US Heavy Rock Trio VALLEY OF THE SUN shares new track off "The Blacklight Sessions" album, out October 2nd on Heavy Psych Sounds

Ohio-based heavy rockers VALLEY OF THE SUN present a second track taken from their forthcoming new studio album "The Blacklight Session", to be issued this October 2nd on Heavy Psych Sounds Records.

Stream new single "Low Not Slow" below

Valley of the Sun’s sixth studio album 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. Their previous single The Whiskey Elf encapsulates this perfectly, channeling the spirit of Ten Years After and Grand Funk Railroad while retaining the modern heavy groove that has become the band's signature.

Following the 2024 release of the acclaimed self-released Quintessence, their new album The Blacklight Sessions sees the band consisting of Ryan Ferrier (guitar, vocals), Chris Sweeney (bass) and Johnny Kathman (drums) embarking on a new chapter. This release marks their first for Heavy Psych Sounds and arrives as the band is fully locked into their powerful power-trio format and ready to spread the gospel of their high-octane riff-rock across Europe this fall.

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

VALLEY OF THE SUN "The Blacklight Sessions" - Out October 2nd on Heavy Psych Sounds

TRACKLIST:

1. The Whiskey Elf
2. Low Not Slow
3. The Long Song
4. A Greater Meaning
5. Mountain
6. No Hope

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 unmistakeable sound of the band.

VALLEY OF THE SUN is

Ryan Ferrier - Guitar / Vocals
Chris Sweeney - Bass
Johnny Kathman - Drums

VALLEY OF THE SUN links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Heavy Psych Sounds Links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Doom/Stoner Rockers Fuzz Evil to Support Stoner Rockers Valley of the Sun Through Southwest

Southwest heavy psych rockers Fuzz Evil are hitting the road this fall in support of Valley of the Sun, joining the Ohio-based stoner rock veterans for a short but heavy-hitting run across the American Southwest.

The tour launches in late September, bringing together these two underground acts for a string of dates filled with fuzz-drenched riffs, thunderous grooves, and pure desert energy.

With both bands known for delivering loud, immersive, and riff-forward performances, fans can expect no-frills, full-throttle rock shows in intimate venues throughout the region.

Tour Dates

9.24 - Rockhouse Bar and Grill - El Paso Texas
9.25 - Pc’s Lounge- Sierra Vista, Arizona
9.26 - CV Collective- Coachella California
9.27 - The Dive- Las Vegas, Nevada
9.28 - Permanant Records, Los Angeles California

Read all details here on Fuzz Evil’s website

Valley of the Sun

Inspired by the total solar eclipse which took place on day 1 of recording (April 8, 2024), Quintessence marks a return to the three-piece format for Valley of the Sun. With massive, sub-octave guitars, thundering bass, and a backbone of rock-solid drumming, the album is a bit of a departure from previous efforts, but long-time fans of the band will still find all the riffs, melodies, and soaring vocals that they've come to expect from VOTS over its previous four LP's.

Ryan Ferrier- guitars and vocals
Chris Sweeney- bass, keys, and additional guitars
Johnny Kathman- drums, percussion, vocals and additional guitars

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Fuzz Evil

FUZZ EVIL IS a chug-heavy band that tames the fuzziest guitar and bass tones on the planet and wields them to blast a monolithic speaker-ripping fuzzpocalypse for your ears and soul. The tracks are raw and dirty in ‘The Stooges-like’ fashion with soaring soulful vocals.

Kenneth (Cajun) Adam Drums: Cajun
Preston Jennings Baritone Guitars
Wayne Rudell Guitars/Vocals
Joseph Rudell Bass/BG Vocals

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Desert Bloom PR for the details.

S Patrick Brooks From The Heavy Underground Farm Report Interviews VALLEY OF THE SUN

S Patrick Brooks Interviewing Valley Of The Sun. Photo by Andrea Thomas

It was a hot-as-fuck Friday night in Denver, I don't mean that metaphorically, although I could have, considering the name of the band I was about to see, Valley of the Sun.  It was truly hot, mid 90s all day and the venue, HQ in Denver, was doing what it could to keep it cool, but Valley of the Sun took the stage and turned up the face melting heat. The band ripped out old and new sonic crushers during an energetic 45 minute set.  Despite the heat, brutal travel schedule, and a late start to the show in Denver, Valley of the Sun was gracious enough to take some time to sit down and chat with me, S Patrick Brooks from the Heavy Underground Farm Report, for this exclusive interview.

