Death Valley High’s Reyka Discusses Brief Touring Trek and Music Both Past and Present!

Northern Californians DEATH VALLEY HIGH have been together for about ten long years. Releasing a handful of material including some newer works expected out soon enough. The band went on a brief New Year touring cycle, playing across the West Coast line, making a stop in Los Angeles and had their frontman, founder and vocalist Reyka Osburn go on to discuss the matters of this tour and lots about the music!

1. It's been 6 years, since we last spoke, way back when we spoke twice in 2013, once for your EP "Survival Program" (2012) and follow-up album release "Positive Euth" (2013). What has the band been up too since then?

Reyka: We have released one full-length album "CVLT [AS FVK]" (2016), been on several tours and released another EP “Duel” (2019) covers release, and newest single “Raise Hell”(2020), with another single coming out by the end of this month of January.

2. Fifteen years it has been for the band being together since 2005, and also it has almost been 15 years since the release of your debut album "The Similarities Of The Loveless And The Undead", any plans on re-releasing said album or celebrating either if not both of these occasions?

Reyka: The anniversaries tend to always pass. A couple of years ago, was the ten year, and I wanted to walk people through it, like a listening party online. I want to do that with the other releases as well. There are some B-Sides I want to put out, would be fun or re-record the tracks would be fun to do with the band. It would be cool to re-introduce things to people, hear where we came from and a fun thing to do. I am always trying to do some acoustic work, passing it by the band first hand, just me solo doing some play by play demonstrations of certain tracks, showing and telling fans of where we came from by that first album. Like this was where we were then and this is where we are now as a band.

3. When it comes to that particular album, it isn't necessarily listed upon your guys discography on numerous music sites why is this so?

Reyka: That album is just all me. Even the current line-up is not on it. If we went back and played those songs, we play some sometimes. It has to do with the record labels, like the one we’re on currently Minus Head, we’ve been with for a while now. They are on our terms right now, I can’t just do it the old way, releasing material every 3 years, I have so much more to give. The agreement we have with that label, you can hear more from us, in smaller doses but still more works. We want to give more of ourselves and love having that support from Minus Head records. Keep your fingers crossed and you may see way more from us.

4. Another album worth celebrating is your sophomore album "Doom, In Full Bloom", which has turned 10 years this year in 2020, any plans on it's celebration or a re-release at this time?

Reyka: Ten year anniversary, will be happening, and other things should happen, like a listening party or movie party, interacting jokes or whatever. Fun things like that, maybe doing a single show or a few shows up and down the coasts, performing a good portion of it.

5. Since discussing your way back when album releases, will we ever expect to hear those releases or any of your other range of content, perhaps played in full front to back?

Reyka: Absolutely! We have to create the need and want for it. I do realize fans who we have had for so long now, on one of the past tours, we would have fans come to us and say your first record is the one that meant so much to me. I felt that first album was well rounded really and the evolution of us, is finding more narrow sound to us. Taking our sound down a different path and see where we go from there. Like our new single “Raise Hell” and have the people follow along and hear the older stuff in the newer stuff.

6. What about releasing any type of acoustic material have anything in mind?

Reyka: I don’t think so. That would be something we would have to discuss with the other band members. One of our members, isn’t that interested in doing that, but it would just have to work out the right way, just be a mix-up of having us grow as a band and see what happens, never say never I say!

7. With such an array of releases under your belts, the band has yet to release a live album or DVD have that in the works or not yet?

Reyka: Haha, we actually had a nice mix down of our tracks, individualized and everything on a hard drive but that drive ended up dying out. So that is no longer in our possession, but that show where it was recorded was out in Florida. During a hurricane actually, where a story would have gone with it, but it did get lost so anyways something like that. There is always next time perhaps we will see.

8. "Duel" (2019) was the most recent to come from you guys, with a single following suite titled "Raise Hell", will this single be coming off of any upcoming release or just be a stand alone single?

Reyka: We have an idea, like the old days, where bands or artists would cut 2 tracks, and use the more popular track first hand. That’s what we did with “Raise Hell”. We would like to do a type of A-Side and B-Side type of vinyl release for that single and others coming soon. We have so many songs ready to go, we will see what works. Thats the whole idea at some point though, just releasing material tracks coming out more often. Hoping by the spring time more material and shows as well and the album will follow by the end of the year later on down the line.

9. Since the start of the band, the band's official logo has also changed with the band, was that the plan as years progressed?

Reyka: Yeah, well I think it’s funny, because our current logo of what we have now. It’s morphed a tad but not much. Like take AFI, they always change the logo, and it’s a good way to say we have something new. So we wanted to take that approach, with the newest material, I don’t think it will change with every album but it may change a little bit.

10. Reyka, besides founding and fronting Death Valley High for so long now, you have also fronted and vocalized some other bands as well Tinfed and Ghostride, will we see those other bands come back perhaps?

Reyka: Not on a tour. But I did do a few shows, where Tinfed did play a show. We did two shows one in Los Angeles and the other in Sacramento, where that band did play at least one version of them. Ghostride, does have new material in the works, and stuff should be out sometime this year. There should be new stuff coming out, and a documentary I am also working on, talking about the scene and Tinfed will be discussed, along with other music related content and who knows what else, as I said earlier, never say never!

11. Being from Northern California, the band rarely makes it out to Southern California when playing shows at times over the years, why is that?

Reyka: It’s funny. The thing is when we look at everything, we would love to be down in Los Angeles more often. It always has to involve planning and timing. You may see us more often by the spring time like March.

12. Also since being from Northern California and San Francisco, have you heard of another local band from there called Phoenix Ash?

Reyka: I will take a look! There is a 2 piece act I have heard of and they are impressive. Maybe we can do a trio showcase.

13. With this tour now concluded come tomorrow, what has happened upon this run that you would like to share and how did it go it being a brief run as it were for you?

Reyka: It’s over way too fast. Silver Snakes are calling it quits as we know the band and them now being no more. Before I would say we would do more shows together, but right before this tour happened they announced their break-up. This tour could be bitter or it could go well, but I think they found their love for playing again, so let’s hope the next “new” thing maybe we can go out on tour or do another show together again. We’ve avoided a lot of obstacles as well whilst on this tour, which is good, facing Mother Nature at it’s finest of abilities. I think that’s been nice and easier as this tour wraps up and comes to an end.

14. Lastly, what else does Death Valley High have in-store for this new decade that is 2020!

Reyka: I know, it’s a whole new decade for us all! A lot of pressure? Just take it as the time comes, more music, having additional material than just music for content. The way media is it’s happening at such a fast pace, you just have to keep up with it. Or else you will be left behind, you will just see us be more active, and see you out on the road!