Valley of the Sun’s Old Gods is a fuzz-rock and stoner-rock set with hard rock weight behind it. The sound points towards thick guitar distortion, steady, forceful pacing and the kind of riff-first approach that gives this music its pull. It’s direct rather than polished into something delicate, with the track titles bringing a mythic frame to songs such as “Gaia Creates”, “Shiva Destroys” and “Buddha Transcends”. “Faith is for Suckers” suggests the band aren’t afraid of a blunt phrase either.
Released in 2019 by FUZZORAMARECORDS, the album comes from Valley of the Sun, an Örebro act listed as active since 1982. That puts Old Gods in the long-running stoner and hard rock tradition, while the indie rock tag leaves a little room for a less strictly metal reading. The eleven-song tracklist moves through elemental and spiritual imagery, from “Firewalker” and “Into the Abyss” to “Dreams of Sands”, without needing a grand concept to sell the music. Anyone after fuzzed-up rock with a classic heavy streak should find a lot to work with here, especially on vinyl or CD, both of which are available alongside the paid digital release.
