Grave Speaker - Rays Of The Emerald Sun (Album Review)

Release Date: May 16th 2025. Record Label: Electric Valley Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Rays Of The Emerald Sun  - Tracklisting

1.Chosen One

2.End of Time

3.Sword of Life

4.Rays of the Emerald Sun

5.Bones and Steel

6.Tower

Members

John Steele - Everything

Review

Rays Of The Emerald Sun is the second full length album from Doom/Fuzz/Psych/Stoner Metal collective Grave Speaker where the creative mastermind (John Steele) behind the project focuses on a more highly polished style of Psychedelic and Proto-Metal energy that allows the record to have a more uplifting momentum compared to their debut album. There is still a despairing sense of Doom and Gloom inspired by the likes of Electric Wizard, Uncle Acid and Black Sabbath with Grave Speaker persevering with a heavy down-tuned style of AMPLIFIER DISTORTION and wicked sounding FUZZ grooves.

The record has a vintage melodic angle with a violent element of Proto-Doom surroundings allowing the album to weave abstract Psychedelic instrumental passages that harks back to the classic sounds of Uncle Acid matched against on the seedy heaviness of Electric Wizard.

There’s a flamboyant vocal style being sung by John Steele which oozes 1970’s Heavy Metal showmanship. The vocals are sometimes muffled within the overlapping layers of heavy guitar reverb and amplifier feedback but they’re easy to understand that adds to the vintage flow that Grave Speaker ultimately aims high for and truly delivers throughout.

The songs themselves are rooted in 1970’s Doom Rock and Proto-Metal folklore with the sound having a subtle aggressive Stoner Metal attitude that allows a certain Sludge Metal angle to appear on the heaviest and seediest moments of the record especially on tracks such as Chosen One, End Of Time, Rays Of The Emerald Sun and Tower. These are the longest tracks on the album with Grave Speaker having more time to develop his classic Doomedelic sound which has become vital and threatening when that PSYCHEDELIC FUZZ attitude takes centre stage and delivers a dominant sound. The vocals are at their most impressive when John blends a crazed Blues Rock attitude into the mix which is quite subversive at the same time.

Rays Of The Emerald Sun is a mighty sounding and classic throwback to the good old days Of Proto-Metal and Doom Metal that can only be described as essential listening for the hordes of underground masses to fully get behind.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Qabar PR for the promo. 

Rays Of The Emerald Sun is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Electric Valley Records.

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Grave Speaker - Grave Speaker (Album Review)

Release Date: October 13th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Grave Speaker - Tracklisting

1.Blood of Old 05:20

2.Earth and Mud 05:34

3.The Bard's Theme 04:32

4.Grave Speaker 06:42

5.Earthbound 06:06

6.Make Me Crawl 05:20

Members

Pol, Joan and Pekiss

Review

Grave Speaker's self-titled debut release opts for a Black Sabbath style of Doomed Out Stoner Metal with a Garage Rock sound buried within the FUZZY grooves. With a street level feeling within the music, Grave Speaker adds a seedy Psych Rock attitude with elements of Uncle Acid based vintage Doom Rock/Metal. The whole sound and feeling of the album moves from 70’s Proto Metal energy to a more free-flowing Classic Rock attitude which appears within the excellent sounding opening track Blood Of Old. 

Grave Speaker adds a scuzzy Blues Rock atmosphere which gives the album a more LO-FI sound especially on tracks such as Earth And Mud, The Bard’s Theme and Grave Speaker. The mood is quite melodic despite the muzzled vocals being heard within the background. The LOW & SLOW and Amplifier Distortion of the creative journey that Grave Speaker follows has an QOTSA inspired energy to it all with the sludgy bass sounds that appear and Punk Rock spirit that allows the lyrics to have a more potent message behind them.

The record does does see Grave Speaker playing some wicked sounding FREAKOUT PSYCH ROCK moments where the grooves merge into heavier extended jams that show a different side to Grave Speaker mostly on tracks such as Earth And Mud, The Bard’s Theme and the standout final tracks of Earthbound and Make Me Crawl.

Production values aren’t the best sounding that I’ve come across recently. As the album can be too muffled at times drowning out the vocals in places. Though, that could be Grave Speaker’s original intent for the creative vision of the album. However, that’s a minor complaint for an album that provides dynamite entertainment from start to finish and allow Grave Speaker to make a name for themselves within the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene. 

 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram