Release
date: May
17th
2019. Label: Heavy
Psych Sounds.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Valley
Of Shadows – Tracklisting
1.
Black magic summer
2.
Red moon forming
3.
Drifting alone
4.
Strike and Disappear
5.
Broken Mirror
6.
Tyrant on the throne
7.
I feel no pain
8.
The bleeding heart
Members
Tom
Frank - guitar, vocals
Shaun
Avants - bass, vocals
Justin
Collins - drums
Jeff
Henson - guitar
Review
Greetings
all,
Sometimes
you come across a truly amazing, inspired record that just sort of
creeps up on you. I had heard of the Texas psychedelic occult rock
band Duel, but wasn’t familiar with their output. I will be forever
grateful that their third record, Valley of Shadows, landed in my
lap. The band has an intense hard driving, 70’s classic rock sound
with a real heavy dose of stoner vibe and grunge fuelled muscle.
Valley of Shadows is a powerful blast of eight epic slabs of rock n
roll. The band is tight, the production is top notch and the songs
are solid through and through. The band uses the basic two guitar,
bass, and drums sound with a vocal style that reminded me at times of
Orange Goblin and Mos Generator.
Black
Magic Summer
opens
the record with a massive riff and larger than life chorus. One of my
favorite tracks on the album follows, Red
Moon Forming,
rocks ferociously with the band channelling their inner Thin Lizzy.
The band keeps it coming with the psych heavy leanings of Drifting
Alone.
Their
guitars and drums ooze a dark psychedelic feel that blends perfectly
with the dark lyrics throughout.
Strike
& Disappear
slows
things down a bit, but only for the first part. The jangly off kilter
rhythm and ominous warning to “Take back your heavy trip and be
gone” then morphs wildly into a high octane/thrash influenced
close. The next track, Broken
Mirror,
opens with a massive metal inspired riff that brings in a later era
Sabbath vibe to this killer track.
Tyrant
on the Throne
brings
the heavy with big riffs and a killer classic rock feel. The ultra
catchy I
Feel No Pain follows
with some killer lyrical storytelling and crunch, grunge inspired
feel. The band brings the full on, ZZ Top on steroids/Texas boogie
with The
Bleeding Heart.
The album closer is an absolute monster guitar heavy beast that
closes the record on the highest of high notes.
Duel
has given unto us an amazing album. Plain and simple, Valley of
Shadows delivers the goods. This album will definitely stay in
constant rotation, while I go back and dive head-first into the bands
back catalogue. Go grab a copy of this album. It will floor you!
Words by Todd Stealey
Thanks
to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Valley
Of Shadows will be
available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from May 17th
2019.
Links:
