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Madrid-based power trio ELECTRIC VALLEY will release their new studio album, Echo, on November 6th via Small Stone Recordings.

Recorded live by Javier Ortiz at Estudio Brazil (Madrid, Spain), mixed by Charlie Sánchez, and mastered by Chris Gossman at Baseline Audio Labs (Michigan, USA), Echo delivers the heaviest and most desert-like sounds of rock and stoner doom, blending the traditional ELECTRIC VALLEY sound with atmospheric, psychedelic, and tribal passages.

ELECTRIC VALLEY was born in 2014. Being old lovers of rock and heavy sounds, the three members of ELECTRIC VALLEY – Mario García (guitar), Charlie Sánchez (drums), and Miky Simón (bass, vocals) – discovered their shared love of dense sounds and heavy atmospheres over a few beers. They’ve been touring and releasing material ever since with 51973 EP (2014), Multiverse (2015), Two Realities At War (2017), Tapes From The Galactic Tavern (2021), and Live At Stone Giant (2024) under their collective belts. The band’s powerful live performances quickly lead them to share the stage with international bands of the genre such as Yawning Man, Green Leaf, Dead Meadow, Sasquatch, Asteroid, Stoned Jesus, The Machine, and many more.

This year’s Echo studio offering contains seven tracks which speak of epic space adventures and galactic odysseys where the group explores and experiments with grunge-tinged stoner rock and psychedelic and progressive passages, evoking desert landscapes brimming over inspired by classic sci-fi fantasies, B-movies, and old comics. Recorded in a single shot in the studio, ELECTRIC VALLEY displays a raw and direct sound.

Watch ELECTRIC VALLEY’s “Strange Land” video HERE. 

ELECTRIC VALLEY’s Echo will be released on CD and digital formats as well as limited edition vinyl in conjunction with Kozmik Artifactz (pressed in Germany). 

Find preorders at the Small Stone Bandcamp page smallstone.bandcamp.com/album/echo. 

Echo Track Listing:

1. Gata

2. Strange Land

3. The Colony

4. The Asteroid

5. Oceano

6. Ancient Monolith

7. Echo

ELECTRIC VALLEY:

Mario García – guitar

Charlie Sánchez – drums

Miky Simón – bass, vocals

For ELECTRIC VALLEY coverage inquiries, contact liz@earsplitcompound.com.

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Photo by Adam Björk

“Do You Really?” is the newest single from Swedish hard rock outfit OLD MAN’S WILL. Now playing at New Noise Magazine, the track comes off the band’s At Last full-length, set for release on October 9th via Small Stone Recordings.

Hailing from Umeå, OLD MAN’S WILL is known for their blues-infused sound and energetic live performances. The band channels the spirit of 1970s hard rock and blues rock acts like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Humble Pie, with a retro twist. Their music is described as brash, bluesy, and riff-driven, with a mix of classic rock grooves and modern zest.

Comments Klas Holmgren (guitars, organ, piano, backing vocals), “This is a bluesy hard rock love song built around a solid, laid-back groove and a slightly bittersweet edge. It balances heavy, riff-driven guitars with expressive vocals, moving between moments of raw intensity and more melodic, soulful passages.”

Stream OLD MAN’S WILL’s “Do You Really?” HERE. 

Real rock ‘n’ roll requires a little bit of mystique, a little bit of swagger, and a little bit of trouble for good measure. OLD MAN’S WILL possesses all three of those ingredients in spades. Leaving home for college back in 2011 first seemed a good reason to quit music and focus on school but instead it became the opposite for close friends Klas Holmgren (guitars), Gustav Kejving (drums), and Tommy Nilsson (bass), laying the foundation for OLD MAN’S WILL. With the addition of the unmistakable vocals of Benny Åbergs, the band was formed and went straight from the studio to touring Europe through something possibly best described as a Spinal Tap-like extravaganza. Fortunately, the situation straightened a bit down the line, and with mounting enthusiasm after having signed record deals in both Europe and later the US, things suddenly felt like they were “going to eleven” for some time. There was a regrettable turn of events however, beginning with the delayed release of their second album which resulted in cancelled tours and lost momentum. Meanwhile, life got in the way, followed by the pandemic, and suddenly reality hit the band in the face in that typical way only musicians may experience.

