"It’s hard to say the Valley Arena’s sound has matured per se, because we’re not talking about Afro-Latin solo projects or laid-back middle-age blues records, and we’re certainly not talking about one of those records where ex-heavy hitters go pop. Maybe “focused” is better. It’s different at least. If you’re a longtime fan, the beginning of We Died might disorient you at first: Reverb-soaked guitar strums a noteless count off before opener “The Dig” disarms you with high on the neck, homesick chords backed by what sounds like a drum machine (but isn’t).

Think of “The Dig”—restrained and gorgeous as it is—like a brief introduction to a new chapter in the Valley Arena’s life. This way, the fuller, more aggressive “Grayscale” carries just that much more of an impact. It doesn’t hearken back to Valley Arena’s harsh atonal heavy days but instead finds a happy medium between pop and noise, with Warren Woodward’s piercing distorted bass acting as the complement to Chris Stevens’ shimmering and ornate guitar.

Later on, “Bait and Switch” is relentless, filling every possible space with perfectly synchronized unending sound, while never managing to sound busy—just precise. Overall, you get the sense that Valley Arena’s members are getting happier and happier in their own skin with each album. They’ve traded in schizophrenic Dischord punk for a more—I’m saying it again now—focused writing style with a refined sense of composition. It’s equal parts Boris and Sonic Youth heaviness made expertly by people who obviously know their record collections, but don’t flaunt it in your face. Talent like this isn’t taught—it’s born."

- Kevin Ferguson