This Friday, Oct. 2, Ohio heavy rockers Valley of the Sun will celebrate the release of their new album at the esteemed Tabernas Desert Rock Festival at Fort Bravo in Almería, Spain. Their sixth full-length, The Blacklight Sessions (review here), is out worldwide the same day through Heavy Psych Sounds, and it’s fitting that the video premiering below for “A Greater Meaning” should have been filmed by the band in multiple locations on three different continents between North America, Europe and Africa. The underlying message that Valley of the Sun get around should not go unrecognized.

With a straightforward start-stop riff in its verse, a vocal delivery that’s comparatively subdued from when guitarist Ryan Ferrier is in belt-it-out mode, and a complementary driving groove in the chorus, “A Greater Meaning” earns its place on The Blacklight Sessions between the record’s two most extended tracks, “The Long Song” (10:30) and “Mountain” (9:41), being a return to ground from the former and a hook to hold onto as you face down the latter with eight-minute closer “No Hope” behind. It is the shortest song on the album, but offers a showcase of efficient songwriting for that in a way that none of the surrounding tracks do, emblematic of the desert-influenced fuzz-careening heavy rock Valley of the Sun are known for, extrapolated to a new degree.

And for that, “A Greater Meaning” represents the album well, too, since what one finds most of all in the record is that the veteran trio are continuing to push themselves as songwriters and working to showcase different sides of their approach. It’s not like their delivery ever wasn’t pro-shop, but their take has been refined over time and they seem more comfortable than ever working in different methodologies while maintaining a lack of pretense that’s as much defining a feature of who they are as any riff you could possibly point to on The Blacklight Sessions, and you could point to plenty of them.

The dates for their Euro tour and album preorders are under the video premiere below.

Please enjoy:

Valley of the Sun, “A Greater Meaning” video premiere

Ryan Ferrier on “A Greater Meaning”:

“A Greater Meaning” is a song about finding and losing value and direction in life. Filmed in Ohio, Tunisia, Germany, and California, the imagery is meant to evoke the lifelong quest for meaning that we all experience. Along the way, we find adventure, beauty, and serenity, but also solitude and fear, while always reaching for one more reason to hold on to hope.

Preorder: https://heavypsychsounds.com/?post_type=product&s=blacklight

Valley of the Sun’s sixth studio LP, “The Blacklight Sessions”, is a deep dive into the sonic roots of the band who continues to defy genre norms. With tracks ranging from blues jam to psychedelic desert trip to driving stoner riffage, the band continues to demonstrate that their music knows no bounds, nor should it.

Mixed, mastered and produced by John Naclerio at Nada Studio, Montgomery, New York. Artwork by Jarrod Warf. Video filmed and edited by Valley of the Sun.

Valley of the Sun “The Blacklight Sessions” Tour 2026
02/10 Tabernas Desert Rock Fest
13/10 Morlenbach, DE Weiher
14/10 Osnabrück, DE Bastard Club
15/10 Jena, DE Kuba Jena
16/10 Dresden, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
17/10 Berlin, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
18/10 Warszawa, PL Chmury Club
19/10 Kraków, PL Klub Gwarek
21/10 Wien, AT Verein Forum Wien
22/10 Bratislava, SK Pink Whale
23/10 Pássau, DE Zauberberg
24/10 München, DE Backstage Klub
25/10 Freiburg im Breisgau, DE Artik
27/10 Annecy, FR La Coloc
29/10 Paris, FR Backstage by the Mill
30/10 Wasquehal, FR The Black Lab
31/10 Bruxelles, BE Temple Studios
01/11 Eindhoven, NL The Jack
02/11 Breda, NL Mezz
03/11 Düsseldorf, DE Pitcher
04/11 Münster, DE Rare Guitar
05/11 Köln, DE Club Volta
06/11 Hanau, DE KultK1
07/11 Aachen, DE Musik Bunker
08/11 Kiel, DE Schaubude
10/11 Hamburg, DE Knust
11/11 Copenhagen, DK Stengade
12/11 Aalborg, DK 1000Fryd
13/11 Oslo, NO Vaterland Bar & Scene
14/11 Stockholm, SE Fuzztival

