VALTARI is a Melodic Death/Melodic Black metal entity from the mind of one musician, Marty Warren. VALTARI began as a nameless project in mid-2010. The style that Marty would eventually pursue began to take shape after years of defining what it was that made up the best parts of extreme metal from around the globe. Drawing on influences such as BEFORE THE DAWN, INSOMNIUM, ENSIFERUM, DIMMU BORGIR, LORD BELIAL, BE'LAKOR and early IN FLAMES, 2011 bought serious song writing to a head with the project becoming a tangible entity; VALTARI was born. The newest album, titled "Titan's Call" contains ten tracks.

"The Shadows Caress" opens the album. It begins with a rough instrumental assault and deep, thick Death Metal vocals. The melodies in the guitar work are quite intricate, reminiscent of IRON MAIDEN for me. Vocal harmonies in the chorus help to thicken up the sound. "Nemesis! Fortuna!" opens with a slower groove, and some double kick drum work. A horrid scream leads off the song. The guitar work here is fantastic. There is an air of depression within the song, and a strong ending. "Silence" opens with some twin guitar harmonies and a few lead notes. It's quicker and more powerful. It slows just a bit in the chorus, which is gut-wrenching in the sense that the world is ending, and you are the lone survivor. Some clean female vocals after the second chorus bring an element of beauty to the song.

"Titan's Call" is the title track. It opens with some ambient tones that are soon interrupted by a hateful scream. Just before the half-way mark, it slows, with some heavier and more punishing sounds. When you think of a titan, you visualize this massive beast, literally unbeatable. The song echoes this sentiment. "Die Well, Brother" beings with some unexpected piano notes that the guitars take and run with. Around the half-way mark, some more melody comes into play, but just enough to get you excited. I can also hear some more Black Metal elements in this song as well. Marty does well marrying both styles. The piano notes make a return at the end of the song. "Life Enemy" has a slower, more brutal sound, but still with those nice guitar melodies. This song has a raw energy that could wake the dead. It gains in steam as it rolls forward, picking up other elements along the way.

The Black Metal elements come out strongly in "Irim Divina." But it morphs nicely into the Melodic Death metal sound seamlessly. After the half-way mark, some keys bring another sound that the guitars grab and finish. Eerie clean guitars take the song to completion. "Follow" begins with some regal sounding guitars and a heavy, chugging pace. The drums kick it into overtime, while the guitars create some layers with harmonic leads. This might be my favorite song on the album because it has a certain presence...like it is above everything and everyone.

"Reflection" will totally defeat you. It has a combination of sad, dejected tones, but also with a message to summon every bit of what you have inside you and pull yourself out of the sinking quicksand so that your life may go on. "Cloaked" closes the album, in grand fashion. It has a faster gallop in the beginning, with mesmerizing guitar parts. The slower groove allows the dejected feeling to really sink in. Give up, it's over. The lead guitar notes towards the end reverberate like mountains in an endless valley and it ends with a slow fade-out.

VALTARI have done it again. This is an uncompromising Melodic Death Metal. Very few clean vocals are used, so the harsh vocals have to carry much of the sound. And they carry it with passion and fervent rage. Each track brings a little something different to the table, but it works as a cohesive whole. There is also a complexity to the music but at the same time, it is easy to follow. Marty also does an amazing job of riding that fence between despair and hope, and I'm still not sure where I landed in the end. The self-produced sound is also marvelous. It's obvious Marty has done this before.