, while “I’ll See Them Burn” shoves forward in the later going of Quintessence with a particularly aggressive movement and a sub-three-minute runtime ahead of the ambient interlude “Aurora” and the closing title-track, which stretches over seven minutes as it heads into a long fade following what feels like a duly-weighted, riff-propelled culmination for what the rest of the record has offered up to that point.

As to that, much of the departure seems to be in the overarching feel rather than the structure of what Ferrier, Sweeney and Kathman are playing. Quintessence is still very identifiably a Valley of the Sun album, and benefits from the distinctive fullness of tone and spaciousness the band bring to desert-style heavy. If something is missing from the transition from four players to three, it doesn’t show on the record, though part of that might owe to the fact that in addition to Naclerio and Pete Koretzky, who plays guitar on the early slowdown “Where’s This Place?” (shortened from its original title “Where’s This Place I Roam?”) and their respective bass and drum duties, Sweeney and Kathman also contribute guitar alongside Ferrier‘s own. Fair enough. But “Where’s This Place?” is part of what’s different as well, as it sees the band more willing to throttle back the stage-ready energy that has characterized them up to this point in new ways, offering more complexity of mood. There’s bombast a-plenty in the crashing second half of “Graviton” and a fuzzed-to-the-gills sprawl set forth in “Theia,” but even the latter uses atmospherics in a more patient way, trading back and forth in volume, while “Aurora” and the corresponding side A interlude “Red Shift” deepen the contemplative impression and thus shift the context of Quintessence as a whole.

Is it a stark, radical contrast to the band Valley of the Sun have worked diligently to establish themselves as being for the last decade-plus? No. But neither does it feel like it’s trying to be. “Terra Luna Sol” sets out with a charge that reminds of earlier Solace, while “Palus Somni” pairs hard stops with more straight-ahead verse riffing, and even as Ferrier changes up around his central belt-it-out vocal approach in the early going of “Theia,” or “Palus Somni” and “Where’s This Place?,” he pushes his register on “Quintessence” in a way that is familiar even as it carries the adrenaline of that moment to another level entirely. Ultimately, it is the blend of the recognizable and the new — the proggy flourish of keyboard around the winding guitar in the first half of “Theia,” etc. — that gives Quintessence its distinguishing features, but for those who’ve followed the band, there’s little in the construction that would put one off; Valley of the Sun remain accessible and “Palus Somni” still sounds like it was composed to be played on stage. The difference is there’s more depth to the listening experience and the songs try some new ideas. Continued growth on the part of the band is not going to be a detriment to the audience hearing them, and sure enough, it isn’t as Quintessence unfolds.

It might be a little sadder than one expects Valley of the Sun to be, but I’ll allow that could also be reading into the evocations of “Red Shift” and “Aurora,” and that the album doesn’t just do one thing. That is, if “Where’s This Place?” and “Palus Somni” dare a bit of melancholy, the prevailing spirit of Quintessence is still electric, in both of those songs as well as “I’ll See Them Burn,” “Graviton,” “Terra Luna Sol,” and so on. And if it’s a question of one or the other — mind you I’m not sure it is — Quintessence adds much more to the scope of what Valley of the Sun do musically than it takes away, such that the title-track is given a due sense of arrival for the dynamic they’ve fostered throughout the preceding span. I don’t know what the band’s next chapter might be — they’re on tour now supporting Heavy Temple, which is a hell of a show to see if you can; they’re headlining in Europe this Fall — what the configuration of their lineup might be when they get there, or what it might have to say in building on the expression here, but four albums on, Valley of the Sun are evolving in their maturity while holding to the songwriting that’s been a major strength through their whole run to this point. There’s no level on which that isn’t a win, either conceptually or in execution.

Valley of the Sun, Quintessence (2024)

Valley of the Sun on Facebook

Valley of the Sun on Instagram

Valley of the Sun on Bandcamp

Vegas instrumentalists Sonolith will issue their new album, III, on Oct. 4. The band tell the tale below, and I won’t keep you from that, except perhaps to say that the list of hey-we’ve-played-with-these-bands bands below sort of illustrates the range of sound Sonolith manage to conjure. Last heard from in terms of studio work with 2021’s Voidscapes EP (review here), the dual-guitar outfit don’t have any audio out from the self-releasing new record yet, but their 2022 live outing, Live at Asteroid M, can be found below, courtesy of their Bandcamp. They also featured at Planet Desert Rock Weekend IV in their hometown this past January.

Info came from the PR wire:

Sonolith – Album “III” out Oct 4

Instrumental, heavy metal stoner doom from Las Vegas

Self-released (Vinyl, Digital)

Wizards of riffage cruising the stars in search of the heaviest groove in the universe, Sonolith return from their sojourn to the dark edges of space to deliver their new full-length, “III”.

IN THE BAND’S OWN WORDS:

“Sonolith is known as one of Las Vegas’s go-to live acts for massive riffs, heavy drums, and crowd-pleasing grooves. We have had the privilege to share the stage with bands such as The Obsessed, Truckfighters, 1000mods, Spaceslug, Nebula, Freedom Hawk, Borracho, Mos Generator, Sasquatch, Mothership, Lord Dying, and many more.”

“Upon its release on 9/15/21, the new EP ‘Voidscapes’ earned no. 24 on the September 2021 Doom Charts. We seek to repeat that feat with the release of our latest self-recorded and produced LP titled ‘III’, and we hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making this album.”

