There are bands that spend their entire careers overthinking every single transition, chasing whatever production trend is sweeping the internet this week. And then there are bands like Ohio’s Valley Of The Sun.
Ever since 2019’s Old Gods hooked listeners with its sun-baked stoner riffs and 2022’s The Chariot raised the bar for midwestern heavy rock, frontman and guitarist Ryan Ferrier has known exactly what makes this power trio tick.
Now landing on the ever-reliable Heavy Psych Sounds roster, their sixth studio album, The Blacklight Sessions, takes things right back to their foundational roots: warm fuzz, blues-soaked jamming, psychedelic head-trips, and massive, infectious desert-rock grooves. It is a lean, confident six-track record that does away with pretence, pure, unadulterated "all killer, no filler" heavy rock.
What works so well from the off is their decision to let the instrumentation establish the terrain before a single vocal is uttered. Opener The Whiskey Elf is a full-throttle instrumental statement of intent.
What works so well from the off is their decision to let the instrumentation establish the terrain before a single vocal is uttered. Opener The Whiskey Elf is a full-throttle instrumental statement of intent.
The guitars ring out with that distinctive, tube-warmed grit, locking into a muscular rhythm with bassist Chris Sweeney and drummer Johnny Kathman. It grabs your attention immediately, proving that Valley Of The Sun don't need to lean on lyrical hooks to pull you in; their physical power and swagger do all the heavy lifting.
From there, the throttle stays pinned to the floor on Low Not Slow. Ferrier steps up to the mic, and his unmistakable, soulful roar cuts right through the fuzz with stadium-sized authority.
From there, the throttle stays pinned to the floor on Low Not Slow. Ferrier steps up to the mic, and his unmistakable, soulful roar cuts right through the fuzz with stadium-sized authority.
Anchored by a stomping, addictive riff and even throwing in some well-placed cowbell to keep the groove swinging, it’s the kind of high-octane rocker that begs to be blasted through a car stereo with the windows wide open. It captures that effortless, head-nodding bounce that made cuts like Old Gods instant staples of their live sets.
The centrepiece of the record arrives with The Long Song, and as the blunt title suggests, it stretches out past the ten-minute mark. Rather than turning into an aimless noodling session, it’s a masterclass in dynamic patience. It begins in a moody, somewhat melancholic lull before detonating around the quarter mark into a colossal, chugging groove.
The centrepiece of the record arrives with The Long Song, and as the blunt title suggests, it stretches out past the ten-minute mark. Rather than turning into an aimless noodling session, it’s a masterclass in dynamic patience. It begins in a moody, somewhat melancholic lull before detonating around the quarter mark into a colossal, chugging groove.
The layered guitars swirl and erupt across the middle section, creating an intoxicating wall of noise that feels completely organic. The ten minutes breeze past, showing how comfortably this lineup can explore longer, progressive structures without ever losing their rhythmic anchor.
They follow that mammoth journey with A Greater Meaning, which pivots into shorter, feistier, and more experimental territory. Ferrier adopts a deeper, softer vocal tone in the verses, exploring subtle melodic shades that challenge traditional stoner rock boundaries before the tempo shifts gear and drives home.
Down the home stretch, Mountain brings back that brooding, bass-heavy intensity. Sweeney’s thick low-end rumbles beneath Kathman’s energetic drumming, steadily ratcheting up the tension until the whole track explodes into a monstrous wall of fuzz.
They follow that mammoth journey with A Greater Meaning, which pivots into shorter, feistier, and more experimental territory. Ferrier adopts a deeper, softer vocal tone in the verses, exploring subtle melodic shades that challenge traditional stoner rock boundaries before the tempo shifts gear and drives home.
Down the home stretch, Mountain brings back that brooding, bass-heavy intensity. Sweeney’s thick low-end rumbles beneath Kathman’s energetic drumming, steadily ratcheting up the tension until the whole track explodes into a monstrous wall of fuzz.
