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

So, as per the advice from Aqualamb below, I attempted to “give myself” to the new Rebreather single, and at first I couldn’t find it. It wasn’t on the band’s or the label’s Bandcamp pages as of a day after this post went up on socials, and I was about to give up when I decided to check Spotify. It’s there. I’m not embedding it here because (1:) fuck Spotify and (2:) fuck them twice. The Ed Sheeran of streaming services. But I wanted to get the album announce up because the long-running Youngstown, Ohio, trio will be at Ripplefest Texas this weekend along with all the other cool kids, and they’ll make a return to the, well, returning Emissions From the Monolith at Westside Bowl in their hometown on Oct. 10. Plus their last record, 2021’s The Line, Its Width, and The War Drone (review here) was so goddamned enjoyable.

I’m sure the song/album will be posted somewhere other than that particular genocide-supporting/non-artist-paying streaming outlet soon, and I’ll keep an eye because this is one to look forward to. From socials:

Give yourself to the Rebreather new track I LOVE YOU WITH SOME OF MY HEART from their forthcoming record Chaos Patterns, out OCT 30th on Aqualamb Records .

This is one of those genre-defining moments when a group forged outside the center suddenly creates something so powerful that its sheer gravity pulls the center toward them. Not because the music becomes safer, but because we are finally ready.

Mixed By Andrew Schneider Andrew Schneider
Recorded By Josh Roman Josh Roman
Mastered by Carl D Saff
Artwork Mike Egan Mike Egan |Contemporary Artist

Rebreather will start its juggernaut rise on tour.
-Sep 18 Ripple Fest @ Far Out Lounge in Austin, TX
-Sep 21 Metal Mondays @ Mag Bar in Louisville, K
-Oct 10 Emissions from the Monolith in Youngstown, OH
-Nov 21 Westside Bowl Youngstown Skatepark benefit
-Nov 27 @ Brillo Box in Pittsburgh, PA

https://www.rebreatherband.com/
https://linktr.ee/rebreather
https://www.subvert.fm/rebreather/
https://rebreather-ohio.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/rebreather_band/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035989725980

http://www.aqualamb.org
https://linktr.ee/aqualamb
http://www.aqualamb.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/aqualambrecords/
http://www.facebook.com/aqualambrecords

Rebreather, The Line, Its Width, and The War Drone (2021)

This was announced on socials last week or the week before, I’m pretty sure, but I wanted to document it here as well, because it’s cool and not something you see every day as Patrick Brink of Volume brings in Ohio’s Black Moon Cult essentially as his backing band for a touring lineup. Alain Johannes has done this a couple times, or you might recall when Chris Goss hit Europe with Josh and Nick from Queens of the Stone Age. It’s not unheard of, but again, it doesn’t happen all the time. Black Moon Cult are still an upstart act, especially having recently shifted their lineup with a new bassist, so this will be valuable experience for them, and having now seen them live, I’ve no doubt they’ll bring a vitality of their own to Volume‘s classic material.

The tour starts Sept. 18, so one imagines guitarist Kaleb Riser (also vocals in BMC), bassist Bronson Gamble and drummer Jeff Vandebussche are neck deep in the process of learning Volume‘s set, and it’s killer to think of how doing this might inform their own work as they head inexorably toward their second full-length.

Oh, and they’ll be playing Ripplefest Texas and out with Kal-El and Goya, and that’s pretty rad. From the PR wire:

Black Moon Cult Members Join VOLUME (ft. Patrick Brink) for an Upcoming U.S. Tour with Kal-El & Goya

Toledo, Ohio heavy psych trio Black Moon Cult is stepping into a new role this Fall, as all three members—Kaleb Riser (guitar), Jeff Vandebussche (drums), and Bronson Gamble (bass)—will serve as the live lineup for VOLUME on its upcoming U.S. tour alongside Kal-El and Goya.

The collaboration brings together musicians who share a deep appreciation for crushing riffs, expansive psychedelia, and powerful high energy live performances. With Black Moon Cult handling the instrumental backbone, fans can expect VOLUME’s material to be delivered with the intensity and chemistry of a road-tested touring band while Patrick Brink fronts the group throughout the run.

