Valkyrian
...Of Boredom and Sorrow

A will forged in steel is the foundation of the Valkyrian project, an ambitious Tuscan ensemble with the unique and challenging goal of spreading their musical word across an Italian peninsula melancholically wrapped in an unhealthy and ancient torpor, which for too long has suffocated the brilliant instincts of praiseworthy independent sound initiatives.

Sealing a blood pact to bring this exciting creature to life are three young musicians from the Siena metal scene, perfectly integrated into the devastating mechanisms that animate the lethal staves of death metal. The skill and charisma of the vocalist and bass player, Filippo Ferrari, are expertly integrated with the technical talent of guitarist Tommaso Dringoli, an exceptional axe-man and silent demiurge of dark symphonies: completing the dynamic trio is the backbone of the group, the mighty drummer Matteo Salutari, a titan of the skins at the service of the greatest war machine ever to appear in the tricolor underground.

After the publication of a self-titled demo tape (2002), released in just a few dozen copies and quickly becoming a cult object, the Valkyrian honed their cohesion in live settings and made a thunderous debut in 2005 with the album "...Of Boredom And Sorrow," a historic release for the Italian heavy undergrowth, destined to captivate the most enthusiastic attention of the specialized press on a death metal scene still in its embryonic state. An exceptional artwork (mostly created by singer Filippo Ferrari) introduces a booklet worthy of the best occasions: it is the prelude to a cosmic flood of notes that will inundate every listener ready to confront the universal beauty of "...Of Boredom and Sorrow," without a doubt the best Italian death metal album of recent years, alongside the recent "Skymorphosis" (2006) by Gory Blister.

The ouverture of this grandiose album is entrusted to the suggestive declamations of "Inno a Satana," a poem by Giosuè Carducci written in September 1863 and set to music with grace and delicacy, effectively crystallizing the message of love for art expressed by the Vate of Italy. Electrifying surges of pure violence give life to the impeccable architectural structure of "Bloody Obsession," an imposing cathedral built to duly glorify the icon Chuck Schuldiner: the powerful death metal lashes barely conceal a progressive soul that emerges with surprising lucidity in the finale, bringing to the surface the multiple influences of these skillful and young musicians. The group demonstrates a personality marked by the pursuit of originality and innovation, but its heritage has roots in the golden tradition of '80s thrash metal and the primal death of American extraction. The influence of Metallica's "Ride The Lightning" (1984) gently rests on elegant death-themed motifs drawn over patterns decisively traversed by the unparalleled At The Gates of "Slaughter of the Soul" (1995).

The sound of Valkyrian, however, transcends the canonical schemata of the aforementioned genres, painting a work projected towards a future of metal ardor with a strong innovative charge. The melancholic melodies of "The [first] book of Urizen," elegantly underscored by the violin of Margherita Mencattelli, introduce us to the devastating "Insane Existence," a song with fast and sharp riffing, but characterized by a melodic soul of undeniable refinement. The precision of the guitar phrasing, abrasive and incisive, demonstrates how the band has carefully assimilated the unhealthy example set by the British band Carcass in their masterpiece "Heartwork" (1994) and the previous "Necroticism Descanting the Insalubrious" (1991): guitars and rhythm section methodically intertwine their paths, crowning their macabre encounter in a sonic embrace of rare beauty and depth. The subsequent instrumental fragment "Chaotic Voices," well introduced by the piano of Ettore Paolucci, is indissolubly linked to the sound fresco painted in "Anonymous Manuscript": the fascinating songwriting of guitarist Tommaso Dringoli helps elevate the tone of an already excellent composition, further enhancing its sound setup with lyrics imbued with mystical essences and Nietzschean references. Retracing the ancient Hellenic tradition to reach Hegelian philosophical elaborations, the author depicts his ideal dialogue with the divine, bringing to light the constant of the Dionysian element in contemporary cults. His composition echoes the unforgettable prose of the late screamer Par Yngve Ohlin, known as Dead, sublime author of the chilling song "Life Eternal," performed by Attila Csihar in the Mayhem album "De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas" (1994): the direct relationship with the otherworldly dimension is enriched with an innovative and disturbing vision, destined to complete the occult canvas left unfinished by the premature disappearance of the Stockholm singer.
The final diptych, composed of "Hell (Mundi Alumni)" and "Heaven," effectively outlines the interesting mystical/philosophical vision theorized by the Tuscan trio: good and evil, unlike the concepts of Apollonian and Dionysian, represent two distinct and contrasting faces of a Leviathan that controls the destinies of the world; the eternal contrast between these two forces is the fundamental element that allows the creatures populating this planet to access life and proliferate in their existence. Their destiny, however, is inextricably linked to this eternal conflict, and in their existential paths, they will inevitably have to confront their nemesis to attain inner peace and universal knowledge.

Valkyrian today simply represent the future of European death metal: their songs are modern poems suspended between Ossianic reminiscences and crepuscular fragments of the ancient Scapigliatura, the literary movement that at the twilight of the 1800s embodied the purest soul of Italian Romanticism. To their tenacity and their unwavering ardor, we entrust today the mission to protect and ferry the ideal manuscripts towards new and golden shores, which within their pages contain the buried consciousness of death metal.
(Enrico Rosticci)

TITLETRACK:

01) INNO A SATANA (Giosuè Carducci)
02) BLOODY OBSESSION
03) THE [FIRST] BOOK OF URIZEN
04) INSANE EXISTENCE
05) CHAOTIC VOICES
06) ANONYMOUS MANUSCRIPT
07) HELL (MUNDI AUMNI)
08) HEAVEN