After struggling with finding a new path forward, new members Simon Lundin (drums) and Michael Åberg (bass) arrived with the ambition to hit the studio to record that third album. The new sound of OLD MAN’S WILL – more back to basics – had slowly been evolving and the spark was finally lit again following a set of memorable live performances, including opening for Graveyard. While still leaning on a heavily guitar-riff-driven basis, the love for creating strong melodies and songs echoes even more evidently in what has become OLD MAN’S WILLsignature sound, now embodied in the long awaited third album, At Last.

The new album marks a natural progression for OLD MAN’S WILL, presenting a more mature and nuanced sound while staying firmly rooted in the band’s trademark guitar-driven hard rock. The songwriting has evolved alongside the music, not least in terms of melodies, dynamics, and the individual character of each song. 

While At Last still draws heavily from the gritty, riff-driven feel of the past, there is a more laid-back and groovy feel running throughout. The songs are given more room to breathe, allowing the riffs, melodies, and rhythm section to work together in a more organic way. Rather than relying solely on sheer heaviness, the album finds its weight in groove and atmosphere. 

The album moves comfortably between heavier, riff-focused moments, bluesier grooves, and more melodic passages. This creates a broader sonic palette and a greater sense of variation than on the previous albums, while still maintaining a clear connection to the band’s roots. The result is an album that feels both familiar and forward-looking: recognizably OLD MAN’S WILL, but with a greater sense of maturity and depth.

At Last was recorded at Studio Spiff, Mullberget, Skellefteå, and Ultraljud Studios, engineered by Anthon Johansson, amplified by Sven Dahlquist, mixed by Frans Hägglund at Riddarborgen Studios, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg at The Vilhelm Room, all in Stockholm, Sweden.

The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well LP in conjunction with Germany’s Kozmik Artifactz (180g vinyl, Ltd. 200 on White + Blue Splatter). 

Find preorders at smallstone.bandcamp.com/album/at-last where first single, “Meet Me At Sundown,” can be streamed. 

Enthusiasts of guitar-driven classic rock like Rival Sons, The Black Crowes, La Chinga, Winds Of Neptune, The Cold Stares, and the like, pay heed.

At Last Track Listing:

1. Meet Me At Sundown

2. Lovers Delight

3. Winding Road

4. High Ambitions

5. Holy Water

6. Must Be Blind

7. The Spark

8. Do You Really?

OLD MAN’S WILL:

Benny Åberg – lead vocals

Klas Holmgren – guitars, organ, piano, backing vocals

Michael Åberg – bass, backing vocals

Simon Lundin – drums, percussion

For OLD MAN’S WILL coverage inquiries, contact liz@earsplitcompound.com.

https://www.instagram.com/oldmanswill

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Photo by Rodney Hicks

North Carolina power trio IRATA will release their long-awaited new full-length, Human, on July 10th via Small Stone Recordings.

Since their 2007 genesis at the hands of founding members Jon Case and Jason Ward, IRATA has mutated relentlessly. Through four previous records, the band has never sat idly in any specific style, while maintaining a signature mesmerizing and grinding pulse between bass and drums that permeates an enigmatic vision of heavy rock.

After releasing Tower in 2019 as a four-piece, IRATA is once again a trio, and continues to push forward into new sonic territory. On Human, the band is building on the structures that have created some of its enduring favorites, namely, thundering bass riffs, hypnotic drums, and grandiose choruses. They do not sacrifice expression for refinement but manage to have it both ways.

Their progression is evident in the patience with which “Altar” leads off, a melodic confidence that overarches the eight included songs, and the atmospheres in pieces like “Slipped” and the expansive finale “Daystar,” but none of Human is so overblown as to give up its organically dynamic nature. And perhaps in an era marked by the advent of machine-made art, Human can be as much a statement of purpose as a declaration of self. In any case, with this collection of songs, IRATA‘s focus on vocal melody and intricate riffing distinguish them from a crowded underground sphere.

