It’s been seven long years since Virginian rockers Valkyrie issued their second album, Man of Two Visions, and wow that’s a long time. MeteorCity did a reissue in 2010, and they’ve continued to play shows every now and again, brotherly guitar duo Jake and Pete Adams (the latter of Baroness and now also guesting with the Samhain reunion) coordinating around family lives, member flux, Pete‘s tour schedule, etc., more or less gigging when able, but yeah, the years have gone quick. Valkyrie were always a killer band, and I frickin’ loved Man of Two Visions when that came out, so I’ll be interested to hear what they’ve got in store for their third long-player, which Relapse has picked up for an early 2015 release following a recording session with Sanford Parker.

The PR wire puts it like this:

VALKYRIE Sign to Relapse Records; Complete Recording New Album

Relapse Records is proud to announce the signing of Virginia hard rock riff worshippers VALKYRIE. Formed in 2002, VALKYRIE consists of brothers Jake and Pete Adams (Baroness, Samhain) on guitar and vocals, Alan Fary (Earthling) on bass and Warren Hawkins on drums. Drawing heavily from the classic eras of hard rock and heavy metal, VALKYRIE play guitar driven rock n’ roll replete with infectious solos and catchy, powerful vocals. The band has drawn numerous comparisons to greats like Thin Lizzy, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, early Iron Maiden, and Deep Purple.

The quartet has released two full-lengths along with a series of EPs and singles. VALKYRIE recently recorded their first full-length in over 7 years at Earth Analog Studios in Champaign, IL with producer Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican) earlier this month. The eight song album will see an early 2015 release via Relapse.

Guitarist / vocalist Jake Adams commented on the signing and new material:

“We are really excited about this new record. Some of these songs we have been working on for many years and we are glad to see them have a proper release on an excellent label. This new record will be a step up in terms of song dynamics and musicianship from the previous albums. We think our fans will dig the fresh approach to the classic Valkyrie sound.”

http://thevalkyrierides.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thevalkyrierides
http://www.thevalkyrierides.com/
http://www.relapse.com/

Valkyrie, Man of Two Visions (2007)

The plan is to head out here in a little bit, grab a bagel, stop by the camera store to pick up a lens filter, extra battery and something else I can’t remember but have written down — lens cap! — and then get my oil changed and hit the road down to Maryland for what’s undoubtedly the best festival for underground heavy on the Eastern Seaboard: Stoner Hands of Doom XI. If you’re thinking about coming down, do it. Tonight starts with Borracho at 8PM, also features Apostle of Solitude, and Negative Reaction headlines. As ever, I’m the fat guy with a black t-shirt, long hair, a beard and sandals. Pretty much the uniform.

More info on the fest is here. There are so many bands I haven’t seen before — Ancient Astronaught, Windhand, Against Nature, Acid Queen, Iron Front — and I know it’s going to be a good time. Krug’s Place in Frederick is basically the hub of the Maryland scene these days. Gotta go, gotta go.

I thought we’d cap this week withValkyrie, since Rob Levey, who puts together the SHoD fest, decided to do so once again this year after seeing them play in their native Virginia. He tells the story on SHoD‘s site, but the crux of it is that he and his wife, Cheryl, had sworn off doing fests until they saw the excitement of the crowd at this one Valkyrie show with Bible of the Devil, and couldn’t resist starting back up. So, on the 12th anniversary of the original show, we get the 11th installment. Doom on.

So stick around this weekend, because I’ll be posting words and pictures from the fest, and next week (I might take Monday off, we’ll see), I’ll have an interview posted with post-Acrimony riffers Sigiriya, a track premiere from Ape Machine, reviews of Loss, Totimoshi and others, and all the whathaveyou that’s fit to turn blue.

Alright, I’m out. See you in Frederick, and if not there, I hope you have a great and safe weekend wherever you are. More to come.

It was originally put out in 2008 on the band’s own Noble Origins imprint with Kreation Records handling the vinyl, but Valkyrie‘s Man of Two Visions is now seeing a CD repress thanks to MeteorCity.

I wouldn’t usually print this as news, but Man of Two Visions really is an excellent album and deserves to be heard by as many people as possible. Plus, the band seem to be treating this like a first release rather than a reissue, and if it’s good enough for the Adams brothers, it’s good enough for my ass.

The PR wire has the following to say about it:

Virginia-based heavy rock band Valkyrie see the release of its sophomore album today.  The band – driven by brothers Jake and Pete Adams (also of fast-rising rock unit Baroness) – will release Man of Two Visions on July 6 via MeteorCity.

Valkyrie self-released two demos and a 7” record over the course of 2004-2005 and in 2006, saw the release of its self-titled debut, which was engineered by Chris Kozlowski (Pentagram, Trouble, The Obsessed, Spirit Caravan, The Melvins, Blue Cheer). Now with a fully realized vision and a wealth of hard earned experience under its belt, the band has created an album that will resonate deeply with its diehard supporters and impact new music fans with a bold statement of intent.

The track listing for Valkyrie’s Man of Two Visions is as follows:
1. Running Out
2. Dawntide’s Breeze
3. Green Highlander
4. Apocalypse Unsealed
5. False Dreams
6. The Gorge
7. Man of Two Visions

Of course, those of us around The Obelisk already knew from the interview with Jake Adams from back in December that Virginian rockers Valkyrie were working with MeteorCity on reissues of their first two albums, but hey, sometimes even the PR wire can’t keep up with all the breaking news that comes out of this place. The following update came in about release dates for said reissues. Check it out:

Virginia-based heavy rock band Valkyrie recently signed a deal with MeteorCity. MeteorCity will reissue both Valkyrie‘s self-titled debut album and their second album, Man of Two Visions. Release dates are set for July 5 (Europe) and July 6 (North America).

Valkyrie has also announced appearances at the first annual Fever to Sing festival in Blacksburg, Virginia, on the weekend of March 26-28, 2010 and long-running college radio conference Macrock in Harrisonburg, Virginia on the weekend of April 2-3, 2010.

Founded in 2002 in Lexington, Virginia by brothers Jake and Pete Adams (also of Baroness), Valkyrie’s twin harmonized guitar leads and clean dual vocals display a “musical telepathy” that only brothers can achieve. With a strong nod to classic doom and traditional heavy metal, Valkyrie’s genre transcending sound also pays homage to classic heavy rock bands like Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy while bringing to mind the pastoral and organic sounds of Wishbone Ash and Jethro Tull. With no regard to image, or retro-rock posturing, Valkyrie’s true, classic heavy metal assault continues to turn many heads with its impressive live shows and soul-stirring conviction.

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.

As always, Q&A is after the jump. Please enjoy.

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