The HUFR:  You told me earlier, Ryan, that you guys only planned to initially be on half this tour and that you were going to play in Australia.

Ryan:  Yeah. And so that fell through unfortunately.  

The HUFR:  You guys are pretty happy to get on the rest of this tour?

Ryan:  Yeah, I mean I just asked, we share the same agent with Heavy Temple and we had already discussed doing half the tour and then we were gonna go to Australia and then when that felt through I was like, can we do the whole thing?  (Ryan and I had discussed the excellent relationship between VotS and Heavy Temple, they share some equipment on stage and they are friends off stage as well).

The HUFR:  So did you guys record your new album before you embarked on the tour?

Ryan:  Yeah, we did the first half in April? First half was in April of this year. And then the second half we just did a few weeks ago.

The HUFR:  Let's talk about the first half because you told me an interesting story when we spoke earlier about the coincidence of beginning recording on the day that we had a full solar eclipse.

Ryan:  Yeah.  I'm super into astronomy and astrophysics and all that crap. I'm like, really big, big into physics. I've always been into that stuff. (Johnny: I'm into alchemy). But it got a lot deeper during COVID when I just had a lot of time on my hands and I got really hard into particle physics and astrophysics and cosmology and everything. And so things like a Solar Eclipse is what I look forward to, right? 

And we booked the studio time and it slipped my mind that we were booking for, our first day was gonna be the day of the full Solar Eclipse, which was gonna be in totality in Cincinnati...and I went and screwed myself out of seeing that because I had to go to New York to record the record. But when I realized that that was going on, to Chris, I said, hey, here's our theme. Here's our concept for this record. And yeah, so the first day of recording was during the eclipse and we...set up and started recording and then we took a break to go out and watch everything as it went down from New York, so it wasn't total, but it was noticeable.

Photo by Andrea Thomas

The HUFR: The lyrics to the album, they're obviously inspired by your interest in astronomy. I'm assuming that Ryan, you wrote the lyrics.

Ryan: Yeah

The HUFR:  When we were talking about the first song (on Quintessence) earlier and you told me how...why don't you just tell me what that song and those lyrics mean to you?

Ryan:  So that's Terra Luna Sol. It's kind of a combo of like astronomy stuff like, in one way it's talking about the lock between the earth and the moon. But then it's also a love song.

The HUFR:  You talked about that, that it is a love song to your wife.

Ryan:  Yeah. There's just some things about, clear the path, there's a lot of things about being locked together. The chorus, "I think I'm floating away a little more each day". That's in part this thing, you know, the distance that kind of comes to pass between partners over the course of years from the beginning, your honeymoon phase, right? But then there's also the fact that the moon is receding from the earth. Like a few, is it, a few meters a year or whatever? There's all this dual meaning in all of it. 

And then there's the one (lyric), "As the sun slowly fades, keep this bond with me". So, the amount of time that it will take for the moon to leave the Earth's gravitational influence is greater than the amount of time that it will take for the sun to turn into a red giant and probably eat the Earth. Right? They don't know yet whether or not it will, but it's at least going to burn off the atmosphere and the oceans. So as the sun slowly fades, keep this bond with me because it's predicted that the moon couldn't just go flying off until well past the time that the sun goes low.

The HUFR:  So that being together forever, an eternity kind of idea?

Ryan:  Yeah, like, just like, we will endure all of this shit through timelessness. It's a lot of silliness.

Photo by Andrea Thomas

The HUFR:  You guys are on a long tour? Is the time that you spend on tour difficult? Being away from your wife? Being away from other relationships?

Ryan:  I'm used to being away from my wife. She lives in Germany.

Johnny:  These guys don't really have the same thing I do, it's hard to explain what that is, because it's very rocky. I love her very much. And yeah, being away from her, it's hard for me, but it's also very hard for her. She's a (fan) of the band, she has a full -time job, family and kids. It's hard. It causes a lot of issues.

