Valor - The Yonder Answer

Valor

The Yonder Answer

by Tuoksu Holopainen at 28 February 2013, 6:40 PM

VALOR is an underrated Greek Metal band that I lately got introduced to. "The Yonder Answer" is actually their third release so far, and it shows a great potential and virtuosity. The tracks are somewhat short and never boring, ornamented with vivacious melodies and catchy riffs. The whole thing in 2 words: very enjoyable.

The album's breatakingly "Intro-The Journey Begins" perfectly bursts into "Answer's Yonder", a rather bombastic, power and enchanting track. Vaggelis Krouskas' impressing and amazingly outstanding vocal performance is top-notch. Here, it is easy to tell that the album can be definitely classified within the Power Metal genre, notably, my favorite. "Crossroads" continues with a great velocity especially when it comes to bass and I have to mention that this is one of the few releases where I get to notice the bass sound very clearly. Thus, Chris Remoundos deserves all credit for that.

"Guides" is somewhat an IRON MAIDEN track, with a touch of HELLOWEEN, slow and mellow with soaring vocals and sultry guitars. "Follow Me" retrieves the bombastic sound and it's probably the catchiest track in the album, again, all due to the great vocals and the old-school-yet-fresh riffs. Keyboards come back again in "Bravest", a tiny interlude, enhanced by an awesome orchestration, and then we discover a slightly different vocal approach in "Choices" as well as in "Human" and Krouskas kind of reminded me of Tony Kakko from SONATA ARCTICA, at some point. "One Hand Red" and the closing track "Inner Nature" are as ear-pleasing as the rest of the tracks, and the album wraps up in a cheerful enthusiastic feeling.

Thumbs up VALOR!, a decent, promising release indeed.