Saturday 16 February 2019

Glass Hammer - Valkyrie (2016)


The 17th album from this band from USA.

Glass Hammer is a quartet with a lineup of bass, drums, guitars, keyboards and vocals.

I have been following this band for many, many years. Since I became interested in progressive rock, more or less. I am not so fast when it comes to reviewing their albums, though. I have broadened my horizons.

I have though made a review of their albums in # 1 of this blog. You will find reviews of most of their albums there.

Glass Hammer delivers again an hour long album with bombastic US symphonic prog. Everything is bigger and bolder in USA than in Europe. Hence their sound who really reflects that.

There is a mix of female and male vocals here who works perfectly.

The music itself is not perfect by any stretch of my imagination. It is big, bold and a bit underwhelming in the quality of the songs.

This album is about the damages from ww2 the survivors carries with them and therefore; a concept album. And it works in that concept. There is a lot of melancholy and feelings here.

This album is another grower too as it does not really gives away much after one or two listenings. But it then starts to open up and some great synths cascades opens up the melodies.

I am slightly torn here. But it is still a very good album from a band who still carries on, year after year. That too is to be admired.

3.5 points







No comments:

Post a Comment