Chris:  I'm happy to be here. (Laughs)

The HUFR (to Chris):  Do you have that kind of situation going on?

Chris:  No, I'm a lone rider. Lone rider, Sean. (laughs)

(The HUFR chuckles): Fair enough.

Johnny: You're not alone, you got us!

The HUFR (to Ryan): So your relationship has obviously driven a lot of your writing on the new album as well as your interest in astrophysics. Do you guys write together as a band? Do you, Ryan, take the forefront of the art or do you guys all contribute to the songs?

Ryan:  I do all the lyrical crap but everything on the new album has been pretty (collaborative).  We did it up pretty well, I think actually Chris has come up with most of the most epic riffs because he's all into the really good like super Sabbathy stuff. He's been throwing all those (riffs) down because we spent the whole year since John joined in September (discussion amongst the band about the actual date Johnny joined the band ensues)  It was like late October, early November. But John also played in a redo of my old band, Blacklight Barbarian, that we were trying to get going again. So we had played with John before. It was during the pandemic. 

We had already jammed before, and we knew what he was capable of, and at that point, was all super psychedelic. And Chris was on guitar and organ. And then our other buddy, Chris Owens, who was the original member for Valley, the original bass player for Valley, and he was the bass player in Blacklight, he was on bass. Yeah, we did that for a minute in my basement. I loved it. It was so good. So good. I wish that it would have developed into something.

Photo by Andrea Thomas

The HUFR:  Who played the fuzzed out guitar solo The Late Heavy Bombardment?

(Johnny and Ryan point to Chris)

Ryan:  It was Chris.  And our producer played guitar on the album too. And our buddy Pete played guitar on the album. And I did a guitar solo on Where's the Squish (The HUFR - reference to Where's This Place, I believe). He played it, yeah. I mean like it was - very Jerry Cantrell.

The HUFR:  John, it's interesting that you mentioned Jerry Cantrell. The last track on the album, when i listened to it I really got some grungy feelings from that, some Alice in Chains and Soundgarden especially in your vocals, you don't sound exactly like those guys but it was the same kind of presentation.  Maybe that's just what I'm hearing.

Ryan:  I'm an old soul you know, Chris is an old soul we're all old.  Several years ago, people would start making these kind of grunge references to us. And I was like, what? But I've grown to accept it because, yeah, the roots of my influences.  Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam.

The HUFR: I can hear it in there.

Ryan:  I mean, dude, I was 16 years old in 1994. I was right there when it went up. And you know what? I always feel like such an old, like a grandpa when I say it, but I really do think that we had this music movement in the mainstream, like this mainstream music thing that hasn't really happened since. You had everything from Sonic Youth to like...you know, Nine-Inch Nails. Everything in between, and it was all in the mainstream. And like, like really, like ever since the late 90s, early 2000s, it kind of got homogenized into this dude bro, new metal shit, and indie rock.

The HUFR: I love this music and that's why I'm here to see bands like your band and there is a constant question I ask myself, "Why isn't this music bigger? Why aren't there a thousand people here tonight to see absolutely amazing bands?"  What are your thoughts on that? Why do you think this music doesn't have a bigger audience?

Chris: I do believe these things are cyclical and we're due. I think we're due! People want to hear other people playing the instrument and they want to see that. We were just talking about that recently about younger kids suddenly, I didn't know about this, getting into 90s music again, 10, 12 years old listening to Nirvana and stuff like that.

Ryan:  It's so weird because also when you look back at the time of it, you know when you actually like section out the timeline, in the 90s when I was high school aged you know I was digging on Zeppelin and Hendrix and all these things and at this point the 90s shit is that level of distance in the past to these kids. Which makes me just feel really old but they're still also digging Zeppelin and Hendrix.

Photo by Andrea Thomas

The HUFR:  I felt some Zeppelin influence on the instrumental Red Shift, the softness of the guitar, but still with that modern fuzziness.

Ryan:  Yeah I don't know. It was just what we had, a couple of ideas, for the second half of the album. Quintessence is seven and a half minutes long and Theia is six and a half minutes. Do you know what Theia is?