Tickets: linktr.ee/vots

Valley of the Sun are:
Ryan Ferrier – guitar, vocals
Chris Sweeney – bass
Johnny Kathman – drums

Valley of the Sun, The Blacklight Sessions (2026)

Valley of the Sun Linktr.ee

Valley of the Sun on Bandcamp

Valley of the Sun on Instagram

Valley of the Sun on Facebook

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Instagram

Heavy Psych Sounds on Facebook

At 15 years’ remove from their declarative 2011 second EP, The Sayings of the Seers (review here), with guitarist/vocalist Ryan Ferrier as the sole remaining founder and miles and miles of road stretching both behind and ahead as a hardworking, touring act (upcoming Euro dates here), pared down to a trio and coming off the 2024 self-release Quintessence (review here) with the Heavy Psych Sounds-issued The Blacklight Sessions, they’re a band whose songs have carried them far and wide and who’ve never quite showcased their sound in the way they do here. Ferrier, with bassist Chris Sweeney (joined 2018) and drummer Johnny Kathman (joined 2023), present six tracks across a 41-minute span, and if you do the math on that and it tells you there are a couple longer songs involved, you’re right.

Foremost? “The Long Song,” which caps side A of the LP after the instrumental opener “The Whiskey Elf” and the subsequent ripper “Low Not Slow.” At 10:30, “The Long Song” is by my count the longest song Valley of the Sun have ever released, and it’s not like there’s a five-minute break in the middle; they use all the time they have to chug, roll, ebb and flow in a procession that’s more than a jam but still that might otherwise have been pared down in the rehearsal space and have verses and a chorus lyrics written to make the kind of sharp-edged, refined heavy shove one is used to hearing from the Cincinnati outfit. Knowing that it hasn’t been, and that that’s on purpose, is the key to understanding the entire album, and as Ferrier takes a groovy solo over the second half’s slowdown en route to the inevitable resurgence — one way or the other, they’re songwriters — the band’s intention is palpable.

But that’s kind of always been the case, right? Even to go back a decade and a half, did Ferrier ever not have a plan? Valley of the Sun knew what they were about from the start, and they haven’t wavered. And to be sure, The Blacklight Sessions sounds like Valley of the Sun. Ferrier‘s voice and the instrumental sense of expanse are recognizable, and the band’s ability to twist a riff is second to none. They continue to work with longtime producer John Naclerio, which is a partnership that’s proven crucial over the course of the band’s time. But “The Whiskey Elf” signals a shift, not only because it doesn’t have vocals but because of how the riff is shaped and what is happening melodically, the way it changes over the course of the four-plus minutes.

If Quintessence was shooting for capturing the heart of what makes them who they are, The Blacklight Sessions looks beyond this in terms of going deeper into their process and, it should be noted, presenting that to the listener in a way they never have before. Because I have no doubt that at some point in the rehearsal space, Valley of the Sun jam. Even a band whose material is so hammered out and structured, at some point unless they’re working remotely which I don’t think applies here, will have jammed on a riff in the rehearsal space, if only so Ferrier can teach it to Sweeney and Kathman.

But that’s never been the front-facing persona of the group, and “The Long Song,” without actually being a jam, carries the band-in-room spirit just the same, where even up to Quintessence, priority was band-on-stage energy. If this seems like a minute difference, or an overly heady framing for The Blacklight Sessions, there’s just about no way you can slice it in which Valley of the Sun aren’t a band doing something new on their sixth record, and that idea alone should be commendable enough to make the point.

The second half of The Blacklight Sessions works to expand on the first, with a quick reorientation on “A Greater Meaning” to a classic desert-riffed strut, very much of the type Valley of the Sun are most expert at — in their wheelhouse, as it were — but pointedly efficient in its not-quite-three-and-a-half-minute run. This sets up an arrival point for the closing pair of “Mountain” (9:40) and closer “No Hope” (8:16) as the aforementioned other extended tracks, and as “Mountain” builds in both tension and volume across its two-minute initial, introductory stretch, the change in modus is conveyed as clearly as when the riff kicks in, the roll begins, and the idea that the song got its name from its own largesse becomes quickly inescapable.

