Valkyrie--s/t
self-released demo 2004
One of the biggest reasons bands fail is that they honestly can't put together a decent song. That certainly isn't the case for Valkyrie, though. Their demo stands as testament to this, but also to the fact that there is still some work to be done in other areas before they can be considered great.
Valkyrie play in a grooved doom metal style which should appeal to fans of Penance and Solace. The guitar tones are crushing and the riffs are strong. That said, while the vocals are delivered clean, in a manner which compliments the music itself, they prove to be Valkyrie's achilles' heel. It's not that they're awful, just not as consistent as the rest of what Valkyrie does. Granted, this demo was taken from a live radio performance and things can always get a bit more shakey in those situations, but it's still something the band needs to address, live or not, in order to take things to that next level.
In spite of this detail, Valkyrie's demo is a worthy listen, based on strength of song. "Endless Crusade" stands out by putting off a vibe similar to that of Ozzy's first two solo albums. So too does "Destruction Foretold," thanks to some nice brief bursts of harmony guitar.
Listening to this, there's no doubt Valkyrie are on the right path. Once something is configured to give the vocals the consistency they need, these guys will be unstoppable. They've already got the songs and that's the biggest part of the battle. This demo is a good start for the band and almost certainly the forebearer of great things to come. Worth giving a shot.
Score this CD directly from VALKYRIE
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