The HUFR: I looked it up but it's escaping me right now.

Ryan:  I'm still wrapping my head around that. The definition of... Theia was a Mars sized body that collided with the Earth four billion years ago.  It was like a glancing blow and it like fucked everything. And Theia pretty much destroyed everything but it also combined with Earth. And then there was this... There was this orbit of shit that coalesced into the moon because the moon is part of the earth. So we named the song Theia.

The HUFR: The concepts on your album are deep. The lyrics are smart. It's a real pleasure to listen to your album. It's a pleasure to listen to your music in general guys. I know you guys have stuff to do. I really appreciate you taking the time and talking to me.

The Valley of the Sun:  Absolutely. Thank you very much.

Much like Theia itself, Valley of the Sun is crashing into the scene and destroying any preconceptions of what the Heavy Underground brings to the table.  The debris from the collision of the heavy underground with modern mainstream music is forming a new moon of amazing heavy music, lead by bands such as Valley of the Sun that aren't afraid to push the boundaries of HEAVY ROCK.  

I want to thank Valley of the Sun for taking the time to talk, for letting Andrea Thomas get some great pics and for being good human beings.  The hallmark of the Heavy Underground is access.  Valley of the Sun were great to their fans in Denver, I hope they come back soon!  If you are on their tour route DO NOT MISS VALLEY  OF THE SUN!

Interview by S Patrick Brooks and pictures by Andrea Thomas for Outlaws of the Sun

Quintessence is available to buy digitally now with CD’s being released in September 2024 and Vinyl’s released in October 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Valley Of The Sun - Quintessence (Album Review)

Release Date: August 01st 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Quintessence: Tracklisting

1.Terra Luna Sol 04:25

2.Graviton 06:30

3.Where's This Place? 04:35

4.The Late Heavy Bombardment 04:18

5.Red Shift 01:34

6.Palus Somni 04:58

7.Theia 06:29

8.I'll See Them Burn 02:49

9.Aurora 01:27

10.Quintessence 07:27

Members

Ryan Ferrier- guitars and vocals

Chris Sweeney- bass, keys, and additional guitars

Johnny Kathman- drums, percussion, vocals and additional guitars

Review

Desert Rock/Stoner Rockers Valley Of The Sun release their fifth full length album Quintessence with the band returning to the classic “Power Trio” formation with some of the best grooves being played throughout the whole album. Opting for a Fuzzed Up and Psychedelic style of music they first made their names with. The album does have a clearer and classic sound compared to their previous albums with a determined focus that sees Valley Of The Sun become quite Doom Rock oriented with Spaced Out flourishes. 

With a powerful grunge atmosphere which can be heard on the excellent batch of opening tracks Terra Luna Sol, Graviton and Where’s This Place? all setting the scene for sludgy grooves, soaring Hard Rock vocals and that muscular Stoner Rock/Metal drive which has made Valley Of The Sun a true creative force to be reckoned with over the last decade or so. The vocals have a certain Chris Cornell vibe to them especially within the stunning second track Graviton which is helped by intense and distorted instrumental sounds that weaves Psychedelic imagery into the mix. 

Third track Where’s The Place has a slight “AMERICANA” edge at the start before Valley Of The Sun let RIP with a barrage of Doomed Out Desert Rock passages with sludgy sounds that captures the more aggressive and adventurous side of Stoner Metal. The band add a soulful Psychedelic element to the track which arrives after Valley Of The Sun play some of the heaviest parts of the album.

Fourth track The Late Heavy Bombardment will perhaps be considered one of the standout tracks of the album with Valley Of The Sun taking cues from legendary rockers The Doors before adding a Soundgarden dirge ridden sound before adding their own immaculate style of Desert/Stoner Rock. If you ever wondered what Jim Morrison would sound like on a Stoner Rock record then this is the closest you’re ever going to get and I mean that as a compliment. One of the best vocal performances is held right here on this track alone.

Fifth track Red Shirt is a superbly played Instrumental track with small waves of Space Rock textures and a lovely Blues Rock touch. A nice change of pace before Valley Of The Sun venture back out into the Stoner Rock/Metal arena for heavier musical adventures.