It’s more than three minutes before the vocals come in to deliver lines over a stop, but the course is linear rather than verse/chorus, and that in itself is something different for Valley of the Sun. The slowdown six minutes in is a highlight, but mostly as part of the overarching progression of “Mountain,” which is fluid and wall-o’-fuzzed for the duration, letting “No Hope” finish the album by resetting before unfolding its own breadth, impactful both in melody and rhythm, following a pattern of drums that starts earlier and ultimately carries the song (and record) to its end. It’s not as huge-sounding as the song before and doesn’t want to be, but it’s an effective finish for The Blacklight Sessions in bringing a sense of letting go in a different way than they can usually be relied upon for. Which is to say, on an outing where they’re pushing their own limits, it does the same.

And about that: I don’t think there’s any way around casting Valley of the Sun among the most reliable of currently-active US-based heavy rockers. If they’re on the bill, you’re gonna have a good time, and their records have always been rock solid, front-to-back professional affairs. The same can be said of The Blacklight Sessions, but especially in the longer-form material, there’s a sense of loosening the reins a bit where usually the songs are pretty taut, and that comes across as intentional, as though the conscious choice was made to let these cuts be what they are instead of forcing them into a shape they may not wanted to have been suited to take.

In the end, this makes Valley of the Sun less predictable, which six records in with a reputation for quality is an asset in their favor and demonstrates the artistic growth that’s always underlied their noted process of refinement. Here, that becomes an essential part of the album’s character in a way it never has from Valley of the Sun before, and by tweaking their methodology in this manner, they expand their reach, going places they haven’t gone before with the sureness of the veteran unit that they have worked hard to become.

Valley of the Sun, The Blacklight Sessions (2026)

Valley of the Sun Linktr.ee

Valley of the Sun on Bandcamp

Valley of the Sun on Instagram

Valley of the Sun on Facebook

Heavy Psych Sounds website

Heavy Psych Sounds on Bandcamp

Heavy Psych Sounds on Instagram

Heavy Psych Sounds on Facebook

If it’s a party, you know Valley of the Sun are bringing a salsa of premium fuzz riffing and timeless heavy groove. Four-piece, trio, whatever. The core of the Ohio-based outfit has always been in songwriting and one expects no less of The Blacklight Sessions, which is announced today for an Oct. 2 release as their first album to come out through Heavy Psych Sounds.

Between now and the album’s arrival, you’ll see words like “solid” and “reliable” used to talk about the band, and neither is inappropriate, but as I listen to instrumental opening track/first single “The Whiskey Elf” premiere on the player just below — the classic roots of which are worn on its sleeve — it’s the energy they bring that feels most left out of the conversation. That chug and shove. They’re working with elements that were familiar before the band even existed, and yet Ryan Ferrier and company continue, time after time, to make those not only the band’s own, but a testimony of enduring radness. They’re not a band you’re ever going to regret seeing live, and their records always speak to the primal physicality of heavy groove.

I could go on here, but this is ostensibly a news post, so the news is the record’s coming. Valley of the Sun celebrate the release on tour in Europe this Fall, starting out on release day at Tabernas Desert Rock Fest (take me with you) and picking up in mid-October for Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Germany and more.

Song and info follow. Please enjoy:

Valley of the Sun, “The Whiskey Elf” track premiere

VALLEY OF THE SUN – The Blacklight Sessions

ALBUM INFO:

Valley of the Sun’s sixth studio LP, “The Blacklight Sessions”, is a deep dive into the sonic roots of the band that continues to defy genre norms. With tracks ranging from blues jam to psychedelic desert trip to driving stoner riffage, the band continues to demonstrate that their music knows no bounds, nor should it. It will be released on October 2nd via Heavy Psych Sounds – www.heavypsychsounds.com

SONG QUOTE:

