Release Date: December 05th 2025. Record Label: Electric Witch Mountain Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Rays Of The Gold And Grays - Tracklisting
In The Breeze
Black Hurricane
Blue Of The Sky
Lightriders
At The Edge Of Time
Rays Of The Gold And Grays
Son Of A Wind And Dust
My Eyes
Lineup
Piotr Łacny – Guitars Wojciech Gałuszka – Vocals Jan Rutka – Bass Kamil Ziółkowski – Drums Wojciech Kuczwalski – Guitar
Review
Psych/Desert/Stoner Rockers Palm Desert return with their first album since 2014 with the original line-up that features two members from the mighty SPACESLUG in their ranks. Rays Of The Gold And Grays navigates itself through waves of classic Stoner Rock/Metal and intense melodic passages of Psych Rock and Desert Rock landscapes. With creative cues from the likes of KYUSS, FU MANCHU, Brant Bjork Truckfighters and Yawning Man appearing in certain aspects of the record, Palm Desert stand on their own merits with a gritty sound developing from the very start with a gloomy Grunge vibe appearing.
Palm Desert conjure up areas of Space Rock and areas of Sludge Rock movements which is built fully around lead vocalist Wojciech Galuszka’s sublime vocals which taps right into the most perfect parts of the iconic Californian Desert/Stoner Rock scene with that the melodic gritty attitude of the Polish underground scene. This record is about as perfect as you can possibly get from Palm Desert as they expertly deliver all the things you expect from a classic COMEBACK record such as this.
They always allow themselves the perfect opportunity to try new things like SONIC MANIPULATION into the world of Cosmic surroundings that the likes of LOWRIDER and DOMKRAFT have used quite extensively within their music. The lyrics offer a DOOMED OUT aspect which is another hidden surprise as Palm Desert have written lyrics that have a more deceptive energy behind them. The music becomes quite trippy and grunge centric within the early sections of the album with opening tracks In The Breeze, Black Hurricane and Blue Of The Sky capturing a heavier and slightly distorted FUZZ atmosphere that allows the music to be played at a deliriously fast pace.
Wojciech Gałuszka’s vocals fuse classic Grunge moments that have a slight Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell vibe behind them and it’s the most perfect style when matched against the blazing grooves that Palm Desert have laid down throughout the album. There are some progressive and post-whatever moments appearing within the fourth track Lightriders which is perhaps my favourite track on the album.
As it’s beautifully understated with an aggressive and distorted melody holding everything together. The whole song becomes more emotional when the heavier Sludgy dynamics appear to lead the song into a heavier and unexpected direction. This is perhaps Palm Desert at their most emotionally engaging, laying everything on the line with music that does have some small resemblance to the mighty SPACESLUG.
Palm Desert continues with that style of music for the remainder of the album which offers a dynamic presence on other tracks such as At The Edge Of Time, Rays Of Gold And Gray and In My Eyes with the band exploring new creative and sonic grounds to impress and inspire listeners with. The record offers a high amount of first rate soundscapes that’s always beautifully delivered with Palm Desert fully explaining their true importance to the Polish Desert/Stoner Rock underground scene.
It may have taken them over a decade to release a new album but what a fucking huge sounding album to come back with. My final thought is that Palm Desert has released a truly wonderful and masterful record with Rays Of The Gold And Grays that maybe their most defining record to date.
Words by Steve Howe
Rays Of The Gold And Grays will be available to buy digitally and physically via Electric Witch Mountain Recordings from Friday 05th December 2025.
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