The record can be quite nostalgic with the inspired use of 90’s Alt Rock and Grunge themes yet again within the next two tracks of Palus Somni and Theia. The constant switch between classic Desert Rock melodies and a modern Stoner Rock/Metal attitude results in some kick-ass guitar solos and the intense rhythm section allowing Valley Of The Sun to transform into a Post-Stoner outfit which is quite soothing to hear. 

Theia can be quite Progressive with the music taking time to settle into a Hard Rock foundation and then the vocals go into overdrive with the music being quite laid-back that was quite interesting to hear. Another one of the standout tracks thanks to the highly energetic mood of the whole track especially with the Desert Rock movements allowing the other areas of music to appear exactly where they’re needed to be.

The final three tracks of I’ll See Them Burn, Aurora and Quintessence allows Valley Of The Sun play multiple different styles of music yet again which remains highly original with an aggressive slant appearing on I’ll See Them Burn and the brilliant title track.

Quintessence is a major return to form for Valley Of The Sun and sees them deliver their most daring and heaviest record to date. With excellent production and recording duties handled by John Naclerio at Nada Recording Studio in Montgomery, New York, the record sounds incredible from start to finish and will no doubt go down a storm with Valley Of The Sun’s established fan-base.

This is another Album Of The Year Contender and is simply unmissable. 

You know what to do….

Words by Steve Howe

Quintessence is available to buy digitally now with CD’s being released in September 2024 and Vinyl’s released in October 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Valley Of The Sun - Old Gods (Album Review)

Release date: May 24^th 2019. Label: Fuzzorama Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Old Gods – Tracklisting

1.Old Gods

2.All We are

3.Gaia Creates

4.Dim Vision

5.Shiva Destroys

6.Firewalker

7.Into the Abyss

8.Faith is for Suckers

9.Buddha Transcends

10.Means the Same

11.Dreams of Sands

Members

Ryan Ferrier-Guitar/Vocals

Aaron Boyer-Drums

Chris Sweeney-Bass and Keys

Josh Pilot-Guitar

Review

Valley Of The Sun – make a welcome return with Old Gods. A fuzzed up and progressive journey of Psychedelic Desert/Stoner Rock sounds that easily ranks as their best album to date. Taking influence from bands such as Truckfighters, Soundgarden, Kyuss, Monster Magnet and Fu Manchu but still creating their own powerful sound. Old Gods is perhaps a darker and more daring style music that we’ve heard from Valley Of The Sun.

Opening song – Old Gods – is an epic sounding mix of Desert Rock, Grunge, Fuzz Rock, Psych and Stoner Metal with a seedy outlook on things. The vocals from Ryan are HUGE and he adds a lot of weight to Valley Of The Sun’s overall sound. The music is quite progressive in places and the ambient based sounds give this album a more spaced out feel.

Second song – All We Are – is classic sounding Valley Of The Sun through and through. With the band playing their trademark fast-paced Desert/Fuzz/Stoner Rock riffs with absolute confidence. The hazy Fuzz Rock vibes is what makes this song work so well. The vocals from Ryan are more laid back and it’s good the hear a different style of vocals from him on this song. Valley Of The Sun have devilish fun playing different styles of Fuzz/Desert Rock near the end of the song.

Third song – Gaia Creates – is a more laidback offering with an acoustic guitar being the main focus before a cool sounding psychedelic riff appears and creates a “dream-like” post-rock atmosphere.

Fourth song – Dim Vision – sees the band return to a heavier, angrier and fast-paced style of Stoner Rock/Metal with a Punk Rock vibe being added for great effect. This is one of the angriest songs on the album and it’s good to see Valley Of The Sun add a more ruthless and aggressive streak to their music.

Fifth - Shiva Destroys – is an eighty second blast of fantastic drumming and other weird sounds. I can see why the band put this song on the album and it’s a very cool to song to admire and that’s mainly for the excellent drumming.

Sixth song – Firewalker – carries on with the aggressive Punk Rock sound heard on Dim Vision but with a heavier and direct Fuzz Rock approach. The song may only last ninety seconds or so but if feels longer and I wanted to hear more of this song. I was disappointed that the song suddenly ends.

