A well curated covers release can often be fun, but such things rarely come with such a scattershot selection of influences as Blazoner’s ‘Sonic Chambers’. An EP that started out life purely by accident actually plays like a short CV of the US rock band’s chief interests, taking in material by artists as diverse as The Rolling Stones and (the) Melvins.

To kick things off, Blazoner launch into a heavy cover of ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’. A rock staple, loved by ageing bar bands the world over, it’s the kind of track you might think has more than outlived its lifespan, and been done to death. However, there’s something about the way these Virginian musicians apply a heavy hand that makes the number feel fresh. Taking Keef’s once reedy sounding riff and applying ten times the volume makes the core of the song sound like something from the Black Stone Cherry debut replayed through a stoner rock filter, and replacing the drawling vocal with an unrepentant growl brings an extra edge. Everything combined, this just works. It doesn’t have to try too hard to impress; the riff still has plenty of swagger – perhaps even more than it needs – and the juxtaposition of rough lead voice and smooth, near perfect harmonies through the backing vocals is a master stroke.

Already sounding a little rowdy – at least in relation to their more “typical” output – Queen’s 1975 cut ‘I’m In Love With My Car’ holds up well under a little extra weight. The intro boasts some great drumming underscoring a hefty sounding guitar, before reworking Roger Taylor’s slightly overwrought vocal into something more sympathetic to the melodic metal backdrop. A couple of the bigger vocal notes may jar on first listen, especially if you’re over familiar with the original cut and Taylor’s signature rasp, but in the main, singing drummer Andy Murray turns in a great performance and his deeper tones fit brilliantly with the heavier riff. Although most of the elements here are strong – particularly the wall of backing vocals, bravely attempting to bring the expected pomp to this recording – this really comes into its own towards the climax when some very melodic lead guitar work provides a welcome alternative to Brian May’s signature sound. Attempting to cover Queen can often be a thankless task, but Blazoner are set to attract new ears with this track, and it’s definitely one of the highlights on ‘Sonic Chambers’.

With a couple of classics brilliantly delivered, Blazoner then turn their collective hand to some slightly more obscure material. A superb psych track from ’69, the original version of ‘In The Beginning’ by Genesis came loaded with phased effects, twelve stringed guitar riffs and a filtered vocal, making the band’s early pop feel otherworldly. In the hands of this metal act, the melodies still remain, but the psych heart has been replaced by a stoner-ish muscle, and this works surprisingly well for the riff in hand. What’s more, the heavy riff is perfect for the gravel-edged vocal which, as with the previous couple of tracks, is balanced almost perfectly by some very strong, very clean harmonies. In terms of capturing all of Blazoner’s strongest talents within a short performance, this is perfect. It could easily be the best track on this EP; it’s certainly the first time in years that anyone has attempted to take ‘From Genesis To Revelation’ seriously. It certainly isn’t the band’s finest hour, but it’s less boring than ‘Duke’ and better than ‘Abacab’, and has a charm of its own.

Mountain’s ‘Travellin’ In The Dark’ has long lived in the shadow of the brilliant ‘Nantucket Sleighride’. However, it’s a track that not only boasts a great riff, but also features a strong chorus vocal that feels like an overspill from the band’s other most famous tune ‘Mississippi Queen’. Those factors alone make it prime Leslie West/Mountain in many ways, which certainly hasn’t escaped the notice of Blazoner, who add extra weight to the riff and work another round of harmony vocals to their advantage. A warmer and much bigger production sound also goes a long way to making this cover sound more appealing than the original cut, resulting in a track that sounds like it would work brilliantly live.

Rounding out the release, Blazoner opt to pay tribute to a band that, on the basis of their 2023 LP ‘Escape To Electric Land’, are a far more obvious influence. They could have played the Melvins’ ‘Copache’ completely straight and, between its huge, circular guitar riff and throbbing bassline, would’ve worked perfectly. As with the other material here, they’ve added a couple of their own flourishes: firstly, the drums are louder, which gives Andy Murray a great showcase when locking in with Brian Carnes’s huge sounding bass, but the addition of some extra wordless harmonies gives this stoner rocker an unexpectedly pleasing occult rock/metal edge. It’s unlikely to send those who are unfamiliar racing to dig through the vast – and sometimes rather scary – Melvins back-cat, but in terms of capturing Blazoner in full rock-out mode, this works rather well.

Few artists would manage to cover legacy artists at the same time as dropping in a deep cut from the Melvins catalogue without sounding as if they were trying too hard to impress. Fewer still would look towards the Genesis debut – a record that’s been all but disowned by most fans, and even the band themselves – for inspiration, but somehow all of ‘Sonic Chambers’ works. More importantly, it offers some genuinely entertaining performances. By mixing a couple of well known numbers with deep cuts and giving each just a little of the Blazoner edginess, this works as a great introduction to the band and their catalogue, if needed. For lovers of covers, and lovers of solid rock performances, this is certainly worth checking out.

February 2026