“The Whiskey Elf” is my nod to late-sixties blues rock, particularly that of Ten Years After and Grand Funk Railroad. The song has been around since the days of my previous band, Blacklight Barbarian, which we reference a great deal on the new album, hence the name “The Blacklight Sessions” — Ryan Ferrier

BAND BIO:

Formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2010, Valley of the Sun has become one of the most respected names in modern heavy rock, combining thunderous, groove-driven riffs with soaring vocals and emotionally charged songwriting. Drawing inspiration from classic hard rock, desert rock, and grunge, the band has built an international following through relentless touring across North America and Europe, critically acclaimed releases, and a reputation for delivering powerful, high-energy live performances. Their catalog includes The Sayings of the Seers, Electric Talons of the Thunderhawk, Volume Rock, Old Gods, The Chariot, and the acclaimed 2024 release Quintessence, showcasing a band that continues to evolve while remaining true to its signature sound.

Today, Valley of the Sun is a three-piece consisting of Ryan Ferrier (guitar, lead vocals), the band’s founder and sole remaining original member (2010–present); Chris Sweeney (bass), who joined in 2018; and Johnny Kathman (drums), who joined during the band’s transition back to a power trio for the Quintessence era in 2023. Together, the trio continues to push the band’s sound forward with crushing riffs, dynamic musicianship, and an ever-changing tonality that continues to challenge the norms of the genre, while maintaining the unmistakable sound of the band.

Valley of the Sun “The Blacklight Sessions” Tour 2026
02/10 Tabernas Desert Rock Fest
13/10 Morlenbach, DE Weiher
14/10 Osnabrück, DE Bastard Club
15/10 Jena, DE Kuba Jena
16/10 Dresden, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
17/10 Berlin, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
18/10 Warszawa, PL Chmury Club
19/10 Kraków, PL Klub Gwarek
21/10 Wien, AT Verein Forum Wien
22/10 Bratislava, SK Pink Whale
23/10 Pássau, DE Zauberberg
24/10 München, DE Backstage Klub
25/10 Freiburg im Breisgau, DE Artik
27/10 Annecy, FR La Coloc
29/10 Paris, FR Backstage by the Mill
30/10 Wasquehal, FR The Black Lab
31/10 Bruxelles, BE Temple Studios
01/11 Eindhoven, NL The Jack
02/11 Breda, NL Mezz
03/11 Düsseldorf, DE Pitcher
04/11 Münster, DE Rare Guitar
05/11 Köln, DE Club Volta
06/11 Hanau, DE KultK1
07/11 Aachen, DE Musik Bunker
08/11 Kiel, DE Schaubude
10/11 Hamburg, DE Knust
11/11 Copenhagen, DK Stengade
12/11 Aalborg, DK 1000Fryd
13/11 Oslo, NO Vaterland Bar & Scene
14/11 Stockholm, SE Fuzztival

Tickets: linktr.ee/vots

Valley of the Sun are:
Ryan Ferrier – guitar, vocals
Chris Sweeney – bass
Johnny Kathman – drums

https://linktr.ee/vots
http://valleyofthesun.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/valleyofthesunband/
https://www.facebook.com/valleyofthesun/

http://www.heavypsychsounds.com/
https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/

Valley of the Sun, Quintessence (2024)

Preorders for the next full-length from Ohio fuzz rockers Valley of the Sun start next week. The band announced last month that the new album is titled The Blacklight Sessions and that it would be out in October around the start of their Fall tour in Europe, which just so happens to include stops at Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in Germany. Well, now we know the HPS association extends to the label itself, as Heavy Psych Sounds will apparently stand behind the release as well. The band’s 2024 album, Quintessence (review here), was self-released following a stint on Truckfighters‘ label, Fuzzorama Records. Note that the upcoming tour wraps up at that band’s Fuzztival in Stockholm on Nov. 14.

More to come? Surely. These guys are getting the gears moving on a whole album cycle, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them out again at some point before next summer as well, either in Europe for fests in Spring (or anytime, really; ‘festival season’ is all year now) or one or the other or both US coasts. Valley of the Sun are no strangers to hitting it hard and putting in miles. That doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.