Closing out with No Hope, the trio wraps things up with a measured, heavy dirge where sudden bursts of deafening roar collide with Ferrier’s soothing, melodic vocal hooks.
The Blacklight Sessions doesn't try to reinvent heavy psych or stoner rock; it simply reminds you why the genre is so damn fun when played with authentic heart, grit, and veteran craft. Valley Of The Sun have delivered a tight, riff-packed record that goes down smooth and hits heavy. A thoroughly enjoyable ride from start to finish. 9/10
Midnight – Satanic Attack Live (Metal Blade Records) [Keith Boswell]
The band Midnight who hails from the mid-west in the United States are about to uncover a new live album on the 6th November 2026 entitled Satanic Attack Live.
The Blacklight Sessions doesn't try to reinvent heavy psych or stoner rock; it simply reminds you why the genre is so damn fun when played with authentic heart, grit, and veteran craft. Valley Of The Sun have delivered a tight, riff-packed record that goes down smooth and hits heavy. A thoroughly enjoyable ride from start to finish. 9/10
Midnight – Satanic Attack Live (Metal Blade Records) [Keith Boswell]
The band Midnight who hails from the mid-west in the United States are about to uncover a new live album on the 6th November 2026 entitled Satanic Attack Live.
Released on the Metal Blade Records label the album consists of fifteen tracks for a combined effort of fifty-five minutes of finest black metal one could wish for. Recorded over two sold out memorable shows at Hollywood’s Knucklehead venue during May 2026, principally concentrates their set list upon their debut album Satanic Royalty which is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary since conception in 2011.
With its opening rendition of Unholy and Rotten the band clearly states its intent by providing the listener with an unashamedly unpolished brand of high intensity, riff laden, with hooks aplenty black metal music.
Such honest and authentic style immediately catches the listeners ear with Evil Like A Knife, which is quite possibly my favourite on the album with its great speed, intense opening riff and a great hook to boot. Leading onto the ageless Satanic Royalty the real riff laden hook type riffs being really evident and starting to become a common theme.
As one progresses through this musical extravaganza more of the same is observed until we get to Black Damnation which almost provides respite from the bone crushing intensity of those tracks before it. This reduction in tempo delivers a magical opening solo which is to be commended and returns throughout giving the song great balance and appeal.
After the short interlude more of the same is observed all the way until the final track F.O.A.L which puts the icing on the cake and brings the record to a close. A great album which certainly grows on you, those hooks just do it for me every time I listen to it. Cast your ear over it, you won’t be able to put it down I promise! 8/10
Mr Bison – The Garden Of Forgotten Dreams (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Spike]
Hot on the heels of being completely blown away by hijss's self-titled record, another heavy trip out of Italy lands on the desk courtesy of Heavy Psych Sounds.
With its opening rendition of Unholy and Rotten the band clearly states its intent by providing the listener with an unashamedly unpolished brand of high intensity, riff laden, with hooks aplenty black metal music.
Such honest and authentic style immediately catches the listeners ear with Evil Like A Knife, which is quite possibly my favourite on the album with its great speed, intense opening riff and a great hook to boot. Leading onto the ageless Satanic Royalty the real riff laden hook type riffs being really evident and starting to become a common theme.
As one progresses through this musical extravaganza more of the same is observed until we get to Black Damnation which almost provides respite from the bone crushing intensity of those tracks before it. This reduction in tempo delivers a magical opening solo which is to be commended and returns throughout giving the song great balance and appeal.
After the short interlude more of the same is observed all the way until the final track F.O.A.L which puts the icing on the cake and brings the record to a close. A great album which certainly grows on you, those hooks just do it for me every time I listen to it. Cast your ear over it, you won’t be able to put it down I promise! 8/10
Mr Bison – The Garden Of Forgotten Dreams (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Spike]
Hot on the heels of being completely blown away by hijss's self-titled record, another heavy trip out of Italy lands on the desk courtesy of Heavy Psych Sounds.
