Valdrin – Beyond the Forest
Nicely composed and highly melodic black metal featuring a (non jam shorts wearing) thrash influence. The guitar harmonies on Beyond the Forest rise with a hook laden enthusiasm to put one in mind of the Swedish black/death heyday. Dissonant riffing gives songs like the title track a pleasing underground black persona and Valdrin keep the vibe rolling quite nicely with smart/engaging structures and interesting layers to give their sound depth. Vocally, an Ihsahn strained screeching style certainly is noticeable and effective, though I would have preferred more adventurous vocal structures rather than following the guitar lines exactly on the beat. This happens on every song and gets quite tiring, though overlooking such a minor observation in light of the overall powerful and interesting music that Valdrin have created allowed me to enjoy this album as a whole. A full sounding production also heightens the impact of Beyond the Forest and even though Ohio’s Valdrin have brought nothing new sonically to the table, their sound possesses a fire that can only intensify as they continue to expand upon their style and grow as songwriters. Beyond the Forest is an enjoyable listen. -Marty
Blasthead Records
Worm Gear 