From the PR wire:

Heavy Psych Sounds Records to announce US heavy rockers VALLEY OF THE SUN signing for a brand new album !!

We’re really stoked to announce that the US heavy rockers VALLEY OF THE SUN have signed to HPS for a brand new album !!

NEW ALBUM PRESALE STARTS: JULY 9th

Formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2010, Valley of the Sun has become one of the most respected names in modern heavy rock, combining thunderous, groove-driven riffs with soaring vocals and emotionally charged songwriting. Drawing inspiration from classic hard rock, desert rock, and grunge, the band has built an international following through relentless touring across North America and Europe, critically acclaimed releases, and a reputation for delivering powerful, high-energy live performances. Their catalog includes The Sayings of the Seers, Electric Talons of the Thunderhawk, Volume Rock, Old Gods, The Chariot, and the acclaimed 2024 release Quintessence, showcasing a band that continues to evolve while remaining true to its signature sound.

Today, Valley of the Sun is a three-piece consisting of Ryan Ferrier (guitar, lead vocals), the band’s founder and sole remaining original member (2010–present); Chris Sweeney (bass), who joined in 2018; and Johnny Kathman (drums), who joined during the band’s transition back to a power trio for the Quintessence era in 2023. Together, the trio continues to push the band’s sound forward with crushing riffs, dynamic musicianship, and an ever changing tonality which continues to challenge the norms of the genre, while maintaining the unmistakeable sound of the band.

Valley of the Sun “The Blacklight Sessions” Tour 2026
02/10 Tabernas Desert Rock Fest
13/10 Morlenbach, DE Weiher
14/10 Osnabrück, DE Bastard Club
15/10 Jena, DE Kuba Jena
16/10 Dresden, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
17/10 Berlin, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
18/10 Warszawa, PL Chmury Club
19/10 Kraków, PL Klub Gwarek
21/10 Wien, AT Verein Forum Wien
22/10 Bratislava, SK Pink Whale
23/10 Pássau, DE Zauberberg
24/10 München, DE Backstage Klub
25/10 Freiburg im Breisgau, DE Artik
27/10 Annecy, FR La Coloc
29/10 Paris, FR Backstage by the Mill
30/10 Wasquehal, FR The Black Lab
31/10 Bruxelles, BE Temple Studios
01/11 Eindhoven, NL The Jack
02/11 Breda, NL Mezz
03/11 Düsseldorf, DE Pitcher
04/11 Münster, DE Rare Guitar
05/11 Köln, DE Club Volta
06/11 Hanau, DE KultK1
07/11 Aachen, DE Musik Bunker
08/11 Kiel, DE Schaubude
10/11 Hamburg, DE Knust
11/11 Copenhagen, DK Stengade
12/11 Aalborg, DK 1000Fryd
13/11 Oslo, NO Vaterland Bar & Scene
14/11 Stockholm, SE Fuzztival

Tickets: linktr.ee/vots

Valley of the Sun are:
Ryan Ferrier – guitar, vocals
Chris Sweeney – bass
Johnny Kathman – drums

https://linktr.ee/vots
http://valleyofthesun.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/valleyofthesunband/
https://www.facebook.com/valleyofthesun/

http://www.heavypsychsounds.com/
https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/

Valley of the Sun, Quintessence (2024)

Ohio’s Valley of the Sun casually let it slip on socials over the weekend that they’ll be undertaking a massive European tour between October and November — not at all their first, by the way — hitting festivals and more to celebrate the release of their upcoming album, The Blacklight Sessions. I’m assuming the record is to be self-released, which is good news because it means that the band was satisfied enough with how issuing 2024’s The Quintessence (review here) on their own went to continue DIY’ing it this time around. It’s not like they’re not working their asses off either way.

Note the Tabernas Desert Rock Fest, the German edition Heavy Psych Sounds Fests, plus Truckfighters Fuzz Fest in Stockholm at the end of the run, but also note the killer club dates between that make up the bulk of the tour. Valley of the Sun were in Europe last summer, also hitting a slew of festivals, but with a new record on the way and momentum at their backs, it’s killer to see them heading abroad again, and I look forward to the new album.

