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VALKYRIE
Shadows

Relapse (2015)
Rating: 8/10

I can just about count the amount of bands with the Valkyrie moniker on two hands, having been introduced to at least nine acts of the same name over the years. Clearly hardly any of these bands have sought to find a more original name, but don’t that let put you off this band which hails from Virginia.

This particular Valkyrie formed in 2002 and plays a philosophical style of doom metal, with Shadows being the third instalment from the quartet.

It’s hard to believe – but also worthy of my admiration – that the doom metal scene is going on strong long after those initial tremors caused by Saint Vitus, Count Raven, Candlemass et al seemingly so many years ago. Valkyrie are certainly one of the better acts, who like all good bands has gradually improved over its varying chapters. The band’s 2006 self-titled debut was a solid, reliable chunk of metal, bettered by 2008’s Man Of Two Visions, but it’s been seven years since that platter was bestowed upon us, and so Shadows is a highly anticipated release.

Valkyrie has been through more bass players and drummers than a serial killer has victims, but the current line-up features Alan Fary (bass) and Warren Hawkins (drums) who are joined by regulars and brothers Jake and Peter Adams who both provide guitars and vocals.

Shadows brings seven tracks to the record, and thankfully while all but two run over six minutes, they are all bearable in duration. The opener, ‘Mountain Stomp’, features a bewitching riff and fizzing solo which combine to create an extremely catchy but not overly heavy groove. Yes, the obvious Black Sabbath comparisons come to mind, but then again there aren’t many so-called doom metal bands who have managed to escape from such an influence and it’s certainly not a bad one to have, although for Valkyrie the vocals are more of a distinctive wail rather than mournful yelp. The music overall is relatively simple, the drum providing a nice sturdy backdrop and the bass trickling along.

Valkyrie clearly doesn’t feel the need to grind the listener into submission. Instead, we get that vintage 70s tinge and up-tempo flecks of nostalgia hinting at Thin Lizzy and the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal; something of note and also surprise considering the guys hail from the United States. The band is also interesting enough to pose certain songs as tunes bordering on instrumentals – there are hardly any lyrics to ‘Mountain Stomp’ – but one cannot argue with that killer twin-guitar attack and the way the distorted bass worms itself in-between such shades.

For me, most of the best doom metal is simplistic by design and with ‘Golden Age’ the foursome maintains that relatively raw, stark structure where the vocals speak of ancient wisdom in effective manner, even if you feel as if you’ve heard such lyrics so many times before with the likes of Witchcraft. But this is the sort of groove-based, paler doom rock we’re dealing with, and ‘Golden Age’ again hints at that traditional metal style but never once depressing in its progress.

For me though the real star, or should I say “stars” of this show are those duelling guitars, because while the drum and bass do serve up that rolling silt the guitars are somewhat nifty and classical, battling with one another like two duellists cavorting across the green to an audience of fair damsels. However, there are some who may argue that Shadows lacks variety – each track suddenly starts to melt into one another – but the riffs are memorable enough and this is because the band has clearly put extra emphasis on the musical soundscape rather than just suffocating the listener with walls of sludge.

British metallers Witchfinder General also spring to mind with that unsophisticated nature, but it would be cruel to call such a record so one-dimensional and ‘Shadow Of Reality’ is a fine example of how the band creates some truly wondrous soundscapes by remaining driven and dedicated to a seemingly natural flow rather than deviating wildly. And so with this we find ourselves almost caressed by melodies more suited to the 60s summer of love; those guitars just honey to the ears as they meander playfully – and this is very much the theme throughout this 42-minute record.

I’m sure some will quickly categorise such frolicking as “stoner”, but for me Shadows is too straight an opus for it to be such; the warbling vocals playing second fiddle to some bulbous distortion and chunky riffage allowing the likes of ‘Wintry Plains’ and ‘Echoes (Of The Way We Lived)’ to slot themselves into that 70s throwback scheme of things. For some, this may appear as a touch too mediocre, because while the tracks are not overlong they do have that tendency to exist more as a proggy jam which may have you checking the watch waiting for the vocals to re-emerge.

As ‘Carry On’ signals the end of the record by way an aching yet apparently stoned lumber, I’m pleased to say that Valkyrie’s third chapter is actually a breath of fresh air by way of ignoring gimmicks and occult splendour in favour of a heavy sort of calmness which only occasionally hint at sadness. The early 80s have never sounded so electric!

Neil Arnold

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