REVIEW: Valley of Salt – ‘Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: The Story of John the Baptist’

Over these last few months, composer and lyricist Brian Stemetzki has been busy crafting a fresh and distinctive direction in which to call his own. Adopting a more spiritual approach to the conventions of classic and contemporary rock music, his Valley of Salt project has looked to inject a broader and more immersive aesthetic into an already oversaturated arena, giving him this bright and distinctive style in which to explore. And with plenty of innovation coursing through him right now, he now delivers the project’s debut venture ‘Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: The Story of John the Baptist’, a rock opera that adds a dynamic edge to what many would expect from the genre.

Taking influence from Jesus Christ Superstar except exploring the story of the prophet John the Baptist instead, ‘Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: The Story of John the Baptist’ makes for this incredibly absorbing listen. Recruiting producer Marty Wilson Piper, former band member of the Church and All About Eve, to create these wildly adventurous and explorative pursuits as it plays, this new ten-track offering delves deep into a varied array of concepts, with prog and post-rock becoming the main focus for his newest release. Coupling the bolder moments with these beautifully humbled moments, Stemetzki prefers to keep his vocals off much of the record, allowing his instrumental finesse to shine throughout.

It may be his only piece of material to date, but ‘Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: The Story of John the Baptist’ is clearly a labour of love for the emerging artist. Delivering some wonderfully serene and powerful textures at every turn, it feels as though Valley of Salt is a project we can expect to hear a lot more from in the years ahead as well.

Valley of Salt’s ‘Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: The Story of John the Baptist’ will be available to stream from the 3rd February. Pre-order it here.