This was on socials:

Coming back to Europe this October with a new album, “The Blacklight Sessions”. Every night we’ll be letting our fans choose our set list from over 35 songs, many of which we haven’t played in years! You don’t want to miss this one! Ticket links can be found at linktr.ee/vots !!!

Valley of the Sun “The Blacklight Sessions” Tour 2026
02/10 Tabernas Desert Rock Fest
13/10 Morlenbach, DE Weiher
14/10 Osnabrück, DE Bastard Club
15/10 Jena, DE Kuba Jena
16/10 Dresden, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
17/10 Berlin, DE Heavy Psych Sounds
18/10 Warszawa, PL Chmury Club
19/10 Kraków, PL Klub Gwarek
21/10 Wien, AT Verein Forum Wien
22/10 Bratislava, SK Pink Whale
23/10 Pássau, DE Zauberberg
24/10 München, DE Backstage Klub
25/10 Freiburg im Breisgau, DE Artik
27/10 Annecy, FR La Coloc
29/10 Paris, FR Backstage by the Mill
30/10 Wasquehal, FR The Black Lab
31/10 Bruxelles, BE Temple Studios
01/11 Eindhoven, NL The Jack
02/11 Breda, NL Mezz
03/11 Düsseldorf, DE Pitcher
04/11 Münster, DE Rare Guitar
05/11 Köln, DE Club Volta
06/11 Hanau, DE KultK1
07/11 Aachen, DE Musik Bunker
08/11 Kiel, DE Schaubude
10/11 Hamburg, DE Knust
11/11 Copenhagen, DK Stengade
12/11 Aalborg, DK 1000Fryd
13/11 Oslo, NO Vaterland Bar & Scene
14/11 Stockholm, SE Fuzztival

Tickets: linktr.ee/vots

Valley of the Sun are:
Ryan Ferrier – guitars and vocals
Chris Sweeney – bass, keys, and additional guitars
Johnny Kathman – drums, percussion, and additional guitars

https://linktr.ee/vots
http://valleyofthesun.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/valleyofthesunband/
https://www.facebook.com/valleyofthesun/

Valley of the Sun, Quintessence (2024)

Ohio heavy rockers Electric Citizen wrapped up a busy 2025 last month with a pair of dates in the Pacific Northwest that included a stop at Rain City Doom Fest in Seattle. They spent much of the year on the road supporting their latest album, EC4 (review here), which was released in June as their first offering through Heavy Psych Sounds after three on RidingEasy Records, and their first LP in seven years.

Early 2026 will find them back out, this time headed to Europe for Heavy Psych Sounds Fest in The Netherlands and Belgium, as well as Masters of the Riff in London, which is March 1. There’s an open slot somewhere between Esbjerg, Denmark, and Lübbenau, Germany, so maybe if you’re somewhere in there you can reach out to make a booking, and otherwise, note club dates like Freakout in Bologna, where the run starts, and Neue Zukunft in Berlin, where it ends, as regular stops on the heavy circuit. I don’t know that it’s anywhere the band have never been before, but no doubt the shows will be killer.

From the PR wire:

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Booking to announce ELECTRIC CITIZEN Euro Tour 2026

– The US heavy rockers will tour EU in early 2026 –

We are stoked to announce that our US heavy rockers ELECTRIC CITIZEN will tour Europe in early 2026.

!! DON’T MISS THEM !!