Though the show must go on and Valley Of The Sun have five more songs to impressive you with and that they do with the band building upon their Desert/Stoner/Fuzz Rock sound. The second half of the album is perhaps way more psychedelic than the first half and that’s a good thing. As the listener will be fully immersed with the rich and progressive sounds that Valley Of The Sun create here.

Standout songs on the second half of the album include - Into The Abyss, Faith Is For Suckers and Dreams of Sands. As these songs see Valley Of The Sun play the most exciting moments on the album with the Fuzz/Desert/Stoner Rock riffs leave you wanting more.

The production is excellent and is perhaps the best sounding album that Valley Of The Sun have released to date. Valley Of The Sun deserve credit for releasing something different with Old Gods compared to their previous albums.

Old Gods is an outstanding album and ranks as Valley Of The Sun’s best album to date.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Old Gods will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Fuzzorama Records from May 24^th 2019.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

VALLEY OF THE SUN Announce New Album - OLD GODS - Exclusive Premiere Of New Song - OLD GODS

Fuzzorama Records – home to world beating rock of Truckfighters, Deville and Skraeckoedlan – is thrilled to announce the release of Old Gods; the brand-new studio album US trio, Valley of the Sun.

Formed in Cincinnati, OH in 2010, the band instantly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, thanks to an impressive succession of self-released EPs; the kind that never seem to go unnoticed/unheard for long. Often compared to the likes of Corrosion of Conformity, Alice in Chains and Badmotorfinger-era Soundgarden – the latter due in no small part to singer Ryan Ferrier’s exemplary vocal range – listeners are treated to a sound that runs the gamut of blues, hard rock, grunge and heavy metal; with big riffs, fuzzed out hooks and deep bass grooves.

For the band, whose last release came in 2016 with the impressive Volume Rock, new album Old Gods– their third album on Fuzzorama Records – is a new and exciting concoction expertly packaged and delivered with a raw and unbridled power whether listened to via stage or speaker. In this incarnation, incorporating heady moments of psychedelia and assuming a form unlike anything the band has ever attempted before.

“To me, Old Godsis a meditation on who I once was, who I am now, and who I’d like to become,” explains guitarist/vocalist Ryan Ferrier.

"We try to evolve with each album,” adds drummer Aaron Boyer. “On Old Godswe added some heavier elements, darker tones, and a touch of psychedelia. We tried some things on this record that we've never done before and that made it a lot of fun to make.”

Old Gods by Valley of the Sun is released on 24th May 2019 and can be pre-ordered via Fuzzorama Records HERE. Editions of Old Godswill include gatefold splatter (only sold at live shows and through www.fuzzoramastore.com), gatefold transparent green, gatefold black and CD digipack.

You can check an exclusive premiere of their superb new song OLD GODS from the album of the same name below:

The band have said this about new the new song and video:

Old Gods made sense to use for the first video from the album as it's the title track. We also have an old church in our hometown that has been converted to a music venue, which is one of our favorite places to play, so it followed that it would be a perfect place given the tone and visuals we wanted to convey with the video. We hope you all enjoy!

VALLEY OF THE SUN – TOUR DATES:

US/Canada with BELLRINGER (feat. Mark Deutrom of Melvins)

04/13/2019 – Milwaukee WI Cactus Club
04/14/2019 – Iowa City IA Wildwood
04/15/2019 – Sioux Falls SD Bigs
04/16/2019 – Fargo ND Aquarium
04/17/2019 – Winnipeg MB Windsor Hotel
04/18/2019 – Saskatoon SK Amigos
04/19/2019 – Edmonton AB Starlite
04/20/2019 – Calgary AB 420 Fest
04/23/2019 – Vancouver BC Astoria
04/24/2019 – Portland OR High Water Mark
04/25/2019 – Seattle WA El Corazon
04/27/2019 – Sacramento CA Cafe Colonial
04/29/2019 – Los Angeles CA Resident
04/30/2019 – Phoenix AZ Club Red
05/02/2019 – Austin TX Come And Take It Live
05/03/2019 – Ft Worth TX Lolas
05/04/2019 – Oklahoma City OK 89th Street
05/05/2019 – St Louis MO Fubar
05/06/2019 – Kansas City MO Riot Room
05/07/2019 – Chicago IL Reggies

