Artist: Valley Of The Sun
Title: The Chariot
Genre: Stoner Rock
Release Date: 17th June 2022
Label: Fuzzorama Records
Review Flash
Cincinnati Stoner legends VALLEY OF THE SUN are back with a bang! The new record is called ‘The Chariot’ and it rocks your pants off from the get go. The opener ‘Sweet Sands’ is a sweet tune to start this off, the band has improved upon their trademark melodic stoner sound with more powerful vocals and a bit more of a kick to their arrangements. The tracks are a bit faster and more intense from the first impression. The predecessor ‘Old Gods’ was a superb starting point for me to get into them but ‘The Chariot’ feels like it builds upon this strong foundation and just steps up a notch. The second track ‘Images’ just proves my point perfectly, going harder faster and just more powerful. The sound is a bit more aggressive than on the last output but not to an extent that is too much to still recognize the underlying identity of the band. The vocals are handled with more verve and that really sells it for me. Just imagine KYUSS with more fast paced tracks and clean vocals. If this is what the definitive sound of VALLEY OF THE SUN sounds like I just became more of a fan than I already was. Let’s check these dudes out on their European tour later this year.
Conclusion: If this is how the evolution of the good old stoner music sounds like, count me in!
Rating: 9 / 10