While joining VOLUME for this tour, Black Moon Cult continues building momentum following a string of successful performances and growing recognition within the Heavy Psych underground. The experience marks another milestone for the trio as they expand their reach and further establish themselves as one of the Midwest’s rising heavy rock acts.

Fans can catch VOLUME—featuring Patrick Brink, Kaleb Riser, Jeff Vandebussche, and Bronson Gamble of Black Moon Cult—on tour with Kal-El and Goya at select dates across the United States & Canada. Stay tuned to the bands’ official social media channels for tour dates, ticket information, and additional announcements.

VOLUME tour:
9/18 Haltom City, TX – Haltom Theatre
9/19 Austin, TX – Ripple Fest (Far Out Lounge)
9/20 San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
9/22 Santa Fe, NM – Desert Dogs
9/23 Phoenix, AZ – Last Exit Live
9/24 Las Vegas, NV – Dive Bar
9/25 Landers, CA – The Annex
9/26 Palmdale, CA – Transplants Brewing
9/27 Los Angeles, CA – Redwood Bar & Grill
9/29 San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge
9/30 Sacramento, CA – Café Colonial
10/1 Eugene, OR – John Henry’s
10/2 Portland, OR – High Water Mark
10/3 Seattle, WA – The Funhouse
10/4 Vancouver, BC – Astoria
10/5 Victoria, BC – Pheonix Bar & Grill
10/7 Boise, ID – The Olympic
10/8 Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High
10/9 Denver, CO – Black Sky Brewing
10/10 Colorado Springs, CO – What’s Left Records

VOLUME:
Patrick Brink – Vocals/ Guitar
Kaleb Riser- Lead Guitar
Bronson Gamble- Bass
Jeff Vandebussche- Drums

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

https://psychedelicblackmooncult.com/
https://blackmooncult3.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/blackmooncult
https://www.facebook.com/PsychedelicBlackMoonCult/

Volume, “Joy of Navigation”

Black Moon Cult, Ophidian Future (The Children of Yig) (2025)

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 heavy psych rock upstarts Black Moon Cult have a handful of dates coming up later this month supporting Hashtronaut. I got to see them last month in NYC at Cosmic Sonic Rendezvous (review here), which it turns out will have been one of if not the last time they played as the trio of guitarist/vocalist Kaleb Riser, drummer Jeff Vandebussche and bassist Kevin Lewis, as the latter split from the band a couple weeks ago and has been replaced on the quick with Bronson Mikal Gamble.

After the shows this month, the band plans to hold off further live activity and begin ot write their second full-length in earnest. Any change in lineup brings a corresponding shift in dynamic, but honestly, I was looking forward to Black Moon Cult‘s next offering, which should tell a good bit about who they are and are going to be as a band, and I still am. These things invariably need sorting sometimes after a band hits the road for real. I hope the writing is productive with Gamble in the band, and that the shows are killer as well. That’s exactly as complex as my feelings are here. To quote my brain, “Duh, well okay.”

From social media:

We are stoked to introduce Bronson Mikal Gamble as the new permanent Bassist of Black Moon Cult! Ohio locals may be familiar with Bronson through his work with Hospital Brute/ Brute Fest of Marion. Bronson came in last week to audition, and his chemistry within our music/ enthusiam/ technical proficiency made him the obvious choice. Beyond excited for the refreshing energy he’ll bring to the mix as we dive into the writing process of our 2nd full length album! He will be joining immediately for all live dates/tours, including our run with Hashtronaut in just a couple weeks! Come out and say “Hi” to the new guy!

Black Moon Cult w/ Hashtronaut:
June 23 — Cleveland, OH — Beachland Tavern
June 24 — Detroit, MI — Sanctuary
June 25 — Columbus, OH — Rumba Cafe
June 26 — Chicago, IL — Liars Club

Black Moon Cult is:
Kaleb Riser – Vocals, Guitar, Synth, Theremin
Bronson Mikal Gamble – Bass
Jeff Vandebussche – Drums, Vocals

https://psychedelicblackmooncult.com/
https://blackmooncult3.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/blackmooncult
https://www.facebook.com/PsychedelicBlackMoonCult/

https://www.blackdoomba.com/
https://linktr.ee/BlackDoomba
https://blackdoombarecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/blackdoombarecords/

Black Moon Cult, Ophidian Future (The Children of Yig) (2025)

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)