South Wales based noise mongers Valhalla Awaits are back with a bang. This latest EP: ‘Perdition‘ builds on the rock-solid foundations of their previous offerings: Condemned and Reckoning.

As we all know, South Wales is firmly on the rock and roll map again with bands such as Florence Black, Those Damn Crows & Sister Morphine dominating the UK scene, and stalwarts such as Tigertailz still releasing great material. The boys from VA have their own distinctive sound though, think Alice in Chains morphed with Alter Bridge and you won’t be too far away. Huge riffs courtesy of Chris Green (Revoker) and Rhys Carter, melody and hooks that grab you from the first listen, and THOSE vocals from Andrew Hunt (Buffalo Summer) …. This is all held together by the rhythmic pairing of Sam Kilby and Gareth ‘Snoz’ Lawrence (The Blackout).

Opening track ‘Door of No Return’ kicks off the EP in style, razor-sharp riffing and epic drum pounding all rolled up with a huge chorus that grabs you from the first listen. Staring at the Gun is a mid-paced riff fest with more superbly executed vocal melodies, I really could listen to Andrew sing for hours, his vocals are just made for this band, and he soars beautifully over the top of the music. The first single that was released last year Is There Anybody Out There? feels like an old friend that has popped in to say hello, the band has a knack for creating earworms and this track is already etched in my musical mind bank.

We Remain is dominated by chugging riffs and uplifting lyrical content, the final track All Hope is Lost kicks off with a melodic intro before lunging into a riff that Tony Iommi would be proud of, drummer Snoz lays into his china cymbal like his life depended on it. Fantastic stuff.

The EP consists of five expertly crafted and recorded tracks that will further cement the band’s upward trajectory. 2024 is going to be a good one for Valhalla Awaits.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick