METAL REVOLUTION WEBZINE
(Dania)

Valinor is a five piece metal band hailing from Debica (Poland) and the group is now ready to unleash yet another deadly black & death metal assault. The new, and second, album is entitled Hidden Beauty. Let there be said immediately, the music on this 9 tracker CD is not as good as on their debut album. It sounds like they lack some punch and voyage that was so a trademark for this experienced Polish combo (playing this kind of music since 1993 (?!).
I mean there’s still imminent feeling of darkness, death, melancholy but also the melodic parts are present, as well as the folk music parts and colourful and attractive images. It all starts of with chilly and cold intro song “Prologue” which I like a lot. The following three songs are nothing special to be honest. It is simply not impressive nor the avant-garde enough if you ask me. “A Hand of Dead” is interesting and lyrically strong song, to be followed by maybe the far best song on this album “Hidden Beauty – The Beginning” which is an instrumental song, an analogue of the title song. It sounds fresh and melodic in the contrast to the first 4 songs. “Requiem” is another mid-paced strong song with some technical guitar passages but also typical death metal assault. “Epilogue” is as its name suggests the closing track on this rather average release. “Epilogue” is an angry, combative and threatening song which is worth of a few additional spins in my stereo. Production wise as well as the artistically we are dealing here with an average but solid piece of black/death metal, a true piece of the East-European underground music that will only satisfy the friends of the band and some collectors in the Western Europe. Sound can improve a big deal, vocal parts has to be more prominent and diverse. On the other hand I must say that with their predecessor Valinor has proved that they are able to play some awesome and brutal music and I’m looking forward to the next release from them, maybe they’ll go back and see what they have managed to do so well in the past.
If you want to reach the band please use one of the following & official addresses: www.valinor.com.pl or www.myspace.com/valinorband

Bato
Note: 63/100