Blasting out of the scorched dunes of Northern Africa, Tunisian rockers SHADE have arrived with a desert-forged debut that demands attention.
Their five-track EP, Under Distant Suns, released on February 14th, is a heady cocktail of stoner, alternative, and metal—a swirling mix of heavy, hypnotic grooves and thunderous sonic eruptions.
The EP starts with “Ashes,” a muscular, riff-heavy opener that mixes hazy atmospherics with bone-crushing metal power. It’s like a dust storm rolling in—slow at first, then an unstoppable force. But if “Ashes” smolders, “Reach” outright detonates. This track hits with the impact of a sandstorm at full throttle, its relentless riffing and crushing grooves leaving no survivors.
Things take a deeper dive into the smoke-drenched realm of stoner rock with “Quicksand.” The bassline slinks and coils, the drums stomp with hypnotic intent, and the guitars drip with desert-dry distortion, making this track feel like a slow-burning ritual under a blood-red sky.
Then comes “Too Soon,” a dynamic standout that begins with an eerie calm before erupting into a cathartic, sky-splitting finale. SHADE proves they can masterfully balance tension and release, wielding sonic contrast like a weapon.
Closing out the EP is “Reef,” a track that lulls you into a dreamlike daze before crashing back into the hard-edged, riff-fueled territory where SHADE thrives. It’s a journey from serenity to chaos, from drifting in the ether to smashing through the atmosphere.
With Under Distant Suns, SHADE emerges as a formidable force in the stoner rock scene, effortlessly blending desert mysticism, doom-laden heaviness, and metallic bite. SHADE is coming, and they’re bringing the storm. Expect this EP to stake a claim on February’s DOOM Charts and beyond.
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