VALKYRIE
DOM LAWSON
Fear
RELAPSE
Revered retro cult bring the proto-metal thunder
Steeped in the fuzzy tones and exploratory fervour of the early 70s, Valkyrie get far closer to nailing the real-deal vibes than most. The Virginian quartet’s first album in five years builds on the pitch-perfect doom nostalgia of 2015’s Shadows, allowing some woozy, psychedelic hues to prevail at key moments, and a gently progressive undertow that suits the band’s jam-driven instrumental instincts perfectly. The gloriously languorous The Choice is the pick of the bunch; all dreamy, doped-up swagger and swirling Paisley lead breaks, it owes as much to Wishbone Ash as it does to Witchcraft. Meanwhile, the rolling, shape-shifting angst of Fear And Sacrifice and the elegant, wistful psych of closer Exasperator highlight the versatility and verve that lurk behind a proudly sepia-hued exercise.