Among the releases MeteorCity has set for the earlier part of 2010, two reissues from Virginia rockers Valkyrie are bound to stand out. The band’s 2006 self-titled and 2008’s Man of Two Visions were both records of exceptional quality, but even more than that was the fact that from one to the next, the double-guitar four-piece made leaps in terms of their sonics and songcraft. Not only was Man of Two Visions more intricate than its predecessor — and that’s not to take anything away from the album Valkyrie, which was powerful in its own right — but also more organic.
It had a natural sound and feel that came across in the songwriting, yes, but also in the performances of the players themselves. Guitarist and vocalist brothers Jake and Pete Adams — the latter also of Baroness — demonstrated an impeccable chemistry, playing off each other with harmonies and riffs that were flat-out gorgeous, while bassist Will Barry-Rec and drummer Warren Hawkins grounded the material and added a low-end thickness that made sure the band’s sense of heavy was always in tact.
For anyone who missed either of these two records, the MeteorCity reissues should be a clarion call. Both Valkyrie and Man of Two Visions were works of exceptional quality that proved the southern underground still had plenty to say in this new millennium. In the following interview, Jake Adams talks candidly the band’s sonic shifts, plans for the future, and how the success of his brother’s other band has played into Valkyrie’s ongoing work.
Read the interview here.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please share your comments...