“Sonolith’s third release was envisioned and summoned into being over the course of two years, burning the candle from both ends while working day jobs, performing live shows, writing, and recording. Sonolith became a four piece with the addition of our second guitarist, allowing for live performance of the densely layered, cinematic, and kinetic instrumental compositions that the band’s come to be known for. ‘III’ tells a story in sound and symbolism of a fraught journey undertaken to escape the persecution of a psychotic tormentor, through the high peaks and low troughs, towards eventually obtaining freedom and spiritual emancipation.”

Tracklist:
1. Sine Misericordia (0:41)
2. Under The Torturer’s Attention (5:33)
3. Effugium (0:18)
4. Midnight Flight (3:36)
5. To Brave the Desert of Despair (6:48)
6. Legion (7:25)
7. Divide Et Impera (5:18)
8. Seas of Fate (0:31)
9. Dweller on the Threshold (6:31)

Sonolith is:
Alex Lidey – Guitars
Ben Dubler – Guitars
Adam Sage – Bass
Ian Henneforth – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/Sonolith/
https://www.instagram.com/sonolith/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3GPnJJRTBfasSPQn38EG7z
https://sonolith.bandcamp.com/

Sonolith, Live at Asteroid M (2022)

I’d already long-since had a soft spot in my heart for Finnish melodic death-doom metallers Swallow the Sun, but I’ll never forget that the band were my first show back from the pandemic, in Nov. 2021. They came all the way from Finland to play Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ (review here). I wore a mask. And sweatpants. It was a weird and in-my-case warm night, but the five-piece were absolute professionals on stage, and the show was a reminder blasted into my brain of the sustaining presence live music adds to my life after nearly two years of no gigs.

I’ve got the band’s new album, Shining, on right now, and it sounds big, produced, in a way that reminds in parts of modern Katatonia, but in the keys and the drum sounds of new single “What I Have Become,” and some of what’s happening around the guitars and bass in “Under the Moon and Sun,” the way the ambience is developed in the arrangements, I feel like you can hear what Dan Lancaster is bringing to it as producer. It moves like a modern record, and not that 2021’s way-dark Moonflowers (review here) didn’t, but it’s different and fascinating. I’m looking forward to getting to know the songs better, but when they talk about it being brighter, that comes through the melody as well. And the tracks seem to be shorter on average, so there’s that too.

This one’s out the day before my birthday. Might have to get a preorder in as a gift to myself. Here’s how that happens from the PR wire:

Finnish Death-Doom Masters SWALLOW THE SUN Announce New Album ‘Shining’ Out October 18th via Century Media Records

Unveils Heavy New Single “What I Have Become” + Visualizer

Pre-Order HERE: https://swallowthesun.lnk.to/Shining

‘Shining,’ the latest full-length album from the Finnish Death Doom pioneers SWALLOW THE SUN, will be available via Century Media Records on Oct 18th. The powerful and very heavy new track of transformation and rebirth – “What I Have Become” – will take you through personal hell and back.

The new record is produced and mixed by Dan Lancaster (Bring Me the Horizon, Muse, Enter Shikari, etc.), mastered by Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios), and recorded by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio, except vocals recorded by Dan Lancaster.

Juha Raivio comments on the new song:

“´What I Have Become` is about that moment when you look yourself deep in the eye from the mirror and your own eyes start to tell what your soul has become instead of what you always wanted it to be. The hardest thing is to forgive yourself and break that circle”.

About ‘Shining’ Juha Raivio adds:

“After our last album, it soon became clear to me that writing another Moonflowers album would kill me. So, I made a quiet wish to myself that if there ever will be any new music then please have a little bit of mercy on yourself rather than be that infinite black hole that will suck out the rest of your remaining light and soul just for the sake of it. Musically this album shines like a glacier diamond and has that power and punch that feels like a kick in your face! While lyrically the album deals with how fearing life will eventually kill you and how melancholy can become your God.

“We want to thank all the support and trust from Century Media, not to mention our insanely talented producer Dan Lancaster having the balls and guts to jump straight in the deep end with this band and get us out of our comfort zone. This album truly feels like a sunrise in the night sky”.

‘Shining’ Track List:
1. Innocence Was Long Forgotten
2. What I Have Become
3. MelancHoly
4. Under The Moon & Sun
5. Kold
6. November Dust
7. Velvet Chains
8. Tonight Pain Believes
9. Charcoal Sky
10. Shining

Moreover, SWALLOW THE SUN will host a very unique and exclusive event at the beautiful Aleksanterin Teatteri in Helsinki on October 16th, 2024. Their upcoming studio album ‘Shining’ will be listened to in its entirety, before its official release on October 18th. Please note the band will not perform at the event.

Anyone who wishes to attend the event can register and get their tickets via Levykauppa Äx from now until Oct 4th. To order and register, visit HERE: https://swallowthesun.lnk.to/Shining

At the exclusive pre-listening session, fans will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in SWALLOW THE SUN’s latest work with the best possible sound in one of the most beautiful places in northern Europe, the Aleksanterin Teatteri.

Mikko Kotamäki shares about the pre-listening session:

“Very excited to go back to the very special theater, but this time enjoying the music as a listener! Also cool to meet everyone and talk about the ‘Shining’ process and how it was working with such people as Dan! See you in Helsinki!”

SWALLOW THE SUN are:
Juha Raivio – Guitar, Keys
Juho Räihä – Guitar
Mikko Kotamäki – Vocals
Matti Honkonen – Bass
Juuso Raatikainen – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/swallowthesun
https://www.instagram.com/swallowthesunofficial/
http://www.swallowthesun.net/

https://www.facebook.com/centurymedia
https://www.instagram.com/centurymediarecords/
http://www.centurymedia.com/

Swallow the Sun, “What I Have Become” visualizer

Swallow the Sun, “Innocence Was Long Forgotten” official video