Valdrin – Throne Of The Lunar Soul Review AND Video Premiere

[Cover Art by Lucas Ruggieri]

I promise all of this will make sense, so stick with me.

In 1986, a young protagonist emerged for the first time from the land of Hyrule, a land I always found reminiscent of Scandinavia. I must admit, however, that notion has since been disproven by the story’s creators. The hero’s purpose was to protect his land from overrule and rescue a princess from an evil antagonist known as Ganondorf, a sinister villain hellbent on possessing a revered and powerful relic known as the Triforce to obtain absolute supremacy. With his sacred Master Sword, the protagonist slashed through difficult circumstances, guided by goodwill and maybe naivety. Nonetheless, his heart and the sound of perseverance captured the attention of his faithful followers—good guy, that Link character is.

Years later, a few “antagonistic” Scandinavian fellows popularized this sound and ideology known as black metal. Perhaps a wee bit different than our hero Link and more akin to his ruthless foe Ganondorf, many of these characters with similarly memorable but less pleasant names like Necrobutcher, Nocturno Culto and Pest, were hellbent on … well … Hell … Hell and controversy. But not everything was as evil as possession, Hell and Satan in the world of black metal. Of course, some of that—OK, a lot of that—bled into the themes and lyrics, but many bands were also focused on fantasy novels and stories, most notably Tolkien tales. For example, Gorgoroth is explicitly named after a region in the land of Mordor. You know, the place where the One Ring was created and destroyed? Gorgoroth liked Satan and Hell, too, but you get the point. Also, we could look at the band Summoning. Summoning was heavily influenced by fantasy and Tolkien’s Middle Earth creation. Hell, even some of the soundscapes on their records would fit right in on a Legend of Zelda video game or that rumored live-action film.

Primitive fantasy tales and extreme metal go together like steel longswords and obsidian shields. Aesthetically, it all makes too much sense. Many miles from Scandinavia and some weird simulation portal away from Hyrule is Cincinnati, Ohio, home of Valdrin, the name of a melodic death/black metal project and the character found within its bones. Valdrin frontman Carter Hicks did an interview with From the Bowels of Perdition a few years ago about the main protagonist known as Valdrin Ausadjur. Valdrin’s character is a warrior from a spiritual race known as the Ausadjur. He is sent to Earth and into the underworld, Orcus, to defeat a growing insurrection of demonic gods. Valdrin eventually meets the story’s antagonist, Nex Animus, overseer of the underworld.

Although in a much darker sense, Valdrin’s odyssey reminds me of a classic ’80s or ’90s Legend of Zelda storyline. Valdrin also strives to do good and fights for victory while learning about himself. However, as you’ll read (or hear), unlike Link, Valdrin’s poor soul is tainted by his mortality and failures. I told you; it’s a much darker heroic story than Link’s arc. I won’t spoil anything, so read the lyrics for yourself.

Valdrin is old school, but not just in a sonic melodic death/black metal sense; it’s old school in that so much thought is put into its themes and storylines and how those work with the atmosphere of the music. And it’s all very calculated. I’ll dive more into that momentarily.

OK, quick b r e a t h e r. If you’ve stuck with me, hopefully, this is starting to make sense.

Throughout the now four full-length albums, a non-linear story is told. The first album, Beyond the Forest, is the introduction and explains basically what I just told you. The second album, Two Carrion Talismans, is a prequel to the events on the first album and is told from the POV of Nex Animus. The third full-length Effigy of Nightmares is also a prequel and centers on Nex Animus, but mainly focuses on his extraordinary evil power. That leads us to the next Valdrin chapter and new double album, Throne of the Lunar Soul.

Valdrin oozes 90s melodic black and death metal but also homes in on the symphonic side. The project is seemingly influenced by bands like Dissection and Sacramentum and even synthier acts like Summoning. As I alluded to earlier, at its core, Valdrin is also focused on an album’s theatrical performance and cinematic experience, without question, inspired by bands like the legendary Mercyful Fate. The storytelling mixed with medieval melodies and harmonic-minor riffs is mesmerizing. With that said, on Throne of the Lunar Soul, even more so and better than ever, Valdrin captures the essence of music and cinema as the tale of the Ausadjurian continues.

The album begins with “Neverafter,” a beautiful opener with classic synths that would work perfectly on Minas Morgul before diving into a chunky riff backed by a thicker rhythm section. Synths slowly pave the wave for an onslaught of fast-paced primitive black metal. The touch of acoustic guitars near the end of the track with a spoken arrangement adds to the cinematic quality of the record right out of the gate. Hicks’s vocals are powerful here as the song hits its climax. “Golden Walls of Ausadjur” builds on the foundation of synths underlying walls of riffs meant for medieval scenery. Suppose the minutes leading up to the solo at the halfway point here are the heroic ride into battle. In that case, the subsequent moments are placing severed heads on stakes and cleansing a bloodied blade—a genuinely spectacular track that builds and releases tension perfectly.

Throne of the Lunar Soul by Valdrin

“Seven Swords (In the Arsenal of Steel)” continues exploring the heavy use of synths, but what stands out on this track is just how subtle—but still pivotal—they are to the song. The frantic vocals and pounding drumbeats mimic the rapid heart rate that coincides with fear and anxiety. The atmosphere is almost suffocating, and while it teeters on almost being too much, it doesn’t drift into unlistenable chaos. Instead, backed by those synths and meticulously picked moments of levity, it’s a creation that blurs the lines between beauty and sorrow and relief and panic. On “Paladins of Ausadjur,” soaring arpeggios create a sense of heroism. While the vocals here are fierce and feral, they are also at points backed by epic, choir-like chants and folky dungeon synth moments that keep you captivated by a sonic mythical world. While not as raw, “Sojourner Wolf” is reminiscent of something off Gehenna’s Seen Through the Veils of Darkness (The Second Spell). The drum performance here is phenomenal and perfectly fills the void of consciousness between the vocals and riffs. The melancholic ending to the track is sparked by mourning screeches and a melting solo that makes way for a quick acoustic break before bringing back one final wave of aggression.

“The Hierophant” is more straight-to-the-point than prior tracks. It’s relentless and leaves no room to catch even the slightest pinch of oxygen. At times, it feels like spiraling deep into pitch-black emptiness. It’s one of the shorter tracks, but a nice transition on the double LP. “Vagrant in the Chamber of Night” comprises some of the best guitar work on the album. Compositionally, this is the most cinematic moment on the record, with how it ebbs and flows with the gripping leads and massive riffs. The band also throws deeper spoken word interludes for an extra dab of flamboyance. “Holy Matricide” brings a sense of anticipation, much like the second act of a movie, with some traditional heavy metal moments and arguably some of the most remarkable vocal cadences on the album.

The title track, “Throne of the Lunar Soul,” is the album’s peak and is a true masterpiece of blackened death metal. Remember when Zelda cries in Link’s arms in Breath of the Wild? Similarly, at a much slower pace, Valdrin bleeds exquisite despair backed by somber key tones and tranquil guitar solos. From start to finish, “Throne of the Lunar Soul” is perfect, and dare I say, one of the best songs I’ve heard all year. The way it pulls you in just to let you slip away from the space between its fingertips at the very end is brilliant. “Two Carrion Talismans,” without question more focused on Nex Animus, enters at blazing speeds and is much more malicious, especially vocally, than the prior chapter. The album ends with “Hymn to the Convergence,” an instrumental that depicts a cliffhanger and credits roll. It’s a stunning end to a nearly 73-minute-long epic.

Throne of the Lunar Soul isn’t just an album; it’s a voyage through the power of storytelling and atmosphere crafted purely through sound. Valdrin’s heroic work goes beyond the usual genre constraints, creating a piece of art that hits deep. No exaggeration: it’s one of the best albums I’ve heard this year, and it might clinch the top spot. It brings fresh air to a scene often stuck in the same sound. The tracks are lengthy, but the quality is so high that time slips away without notice. If you’re putting together your album of the year list, wait to finalize it until you’ve taken in the experience of Throne of the Lunar Soul.

And, as a final note or a request, I’d like to address Valdrin (the band, not the character, obviously) if they’re reading this. Please include me as a character in the next chapter of our hero’s journey. I’ll be listening. Oh, and after the official release of Throne of the Lunar Soul, a plethora of others will, too.