VALLEY OF THE SUN:

Ryan Ferrier – Guitar/Vocals
Aaron Boyer – Drums
Chris Sweeney – Bass, Keys

Josh Pilot – Guitar

TRACK LISTING:

1. Old Gods

2. All We Are

3. Gaia Creates

4. Dim Vision

5. Shiva Destroys

6. Firewalker

7. Into the Abyss

8. Faith is for Suckers

9. Buddha Transcends

10. Means the Same

11. Dreams of Sands

Artist: Valley of the Sun

Album: Old Gods

Label: Fuzzorama Records

Release Date: 24/05/2019

Format: CD/LP/Digital

SOCIALS:

Bandcamp – https://valleyofthesun.bandcamp.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/valleyofthesun

Twitter – https://twitter.com/centaur_rodeo

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR an Fuzzorama Records for all of the info.

Interview with AARON BOYER from VALLEY OF THE SUN

 

Today's guest is Aaron Boyer. Drummer from the awesome Fuzz/Stoner Rock crew – Valley Of The Sun, who released a superb new album called Volume Rock earlier this year.

Signed to Fuzzorama Records (Truckfighters Record Label). Valley Of The Sun profile has steadily been rising over the last couple of years thanks to great albums such as Volume Rock and their acclaimed live performances.

The band are about to head out on an European Tour with DOT LEGACY. I was given the chance to catch up with Aaron before he travels to Europe with the band. This is what went down....

Hi guys. Thanks for doing this interview. Hope things are well with you today. How is the mood in the Valley Of The Sun camp. Excited for your forthcoming European Tour.

Aaron: No problem, always glad to do an interview! We're excited for the tour as well, counting down the days until we leave.

You have a tour with Dot Legacy happening soon. What can people expect from the tour.

Aaron: Our last tour was all in Germany and Switzerland. So people at those concerts were able to see the band as a 4 piece, we've recently added a second guitar player. This tour is focused on territories outside of GSA, so it will be the first time for these fans to see the band as a 4 piece. As far as Dot Legacy, they're 4 French guys who jump around like crazy on stage. I think all those who come out will have a great night of rock and roll.

How did the tour with Dot Legacy came about. Were you fans of their music before arranging this tour.

Aaron: One of the guitar players for Dot Legacy is named Arnaud. He's been on every VotS tour, doing jobs from sound-guy, driver, and even playing bass on one tour. I also co-own a booking agency and backline company with him called Total Volume. We've been friends for years but our bands have never shared the same stage, so we wanted to rectify that situation and put a tour together with both of our bands.

You toured Europe already earlier this year. How was that reception to that European Tour.

Aaron: That tour was only in Germany and Switzerland. The reaction was great. We've spent the most time in Germany over the years so we've built a really solid fan-base there. It was a lot of fun, but I'm really looking forward to hitting many more countries and cities on this tour.

What were your favourite moments from that European tour.

Aaron: Towards the end of the tour we played in Frankfurt. It was a normal show, but that night I woke myself up with a massive fart. We all had a good laugh for about 10 minutes. It was hilarious. And that same night, Adam our guitar player, decided it would be funny to cover a passed out Ryan with these caramel corn puff snacks. When he woke up he had no idea how or why he was covered with these things. That was probably my favorite night, we were exhausted from being on the road for 3 weeks and all a bit slap happy.

Will you be performing dates in the USA after you return from Europe.

Aaron: We have one concert in the USA after we get back, but that's it. The US market is far different than the Euro market. Bands that can sell out 500 person rooms there play to 100 people a night if they're lucky here. It's crazy; you'll see a band travelling in a nightliner there, but when they're in the USA they're in a shitty 20 year old van that breaks down. If you don't have a major label behind you in the States you are struggling.

You released your superb new album – Volume Rock earlier this year. Congrats on another great album. Have you been pleased with the responses so far.

