After we briefly mentioned it at the start of spring: Moon Destroys, the new rock/sludge/metal project led by guitarist Juan Montoya (ex-Cavity, Floor, ex-Torche, Killer Be Killed…) and drummer Evan Diprima (ex-Royal Thunder, Brother Hawk), has now unveiled its debut EP, ‘Maiden Voyage‘.
Longtime collaborators who have been writing together in various configurations for more than a decade, Montoya and Diprima finally converge under this new banner to deliver a compact yet expansive first statement, released on vinyl and digitally via Brutal Panda Records (Cave In, Fight Amp, Glassing, Low Dose, etc.).
Conceived as a cohesive, almost cinematic journey, ‘Maiden Voyage’ blends crushing sludge and stoner foundations with psychedelic textures, progressive accents, and vivid cosmic imagery. Across two central tracks – “Blue Giant”, featuring vocals and lyrics by Troy Sanders (Mastodon), and “Stormbringer”, highlighted by the ethereal voice of Paul Masvidal (Cynic) and synth layers from Bryan Richie (The Sword) – the duo explore contrasting dynamics, from primal aggression to darker, more twisted atmospheres. These pieces are linked by three short, high-impact instrumentals that function as connective tissue, turning the EP’s 13-minute runtime into a single, mind-bending trip rather than a simple collection of songs.
While echoes of Torche and Royal Thunder surface naturally, ‘Maiden Voyage’ never feels derivative. Instead, it presents a focused, forward-thinking take on heavy music—brief but remarkably dense, and arguably too short for its own good. A striking debut that leaves a strong impression and raises clear expectations for a future full-length release, this debut EP is available now in physical and digital formats and can be streamed in full below.