*** ELECTRIC CITIZEN – Europe 2026 ***

22.02 IT Bologna – Freakout
23.02 IT Genova – Trinità Live Club
24.02 FR Chambery – Brin De Zinc
25.02 FR Reims – 1001 Bières
26.02 FR Paris – Le Chinois
27.02 NL Deventer – HPS Fest
28.02 BE Bruxelles – HPS Fest
01.03 UK London – Master Of The Riff Festival
03.03 NL Amsterdam – De Tanker
04.03 DE Oldenburg – MTS
05.03 DK Esbjerg – Kulturscenen
06.03 ***OPEN SLOT***
07.03 DE Lübbenau – Kulturhof
08.03 DE Berlin – Neue Zukunft

ELECTRIC CITIZEN is:
Ross Dolan — Guitar
Laura Dolan — Vocals
Nick Vogelpohl — Bass Guitar
Nate Wagner — Drums
Owen Lee — Keyboard

www.electriccitizenband.com
www.instagram.com/electriccitizenband
www.facebook.com/electriccitizen

www.heavypsychsounds.com
heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/

Electric Citizen, “Static Vision”

Electric Citizen, EC4 (2025)

First, and (probably not) most crucially, kudos to Laura Dolan on being able to ride a horse. Ohio heavy rock and rollers Electric Citizen are between tours supporting their 2025 album, EC4 (review here), and the new video for “Static Vision” comes as they’ve also added three December dates in the Pacific Northwest to the proceedings, including a spot at Rain City Doom Fest in Seattle on Dec. 12. It’s been that kind of year for the Cincinnati five-piece. One thing into the next into the next. Certainly since the album release.

Because I’m a lucky boy, I got to see Electric Citizen in my hometown this summer (review here), and I’ll tell you outright that my gratitude at their having included the likes of Morris Plains, New Jersey, on their routing has not dulled with in the two months since. Probably not a career-highlight for the band, just to be honest, but holy crap, I was happy to see them.

They’ll be in many more-populated burgs come next month. Tour resumes Oct. 10 and runs through Oct. 25, then the three shows in December. The PR wire brought the “Static Vision” clip (I’m not sure what’s going on story-wise, but it suits the atmosphere of the song) and the tour dates. To wit:

70s hard rock specialists ELECTRIC CITIZEN share “Static Vision” video off new album on Heavy Psych Sounds; US fall tour announced!

Ohio-based 70s heavy and psych rock purveyors ELECTRIC CITIZEN have released a new video taken from their fourth studio album “EC4”, released this summer on Heavy Psych Sounds. The band recently announced a full US tour in support of the album, including shows alongside High On Fire, Kadabra and Earth Tongue.

“Static Vision” is a descent into screen-fueled catatonia and bucolic escapism. Director Jane Elizabeth Slater channels the early ’90s with plenty of VHS grit, postmodern decor, and visuals inspired by Neil Krug’s cover art for the band’s newest album. Edited and shot using a mix of vintage camcorder and DSLR by Slater herself, “Static Vision” is a wistful homage to an era before digital dependence.

Electric Citizen US fall shows:
Oct 10: The Ship – Kansas City, MO
Oct 11: HQ – Denver, CO
Oct 12: The DLC – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 13: Shrine Social Club – Boise, ID
Oct 14: Cafe Colonial – Sacramento, CA
Oct 15: The Ritz – San Jose, CA
Oct 16: Kilowatt Bar – San Fran, CA *
Oct 17: Permanent Records Roadhouse – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 18: Jacumba Breakdown, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA + *
Oct 19: Yucca Tap Room – Tempe, AZ
Oct 20: Sister – Albuquerque, NM
Oct 22: Resonant Head – Oklahoma City, OK
Oct 23: Reverb Lounge – Omaha, NE
Oct 24: Reggies – Chicago, IL
Oct 25: The Pyramid Scheme – Grand Rapids, MI
Dec 12: Rain City Doom Fest – Seattle, WA °
Dec 13: Kingsway – Vancouver, BC °
Dec 14: Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR °
+With High on Fire
°With Kadabra
*No Earth Tongue

Seven years after their last release “Helltown”, Electric Citizen returns with their fourth album “EC4” — a powerful statement of renewal and raw energy. Written by Ross Dolan with contributions from the full band, the album was meticulously crafted over several years and recorded with Mike Montgomery and John Hoffman at Candyland Studio in Dayton, KY. It was mixed by Collin Dupuis (Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys) in Detroit and mastered by JJ Golden (Ty Segall, Calexico) at Golden Mastering in California. The album art was created by Neil Krug (Lana Del Rey, Tame Impala, Weyes Blood), who the band worked with for their first album “Sateen”.

