While this Decibel writer has never made a secret of the fact that he believes Sleep’s Dopesmoker is the unfortunate result of too much weed (yes, that’s a thing) and not enough editing, we get the sense that High ’n Heavy guitarist, John Steele, the mastermind behind Grave Speaker, may disagree with that opinion. His sophomore solo album, Rays of the Emerald Sun, feels like an extended love letter to pot (do the kids still call it that?), from the color palette to the . . . well, everything. But, man, I’d rather listen to this—sober or otherwise—than Dopesmoker, because it sounds like the kind of I’ll-play-everything-and-record-it-on-4-track shit that I’ll gladly stuff in my earholes and not get bored silly. So if it’s always 4:20 in your household, please do indulge in some of this fuzzed-out garage stoner psych doom.
Rays of the Emerald Sun is set for release on vinyl and digitally via Electric Valley Records on May 16. Place your preorder here or here or here.
Here’s what Steele had to say about his latest solo effort:
“[I’m] beyond excited to release this sophomore album. It’s a true embodiment of personal and musical evolution. Always with the underlying philosophy of doing it because you love it.”
Grave Speaker – Rays of the Emerald Sun by Electric Valley Records
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