Tuscan heavy psych and progressive rock outfit Mr. Bison have come a hell of a long way since their raw, no-bass blues-rock beginnings on 2012's We'll Be Brief. Over six studio albums, they’ve steadily stretched their limbs, transforming from fuzzy stoner rock roots into one of the most reliable and ambitious heavy psych/prog outfits in Europe.
Following the cosmic conceptual sprawl of 2020’s Seaward and 2024’s Echoes From The Universe, The Garden Of Forgotten Dreams sees the four-piece raising the bar once again. What they’ve delivered here is a record that feels far more immediate and song-focused than their previous output, without sacrificing an ounce of their signature experimental weight.
What strikes you right away is that "cosmic" never means "floaty" in Mr. Bison's world. Too many bands in the modern psych scene end up disappearing into endless, aimless delay loops or relying on the fog machine to do the heavy lifting. Mr. Bison don't play that game. They keep plenty of dirt and grit in the gears, but they’ve thoroughly polished the windscreen so you can see exactly where the journey is heading.
What strikes you right away is that "cosmic" never means "floaty" in Mr. Bison's world. Too many bands in the modern psych scene end up disappearing into endless, aimless delay loops or relying on the fog machine to do the heavy lifting. Mr. Bison don't play that game. They keep plenty of dirt and grit in the gears, but they’ve thoroughly polished the windscreen so you can see exactly where the journey is heading.
Every instrument occupies a distinct, physical space in the mix, thanks to stellar engineering from guitarist/synth player Matteo Barsacchi alongside Richard Behrens at Big Snuff Studio in Berlin, with mastering duties handled by Carl Saff and Adam Ayan. The production sounds completely alive: the low end lands with intent rather than muddy bloat, the keys add lush atmosphere without suffocating the guitars, and the songs hit with punch.
The record opens with Cosmic Tide, and right out of the traps, its warm, analogue embrace wraps around you. Shimmering synthesizer textures and organ flourishes from Davide Salvadori interlock with Barsacchi's fuzzy riffs, sailing between 70s acoustic warmth, space-rock drift, and stomping, heavy grooves. Matteo Sciocchetto’s vocals sound fantastic—carrying a bluesy, relaxed swagger that roots the galactic expanse in genuine human grit.
The record opens with Cosmic Tide, and right out of the traps, its warm, analogue embrace wraps around you. Shimmering synthesizer textures and organ flourishes from Davide Salvadori interlock with Barsacchi's fuzzy riffs, sailing between 70s acoustic warmth, space-rock drift, and stomping, heavy grooves. Matteo Sciocchetto’s vocals sound fantastic—carrying a bluesy, relaxed swagger that roots the galactic expanse in genuine human grit.
It glides effortlessly into the title track, The Garden Of Forgotten Dreams, which builds on rich vocal harmonies and driving rhythmic shifts, delivering an addictive, melodic hook that burrows straight into your head on the first spin.
Where the band truly flexes their creative muscle is on the standout centrepiece, Bright Shadow. The track feels like a masterclass in dynamic tension and release.
Where the band truly flexes their creative muscle is on the standout centrepiece, Bright Shadow. The track feels like a masterclass in dynamic tension and release.
In the verses, drummer Lorenzo Salvadori lays down an intricate, polyrhythmic drum pattern that pays unmistakable homage to Tool's Danny Carey, complex and hypnotic without ever tipping into self-indulgent shredding. When the fuzzy, overdriven riffs drop, they collide with twinkling keys and crushing low end, proving this is a band completely secure in their own identity.
The momentum carries high across the middle stretch. On lead single Astray, the band navigates the lyrical concept of feeling lost among ruins and memories, searching for something solid to hold onto until the very act of wandering becomes the path to salvation.
The momentum carries high across the middle stretch. On lead single Astray, the band navigates the lyrical concept of feeling lost among ruins and memories, searching for something solid to hold onto until the very act of wandering becomes the path to salvation.