ELECTRIC CITIZEN is
Ross Dolan – Guitar
Laura Dolan – Vocals
Nick Vogelpohl – Bass
Nate Wagner – Drums
Owen Lee – Keyboards

www.electriccitizenband.com
www.instagram.com/electriccitizenband
www.facebook.com/electriccitizen

heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
www.heavypsychsounds.com
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/

Electric Citizen, “Static Vision”

Electric Citizen, EC4 (2025)

Even as Ohio’s Electric Citizen set out on their East Coast tour supporting their new album, EC4 (review here), the band have announced the follow-up West Coast jaunt set to take place in October. Note as well that they’ll bring Earth Tongue, who I’m pretty sure moved to Germany from New Zealand, where they got their start, along for the ride, presumably for that extra push of sweetly satanic good-time heavy. It’s Earth Tongue‘s first time in the country. Don’t embarrass yourself by not being there.

In the meantime, I’m stupid stoked to see Electric Citizen this week the way a lot of other people experience shows, i.e. without a two-hour commute. They play Autodidact Brewing on Thursday in my hometown of Morris Plains, New Jersey (actually Parsippany, but we use Morris Plains’ post office), and will have due boogie fortification from the support of Maryland classicists Magick Potion for the evening. Can’t wait.

New dates, and the old ones, I suppose, come from socials:

Tour continues in October with a killer band from New Zealand @earthtongue on @intheredrecords – Their first time in the USA.

Oct 10: The Ship – Kansas City, MO
Oct 11: HQ – Denver, CO
Oct 12: The DLC – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 13: Shrine Social Club – Boise, ID
Oct 14: TBA – Sacramento, CA
Oct 15: The Ritz – San Jose, CA
Oct 16: Kilowatt Bar – San Fran, CA *
Oct 17: Permanent Records Roadhouse – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 18: Jacumba Breakdown – Jacumba Hot Springs, CA + *
Oct 19: Yucca Tap Room – Tempe, AZ
Oct 20: Sister – Albuquerque, NM
Oct 22: Resonant Head – Oklahoma City, OK
Oct 23: Reverb Lounge – Omaha, NE
Oct 24: Reggies – Chicago, IL
Oct 25: The Pyramid Scheme – Grand Rapids, MI
+With High on Fire *No Earth Tongue

ELECTRIC CITIZEN remaining summer dates::
July 15 Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy
July 16 Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
July 17 Morris Plains, NJ @ Autodidact
July 18 Brooklyn, NY @ TV Eye
July 19 Easthampton, MA @ Marigold Theater
July 20 Baltimore, MD @ Metro
July 21 Raleigh, NC @ Pour House
July 22 Charleston, SC @ Lo-Fi Brewing
July 23 Atlanta, GA @ 529
July 24 Knoxville, TN @ Open Chord
July 25 Nashville, TN @ The ’58
July 26 Louisville, KY @ Portal

Seven years after their last release “Helltown”, Electric Citizen returns with their fourth album “EC4” — a powerful statement of renewal and raw energy. Written by Ross Dolan with contributions from the full band, the album was meticulously crafted over several years and recorded with Mike Montgomery and John Hoffman at Candyland Studio in Dayton, KY. It was mixed by Collin Dupuis (Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys) in Detroit and mastered by JJ Golden (Ty Segall, Calexico) at Golden Mastering in California. The album art was created by Neil Krug (Lana Del Rey, Tame Impala, Weyes Blood), who the band worked with for their first album “Sateen”.

ELECTRIC CITIZEN is
Ross Dolan – Guitar
Laura Dolan – Vocals
Nick Vogelpohl – Bass
Nate Wagner – Drums
Owen Lee – Keyboards

www.electriccitizenband.com
www.instagram.com/electriccitizenband
www.facebook.com/electriccitizen

heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
www.heavypsychsounds.com
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/

Electric Citizen, “Static Vision”

Electric Citizen, EC4 (2025)