Band's List Metal Valet Parn Riddle Figure

Never underestimate the power of the first impression – everyone should keep that in their mind, especially when they know it could mean a huge improvement for their career. Valet Parn, a band based in Athens, Greece, definitely followed it and the result is especially good. Not everyone has an opportunity to record their first official release in such a famous studio like Fredman Studios (In Flames, Dimmu Borgir, Opeth, Arch Enemy), but there is nothing better you can do then to use it if you can. Yes, Valet Parn enhanced their great talent and potential by first class quality recording background and the result is more than worth listening – it is almost obligation to check it out!

Maybe it is only my view, but Greek metal/hard rock bands have very specific sound (compare Valet Parn to Scar of the Sun for example and you will understand) and the open minded approach to subliming different genres to the songs. The tracks that seem like the usual rock song include growling, the heavy ones can surprise you with a melodic passage and what I personally love the most about their music is kind of southern melancholic feel in their songs, even though they are overall very lively.

About the lyrics I can’t say anything bad but neither can put it as the most outstanding aspect of this piece of work. Yes, they make sense and no, they are not dumb at all, but in the result it more appears that the words are just the complementary for the music, not that the music is adjusted for the lyrics. Anyway the moods of the both aspects are well combined and you don’t feel any misbalance while enjoying the album. However if your mind is going to be blown up, it’s going to be rather thanks to the guitar solos and catchy, almost addictive melodies.

What is in my view crucial, not for those talented Greek guys, but for every band, no matter what genre they play, is to give the music its own original feel and soul, and for the first release I would give them A+ since the emotions in the songs are expressed very clearly without any unnecessary drama or pushing. And this is in my opinion the thing that is sometimes more important than the technical skills or overly poetic lyrics – even though in this case everything is in perfect equilibrium.

In the end, after listening to the whole album, it is still hard to say how to label it, or if it is even possible. This is the work that goes beyond genres and it’s the originality that is so captivating. And if the band gives at least half as much of the effort as they put into the album into their live performance as well, for sure it would be the show that should not be missed!