The record moves as two sides of one image, opening with reflections of a final chapter, and closing with reflections of a new beginning through transformation; a story being told as it’s lived. What could be more human than that?

Of the record’s lead single, “Altar,” guitarist Owen Burd notes, “‘Altar’ explores one perspective of an unbalanced ending, represented musically through hypnotic passages of introspection cut with explosions of emotion.”

Stream IRATA’s “Altar” HERE.

Human was recorded with longtime friends Hunter Allen and Adam Joyce of The Bronzed Chorus at Amplified Acres in Liberty, North Carolina and mixed by J. Robbins at The Magpie Cage in Baltimore, Maryland.

IRATA’s Human will be released on CD and digital formats as well as limited 180g vinyl (100 – Birthday Cake Mix and 100 – Blue Grackle Mix). 

Find preorders at the Small Stone Bandcamp HERE. 

Fans of Jane’s Addiction, The Smashing Pumpkins, Helmet, Shiner, SHUN, and the like, pay heed. 

Human Track Listing:  

1. Altar 

2. Confessions 

3. Seeds 

4. Delirium

5. Mirrors 

6. Slipped 

7. Goodside 

8. Daystar 

IRATA: 

Jason Ward – drums, keys, vocals 

Jon Case – bass, vocals

Owen Burd – vocals, guitar, keys 

Photos by Ossobuko Studio

Stream GREEN DESERT WATER’s “The Blacksmith” HERE.

Asturias, Spain-based power trio GREEN DESERT WATER is back with a new album, Eerie Meadows, set for release on June 19th via small Stone Recordings.   The record features eight immersive and engaging tracks, merging heavy psychedelia and melodies born across decades from the 1970s on, speaking seamlessly in a way that is their own while still providing as much grunge shove as it does boogie vibes.   Their third album with Small Stone, Eerie Meadows follows the fan-favorite Black Harvest (2021), which established the current lineup of Kike Sanchís (guitar, vocals), Juan Arias (bass), and Dani Bárcena (drums) as one of the most enjoyable live acts in the heavy rock scene.   “With Eerie Meadows, we wanted to explore the duality between the heavy and the ethereal the mist, the ancient woods, and that feeling of finding home in the wild,” says the band. “Recording in a new studio was a challenge we set for ourselves to push our sound further; it’s a record about the cycles of life, the scars we carry, and the fire that burns even under the northern lights.” While GREEN DESERT WATER keeps one foot decisively embedded in the classics – Mountain, Sabbath, Sasquatch – they execute the tight 37-minute LP with earned confidence and purpose, finding variety in mood amid a universal quality of craft. From the opening journey of “Northern Lights” to the closer “Meteora,” the band explores themes of loss, primal power, and spiritual survival. For the converted or those willing to be, it is a thing to be celebrated.   In advance of the record’s release, today the band unveils first single, “The Blacksmith,” now streaming at THIS LOCATION.   Eerie Meadows was recorded and mixed by Sergio Tutu at Tutu Estudios, Corvera (Asturias, Spain), co-produced by Diego Martinez and Sergio Tutu, mastered by Chris Goosman at Baseline Audio Labs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and features cover art and design by Ossobuko Studio, additional layout by Alexander von Weiding, and backing vocals by Alvaro Barcena.   GREEN DESERT WATER’s Eerie Meadows will be released on CD, and digital formats as well as limited edition LP in conjunction with Germany’s Kozmik Artifactz. Find all preorders at the Small Stone Bandcamp page HERE.   Eerie Meadows Track Listing: 1. Northern Lights 2. The Blacksmith 3. Eerie Meadows 4. Woodcutter 5. Holy Ground 6. Wolfhound 7. Bos Primigenius 8. Meteora   GREEN DESERT WATER: Juan Arias García – bass Dani Barcena – drums, percussion  Kike Sanchís – guitar, vocals For GREEN DESERT WATER coverage inquiries, contact liz@earsplitcompound.com.   http://www.facebook.com/greendesertrock http://www.instagram.com/greendesertwater http://x.com/greendesertrock https://www.smallstone.com https://www.facebook.com/smallstonerecords https://www.instagram.com/smallstonerecords https://x.com/SSRecordings

Photo by Andrea Casagranda

DESERT COLLIDER will unveil their debut full-length Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity on March 6th via Small Stone Recordings.