It’s got a buoyant, driving energy that leads naturally into Turn To Stone and The Sunrise, weaving bittersweet melodies through rolling, vintage 70s-inspired riffs that recall classic space rock while remaining fiercely modern.
Down the back stretch, the swampy blues-rock pull of River Moan clears the runway for the crushing closer, Old Hue. This track is a stroke of tactical genius. Rather than letting the album drift away into an ethereal fade-out, Mr. Bison seize a massive, 90s grunge groove straight out of the Alice In Chains playbook and mutate it into their cosmic palette.
Down the back stretch, the swampy blues-rock pull of River Moan clears the runway for the crushing closer, Old Hue. This track is a stroke of tactical genius. Rather than letting the album drift away into an ethereal fade-out, Mr. Bison seize a massive, 90s grunge groove straight out of the Alice In Chains playbook and mutate it into their cosmic palette.
It brings your boots firmly back down into the mud, leaving you with physical grit and rumbling low-end in your hands.
The Garden Of Forgotten Dreams is the sound of a band operating at the absolute peak of their creative powers. By blending heavy grooves, progressive twists, and vintage space-psych into a cohesive, instant whole, Mr. Bison have planted their flag near the summit of modern European heavy rock.
The Garden Of Forgotten Dreams is the sound of a band operating at the absolute peak of their creative powers. By blending heavy grooves, progressive twists, and vintage space-psych into a cohesive, instant whole, Mr. Bison have planted their flag near the summit of modern European heavy rock.
An outstanding, beautifully crafted record. 9/10
Lockslip – The Conversation (Bleakhouse) [Keith Boswell]
Building on their 2024 self-titled EP the Los Angeles, California, quintet Lockslip will release their first album under the Bleakhouse banner entitled The Conversation on the 6th November 2026. The album will consist of eleven tracks and run for thirty-three minutes.
Starting to build a name for themselves in the hardcore / metalcore arena Lockslip endeavour to catch your attention and maintain it throughout. Indeed, the first track Gray World begins at one hundred miles per hour at full throttle with this intensity being maintained throughout the album from start to finish.
The vocals of Sarah G are solid and reliable with the intense guttural shrieks well suited to the dark riffs of an accomplished baseline. There are no two ways about this, Lockslip are a very intense and extreme metal band whose musicianship is very evident if not a little disguised on occasion, unfortunately very often the songs tend to merge into one another and lack some clarity between instruments.
Lockslip – The Conversation (Bleakhouse) [Keith Boswell]
Building on their 2024 self-titled EP the Los Angeles, California, quintet Lockslip will release their first album under the Bleakhouse banner entitled The Conversation on the 6th November 2026. The album will consist of eleven tracks and run for thirty-three minutes.
Starting to build a name for themselves in the hardcore / metalcore arena Lockslip endeavour to catch your attention and maintain it throughout. Indeed, the first track Gray World begins at one hundred miles per hour at full throttle with this intensity being maintained throughout the album from start to finish.
The vocals of Sarah G are solid and reliable with the intense guttural shrieks well suited to the dark riffs of an accomplished baseline. There are no two ways about this, Lockslip are a very intense and extreme metal band whose musicianship is very evident if not a little disguised on occasion, unfortunately very often the songs tend to merge into one another and lack some clarity between instruments.
A definite exception to this is the song Speak Without Words and also Cut Out The Odds where guitar and bass intro / riffs throughout are very evident and most welcomed to the uninitiated.
For fans who have a passion for these metal genres will, I’m sure, relish the challenge that Lockslip offer in actually unlocking their thought processes as very often the use of instruments can be very random and indeed not making much sense however I would anticipate that is the outcome that Lockslip are looking for. 6/10
For fans who have a passion for these metal genres will, I’m sure, relish the challenge that Lockslip offer in actually unlocking their thought processes as very often the use of instruments can be very random and indeed not making much sense however I would anticipate that is the outcome that Lockslip are looking for. 6/10
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