Valkyrian Music

EQUALEFT w/ WRATH SINS – Famalicão, 2022/11/26

Firsttime I’ve ever heard about Casa do Artista Amador (Home of The Amateur Artist), in Famalicão, was back in 2015 when, along with Ecos Culturais do Louro, they promoted the Laurus Nobilis festival (see here). Can’t remember if that first edition already had the intent to raise funds for a new base of Casa do Artista, but it became so at some point. A setback here, a pandemic there… but it’s…

Gaupa – Myriad

Gaupa “Myriad” Hard Rock, Stoner Rock Released: 18 November 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records Sometimes you find a band and you just have to think to yourself, where have you been and why have I never heard your music? The Swedish stoner rockers, Gaupa have been ringing in my head since this album crossed my path. I’ve immediately gone back through their discography and to my delight, they’re…

Various Artists – The Retaliators O.S.T.

Various Artists “The Retaliators” O.S.T. Rock/Alternative Release: 21st October 2022 Via Better Noise Music “The Retaliators” is a horror/thriller movie that debuted at Arrow FrightFest London in 2021 but only now has had an official theatrical release, hence the soundtrack and publicity. Several music videos from the soundtrack have been rolling on YouTube for about two years though, probably…

Novacrow – Look At Me Now

NovacrowLook At Me NowAlt. Rock, Hard Rock, Alt. MetalReleased: 30th September 2022Self Released Well, it’s certainly been a while since I’ve written about Novacrow. Since I first heard about them, I’ve always thought that their music is special. Their unique mix of alternative rock horror-core, industrial and stoner rock makes for an enjoyable listening experience. Basically, if you like Black…

Laurus Nobilis Music Fest 2022 – 1st day

Manowar, Vëlla, Rhapsody Of Fire, Jardim Letal, DarkTribe, M.E.D.O., Via Sacra Louro, Famalicão (PT) Promoted by Associação Ecos Culturais do Louro 21st July 2022 The two-year hiatus COVID-19 forced into Laurus Nobilis Music  Famalicão – now Laurus Nobilis Music Fest – is over and they’re back… well, not stronger than before, but just as strong. Sure, Manowar is probably the biggest name they’ve…

Fallujah – Empyrean

Fallujah “Empyrean” Progressive/technical death metal Released: 9th September 2022 Via Nuclear Blast Fallujah have been releasing new material every 2-3 years but I was really curious about this “Empyrean” – after seeing them live back in 2019 and both bassist Rob Morey and singer Antonio Palermo making quite an impression, learning about their departure made me want to check how the new line-up…

Hate and Vader live in Tampere

Thy Disease, Hate, VaderYO-Talo, Tampere, Finland5th September 2022 I may have said this before, but it feels awesome to be able to attend a live show without having to worry about any of the pandemic restrictions. There’s something special about a physical concert that you just can’t recreate with a live-stream, no matter how good the production quality might be. This time I opted for a night…

Santa Cruz – The Return Of The Kings

Santa CruzThe Return Of The KingsSleaze Rock, Hard Rock, Glam RockReleased: 26th August 2022via M-Theory Audio Oh wow! Santa Cruz is back with a brand new lineup and attitude. This band has definitely had its highs and lows. However, throughout the turmoil, they managed to keep a fairly consistent output over the year. This new record, The Return Of The Kings, is the follow-up to the 2019 album…

Hollywood Undead – Hotel Kalifornia

Hollywood Undead“Hotel Kalifornia”Rap rockReleased: 12th August 2022Via BMG / Dove & Grenade Every Hollywood Undead record is a box of surprises. If you thought “CHAOS” meant “Hotel Kalifornia” would follow the heaviness of “New Empire – Vol. 1”, then “Wild In These Streets” came and delivered that hip hop vibe they’ve started with in “Swan Songs”. In the end, all 14 tracks fire up in every kind…

SOiL – Play It Forward

SOiLPlay It ForwardHard Rock, Heavy MetalReleased: 26th August 2022via Cleopatra Records It’s been quite a long time since we’ve heard from cult heavy metal, SOiL. They have kept their following for over 20 years now. Since their 2 mammoth hits “Halo” and “Unreal”. After their 2013 album Whole and the unfortunate health concerns of singer Ryan McCombs, they have stayed largely quiet. Now,…

Iron Maiden live in Warsaw

Lord Of The Lost, Within Temptation, Iron MaidenPGE Narodowy (National Stadium), Warsaw, Poland24 July 2022 It’s been a long while since I’ve written anything for this site. I’ve been busy with other projects. I’m about to release my debut book, an anthology of fantasy short stories inspired by Tolkien and mythology on Amazon this autumn. I’m also writing a new novel set in the same universe and…

New Suicide Commando album out later this month

Good news for fans of Harsh EBM and industrial music. The new album from Belgian Harsh EBM artist Johan van Roy, better known as Suicide Commando. The long awaited follow up to ‘Forest of The Impaled’ will be entitled ‘Goddestructor’. This will be a double record with a 11 new songs and a bonus remix album featuring artists such as C-Lekktor and Assemblage 23. You can check out the cover and…

Less than a month until Laurus Nobilis returns

In 2015, we brought you coverage of the 1st edition of Portuguese Summer festival Laurus Nobilis Music Famalicão – back then, with only one day dedicated to metal (see here). It would take them two more years/editions until they went full metal and fill the bill with only the kind of bands we most like. And then in 2020 COVID happened.  Like so many other festivals and concerts in general, the…

R.A.M.P. w/ support – Porto, Portugal

R.A.M.P., Equaleft, Blame ZeusHard Club (Sala 2), Porto (PT)10th June 2022Promoted by Notredame Productions The name R.A.M.P. may not mean much (or anything at all) to you, but ask any Portuguese metalhead about them and you’ll realize they’re quite a legend in their home country. So when they release a new album – especially since it’s been 13 (?!) years since the last one -, crisis or not, you…

Desert GatanMental WarStoner Metal, Sludge MetalReleased: 5th April 2022Self Released On my global travel through the metal world, it seems I have ended up in the great nation of Switzerland and the band Desert Gatan. I’ve had an opportunity to really dive into their new album Mental War. When I saw that five songs were going to be forty minutes long. I thought to myself that I would be in for a…

CrashDïet w/ support – Madrid, Spain

CrashDïet, Shiraz Lane, King ZebraSala Caracol, Madrid (ES)25th May 2022Promoted by Madness Live The golden age of glam & sleaze rock may have officially been the eighties, but there are a handful of bands capable of convincing you that such age is now. CrashDïet is one of them. After the “Rust” tour being cancelled due to the heinous pandemic in 2020, the release of “Automaton” late last month…

New Behemoth album coming in September

The legendary Polish blackened death metal band Behemoth have just announced that their new album, the follow up to ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’ will be entitled ‘Opvs Contra Natvram’. Here’s what their front-man Nergal had to say about it: “The album title means ‘going against the current’. It’s the negative of the values and morals and ethics that I, Nergal, stand against. I’ve seriously been…