Drawing inspiration from the hypnotic grooves of the ’90s desert rock scene, the Italian four-pieceblends elements of stoner, metal, space rock, and progressive rock with subtle psychedelic undertones to forge an expansive and immersive sound. Echoes of Kyuss, Lowrider, Monster Magnet, and Yawning Man give rise to a compact and determined sound that evolves into a loud stoner style that is at once both raw and sophisticated, balancing monolithic riffs with deep, atmospheric textures and a sense of cosmic storytelling.

After a year of relentless experimentation, DESERT COLLIDER entered Stone Bridge Studios to lay down their debut full-length, Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity. Produced and mixed by Andrea Cola and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén (Lowrider, Dozer), the album features eight tracks that revolve around themes of self-loss and rediscovery, a yearning for the primordial, and the inner journey as the sole mission and pathway to redemption. Shifting between heaviness and atmospheric passages, the album adds to the modern psych-stoner rock arrangements with intricate soundscapes through the use of synths and acoustic interludes. Additionally, the album draws conceptual inspiration from the themes and ideas explored by [science fiction novelist] Robert A. Heinlein in “Orphans Of The Sky.” 

Comments the band on first single, “Floating Space Hand,” “In ‘Floating Space Hand,’ the music pushes forward with a mid-to-fast pulse, a swirling, fuzzy propulsion hurtling through cosmic dust and starlit voids. A token is given to the cosmic void. It becomes a quiet emblem of what ambition takes from the inner self, adrift in the void, uncertain if it will ever return. Even if reaching for the stars, fragments linger in the void, a haunting reminder that to soar is to sacrifice, and to dream is to wonder if what is scattered can ever find its way home.”

Stream DESERT COLLIDER’s “Floating Space Hand” at THIS LOCATION.

DESERT COLLIDER’s Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity features additional strings and string arrangements on “ThumpeRRR” and “Far Centaurus: Drifting Without Guidance Through Interstellar Space” by Andrea Cola, artwork and design by Francesca Santini, and layout by Alexander von Wieding. The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as limited 180g vinyl (200 units on Amber Sandstorm).

Find preorders at the Small Stone Bandcamp page HERE.

Fans of Dozer, Black Elephant, Kyuss, Monster Magnet, and the like, pay heed.

Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity CD/Digital Track Listing: 

1. Orphans Of The Sky Part I: Generation Ship

2. Floating Space Hand

3. Sonic Carver

4. Orphans Of The Sky Part II: Disembark

5. Thumperrr

6. Nomads Of The Red Sun

7. Far Centaurus Drifting Without Guidance Through Interstellar Space

8. Nebuchadnezzar

Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity Vinyl Track Listing: 

Side 1:

1. Orphans Of The Sky Part I: Generation Ship

2. Floating Space Hand

3. Sonic Carver

4. Nomads Of The Red Sun

Side 2:

5. Orphans Of The Sky Part II: Disembark

6. ThumpeRRR

7. Nebuchadnezzar

DESERT COLLIDER:

Federico Costanzo – guitars, vocals, percussion, synthesizers

Federico Gianfanti – vocals, synthesizers

Manuel Colucci – bass

Andrea Casagranda – drums, percussion

For DESERT COLLIDER coverage inquiries, contact liz@earsplitcompound.com. 

https://www.instagram.com/desertcollider

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https://www.facebook.com/smallstonerecords

https://www.instagram.com/smallstonerecords

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