Aaron: It's my favorite album we've put out. It's the record I've always wanted to make with this band, I guess the third time is the charm. It received a lot of good reviews, but we haven't played live enough over there to really gauge the fan response. Honestly, at this point I feel like we're constantly trying to beat our first EP, "The Sayings of the Seers". People really loved that EP and it's a battle to try to one up it.

Was it an easy or harder process recording Volume Rock compared to your previous album.

Aaron: It was a really enjoyable experience. Our previous bass player who was with us for years had to leave, he was offered a career promotion that was too good to pass up. So Ryan and I decided to write and record this album with just the two of us. We don't have the same taste in music, but we were able to perfectly blend our tastes and styles and make an album we both really love. Many people don't know this, but "Sayings" was also recorded by just Ryan and I.

Did you do anything different when recording Volume Rock.

Aaron: We really didn't do anything differently. We worked at the same studio with the same producer as our previous albums, so everybody already had relationships with each other and knew everyone's work styles. It was an enjoyable experience. The only different approach was that the aim was to make a straight forward rock album in Valley of the Sun style. Our last full length we tried to push some boundaries a bit and the songs weren't as easy to catch on to, we wanted to make this one as easy to digest as possible.

You've hooked up with Fuzzorama Records (Truckfighters Record Label) once again to release your new album. Why did you choose Fuzzorama Records.

Aaron: We've been friends with the Truckfighters guys for years now. And we have a contract with them for multiple albums ;)

Did you have offers from other record labels.

Aaron: We had some licensing offers, but nothing that we felt happy with. The music industry is a tough place, and realistically no deal is that great anymore. I've got friends who have been on major labels, going on massive tours and walked away penniless. When we signed the deal with Fuzzorama we were happy with the terms. This is by no means a job for us, it's a very expensive hobby that let's us travel a bit and meet some awesome people.

You've played Truckfighters a number of times over the last few years. I saw you guys in London back in 2014 and you kicked ass. Made me a fan of your band that very night. Was that intimidating supporting a band such as Truckfighters who have a brilliant and well deserved live reputation. Or did you just focus on your own thing.

Aaron: We've known them since 2011 when we did a USA support tour for them that I booked. It was their first time in the States. Our music is different as is our live show. Dango jumps higher than anyone in VotS, but they've never had a drummer who performs as crazy as I do, so it's cool ha-ha

You can't let other bands intimidate you, you just have to go on stage and own it. If anything, knowing you're playing with great live bands drives you to up your performance.

Did the guys provide any helpful advice during your time supporting them and working with them over the last few years. Not a bad choice of guys to have fighting in your corner.

Aaron: They've been great to work with and have provided us a lot of help. I'm happy that we've been able to have the relationship with them that we've had.

Well Adam thanks for doing this interview. All the best for the European Tour. Hope you have a blast. Before you go do you have anything to say to your fans.

Aaron: Thanks for doing the interview! I'd like to encourage all of our fans to come see the band this tour. We'll be taking a break after this run and won't be back with the regularity that we have been for the last couple of years.

Words by Steve Howe and Aaron Boyer

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for arranging this interview. Thanks to Aaron for taking the time out to talking to me. You can buy Volume Rock here.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

-----------2016 European Tour-----------

UK dates presented by Snuff Lane

22/9 Manchester, UK Rebellion Manchester
23/9 Bristol, UK The Mothers' Ruin
24/9 London, UK The Unicorn Camden Live

27/9 Malle, Belgium Jeugdhuis Babylon
28/9 Ghent, Belgium Muziekcentrum Kinky Star
29/9 Caen, FR La Demeurée
30/9 Nantes, FR La Scène Michelet
1/10 Paris, FR Espace B Paris
3/10 Poitiers, FR @le cluricaume cafe
4/10 Olten, CHF Le Coq d’Or
5/10 Munich, DE @ 8 Below
6/10 Berlin, DE Urban Spree
7/10 Halle, DE Rockpool eV
8/10 Chemnitz, DE @Zukunft
11/10 Cluj-Napoca, ROM @The Shelter
12/10 Bucharest, ROM Fabrika
13/10 Sofia, Bulgaria Mixtape
14/10 Larissa, GR @stage club
15/10 Athens, GR Death Disco