There's a kind of romanced insight in Black Metal due the polemics in the early days of the Second Wave (the churches on fire, the violation of tombs, and others facts that happened during the years of 1992 and 1993 on Norway), and it can be a good answer for the great number of bands playing Old School Black Metal, influenced for what was done in Norway, Sweden, Greece, Finland and others on the first half of the 90's. And it can be said is the way used by the Irish VALAIS to play, as can be heard on "Valais", the band's first release.

It's a classic form of playing Black Metal, that same one that can be found on albums as "De Mysteriis Dom Sathans", "Under a Funeral Moon" and many other releases of the first half of the 90's. But inside the band's musical work, one can feel a personal approach, even using the same clichés of the genre. And even using long songs, things are not a boring experience for the fans. No, it's good, even with the band having to explore in a deeper way its musical potential in the future. As one can imagine, the sonority of "Valais" is really nasty and crude, trying to have that morbid and organic feeling of the past. It seems that things were recorded in the human way possible (what means that things are not emulated on a computer or keyboard, but played), but in a way that defines things to have a comprehensible outfit.

As mentioned above, the band uses long songs. "II" and "IV" are just instrumental interludes (the first one based on keyboards and pianos, and the second on guitars) to create ambient contrasts. "I" (a very good and charming set of Old School guitar riffs can be heard on this one), "III" (a massive and catchy set of slow rhythms can be heard, showing a solid work on bass guitar and drums), and "V" (the shrikes used on the vocals can make cold chills run on the spine of the fans, and what a morbid set of ambiences can be heard) are good songs, but in a primordial stage. Some sharpening can be done in the future, but's good for a first release.

"Valais" is a very good release, and VALAIS is a name that will make the hearts of those old fans that saw the 90's beat stronger and faster, indeed.