Music: Null Valley

NULL VALLEY

FORMER EXESION MEMBERS CHART NEW METAL PATH WITH HELP FROM TALENTED FRIENDS ON SELF-TITLED DEBUT

For a good number of years, Exesion - self-described as "something along the lines of an auditory curb stomp" - reigned as one of the tri-state's top metal bands, gaining a well-deserved reputation for aggressive, technical music. Their sound was precise, the tempos were upbeat. And they weren't shy about inserting odd meters/time signature shifts into the mix. All those elements combined made for a ferociously heavy listening experience - both on record and on stage where Exesion excelled, mowing down audiences with no mercy. But eventually the project ran its course, leaving the band's driving force, guitarist Ryan Key, to ponder a new direction. "I started out with the idea of creating a more simplistic, more laidback - not as technical - metal band," Key explains, laying out how Null Valley, his main musical focus for the last few years, came into being. "The idea of the name comes from the area that we're in, really - the Ohio Valley. We're surrounded by the coal-fired power plants - not the best

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE ROCKSTARS OR GET RICH - IT'S MORE ABOUT GETTING OUT AND PLAYING SOME PLACES AND EXPERIENCING THINGS.

situation geographically to find yourself in, right?" With the philosophical foundation for a post-Exesion project in place, Key turned his attention to songwriting, spending the bulk of the pandemic creating an album's worth of music before coaxing former bandmates Xach Lively (vocals) and David Ford (bass) to get involved. That part was easy, but finding a drummer... not so much. "That proved to be daunting; it took almost a year," Key says. "For awhile we were jamming with Chris Emery from American Head Charge - which was surreal - but it was bad timing for him, so I called my friend Matt McGuyer and told him that I needed him."

A total beast of a musician with an impressive résumé, McGuyer was more than up to the task, able to digest the material and make it his own, rhythmically speaking. His powerful style of playing elevated Key's guitar work which, in turn, upped Lively and Ford's games. But there was still one piece of the Null Valley puzzle missing - a second guitarist to add more heft to the tracks. "I've known Brice [Bolin] for years - we're really good friends and played music together for awhile but nothing materialized from it then," Key says. "He's a great writer - it was a no-brainer to bring him in." Indeed, Bolin, who's often referred to as "The Machine" in regards to his prolific nature, completed the picture. With everything - and everyone - finally in place, the next step was to locate a studio where McGuyer could track his drums and lay the groundwork for Null Valley's self-titled debut. They found just the right place six hours north at Electrical Audio in Chicago.

"What Matt did over the course of two days was an unnatural feat of man - 44 takes in total and he destroyed every one of them in the best way," Bolin says, still amazed by what McGuyer accomplished at the legendary Steve Albini's studio complex. "He was a machine." (High praise coming from the O.G. "Machine," by the way.) After returning home, the rest of the band, totally energized by the first stage of recording, put in countless hours to match McGuyer's intensity, sometimes spending an entire day and night getting their parts just right. As Bolin humorously quips, "Music is the only thing I have an actual work ethic for - my actual job I just do to get by."

To ensure that the final versions of the album's eight tracks would sound incredible, Key called upon Dave Otero at Flatline Audio (who previously worked with Exesion) to assist with the mixing. The first taste of his handiwork, lead single "Anthropocene" - a commentary on man's effect on the climate and environment - dropped March 25. Like a relentless sledgehammer, it pounds away magnificently. Or as Bolin accurately describes it, "there's pain to it." The music may technically be less technical than Exesion, but Key and the crew haven't sacrificed a bit of power with the simpler approach. If anything, this new direction is even more brutal and stands up to any band filed under "heavy" these days. "We've been saying from the beginning that this stuff's got concrete pillars for legs," Bolin says. "The talent's there, the camaraderie's there, and the work ethic's there. The only thing that's going to stop this is us."

Not to worry, the guys are hyper aware that they're all "hard-headed bastards" and know how to avoid any major potholes that might derail such a fantastic new band. Actually, Bolin's biggest concern is the prospect of success. "I'm actually nervous about the possibilities of this - I've got a mortgage and kids," he notes. "But luckily I have the support of my family and employer. I think Null Valley is going to do something - even if that's playing one big show with a band we've idolized since we were kids, that's success to me." Adds Key, "We're not trying to be rockstars or get rich - it's more about getting out and playing some places and experiencing things."

Null Valley's self-titled debut hits streaming services April 15. Be sure to catch them live for a record release show at Lamasco Bar & Grill on April 23.

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