Vallendusk - Fortress of Primal Grace

By Hera Vidal. About three weeks ago, I wrote about Vallendusk’s Homeward Path and I mentioned that the band has a comforting, atmospheric black metal appeal and a tendency for cohesiveness and musical experimentation. For their third album

By Hera Vidal.


About three weeks ago, I wrote about Vallendusk’s Homeward Path and I mentioned that the band has a comforting, atmospheric black metal appeal and a tendency for cohesiveness and musical experimentation. For their third album, Fortress of Primal Grace, it seemed they decided to amp their other metal influences and fully let that meld with the atmospheric black metal to create something greater and majestic.

True to their brand of experimentation, Vallendusk still makes me want to get up and dance, as their ever-present folk tones continue in effect. What’s even better is that they took their melodic metal influences and they ran with it, creating an album that continues in that warm vein of atmospheric black metal. However, instead of their focus being in the music, a lot of attention has been paid to their atmosphere. With the usage of clean vocals and what sounds like a reel, the atmosphere feels like a warm blanket, letting the listener become acquainted with the comforting sounds of the backing melody. This album isn’t meant to scare you or make you go into a certain headspace to enjoy it; rather, it uses tones that have already worked in the past and they incorporated new sounds to keep things fresh and vibrant. Vallendusk even makes the atmosphere even warmer by adding acoustic touches to the music, amplifying the overall mood of the record. Vallendusk has definitely expanded their musical range by adding to their vast catalogue of musical elements that they can get away with.

What also caught my attention regarding Fortress of Primal Grace was the overall high production value the album has. I have mentioned that they have a tendency for cohesiveness, but everything about Fortress is clean – the mixing is excellent, the instrumentation doesn’t overpower the vocals, and the sound is crisp and clear. You can hear every single aspect of the tones used on the album and how they are all woven together throughout the album. You can’t help but marvel at Vallendusk’s cohesiveness. Granted, pulling this off on the first two albums is unheard of, but actually continuing their streak of excellence shows off Vallendusk’s incredible musicianship. This is a band that knows what works sonically and have decided to stick with it.

All in all, Fortress of Primal Grace is an excellent testament of Vallendusk’s brand of atmospheric black metal. Fortress is the most accessible and approachable of the three albums so far, but it also shows just how keen their musical evolution is. From emphasizing atmospheric black metal on Black Clouds Gathering to the clean instrumentation of Fortress, Vallendusk is a case study of a band that truly knows their stuff.

Vallendusk - Homeward Path

By Hera Vidal. Vallendusk falls under the atmospheric black metal label, and while the subgenre can be stagnant at times, I always come back to it. Perhaps it’s the continued pursuit of seeing the subgenre change and evolve into

By Hera Vidal.


Vallendusk falls under the atmospheric black metal label, and while the subgenre can be stagnant at times, I always come back to it. Perhaps it’s the continued pursuit of seeing the subgenre change and evolve into something that pushes the limits of the subgenre. Perhaps it’s the continued assessment of what the subgenre should sound like with all the bells and whistles black metal has come to enjoy.

The same elements that I enjoyed from their debut album Black Clouds Gathering come back in Homeward Path: the cohesiveness, the atmospheric black metal sound that seems to overwhelm you, the touches of folk into the music that makes you want to get up and dance. However, there is a melodic nature to the music that makes it different from its predecessor. It remains true to the atmospheric black metal aesthetic of taking the listener elsewhere, but it also keeps them grounded with the melodies the music evokes. The music is so well-done that you immediately don’t want it to end.

There is a warmth and a vitality to this album that you couldn’t find in most black metal albums. In most cases, black metal tends to sound cold and unapproachable, as if the concept of being otherworldly is so abstract that the casual listener wouldn’t understand it. However, Homeward Path makes the music incredibly approachable, as you find that the music is soothing rather than punishing. It wants to take you by the hand and guide you towards the familiar and the comfortable so you are not scared. It comforts the listener, reminding them that black metal doesn’t always have to be cold.

What I also love about Homeward Path is that it may be even better than Black Clouds Gathering. While they are both epic in scheme and in length, Homeward Path just sounds stronger and more well-put together. It sounds like the band took all the elements that made Black Clouds Gathering successful, refined it, added more backing instruments, and let their ideas run. It completely skips the second album curse, as it sounds so much better than its predecessor. The album is lengthy, but never pretentious. It is also more dynamic in concept and its energy never wanes, even in the most tedious of passages. There are no boring moments in Homeward Path, and that is a victory on its own.

In short, Homeward Path is comforting atmospheric black metal filled with melodies and a cohesiveness that rivals its predecessor. The sheer beauty of the music is a religious experience, fully cementing the idea of an established sound. I am now completely sold on Vallendusk, and I have a feeling they will become a classic pick in atmospheric black metal. After all, given how great their music is, I have no doubt in my mind that we will see more of them in the future.

Vallendusk - Black Clouds Gathering

By BreadGod. I remember reviewing Vallendusk's self-titled EP last year and I loved it. Ever since then I've been eagerly awaiting the day when they would release some more stuff. At last, that day has come. Their full-length debut

By BreadGod.

Artwork by Yudha Lesmana.

I remember reviewing Vallendusk's self-titled EP last year and I loved it. Ever since then I've been eagerly awaiting the day when they would release some more stuff. At last, that day has come. Their full-length debut, Black Clouds Gathering, has just been released by that fantastic purveyor of obscure oriental delights, Pest Productions.

The members of Vallendusk have either saved up a lot of money or they have friends in high places, because the production on this album is superb. The sound is clear and warm and all the instruments shine through with ease. Whereas most other atmospheric black metal bands stick to mid-paced rhythms, the drums here like to play fast and hard, with constant blast beats and double bass crashing down upon you like torrential rain. However, there are those times when they play simpler post-rock beats to keep things from getting repetitive. The vocals consist of a rasp that reminds me of Skagos, Oskoreien, and other similar bands. Pretty standard but still well-performed.

As with most other Indonesian acts, the best part is the guitar work. Unlike most other black metal bands, the tone Vallendusk uses is warm and resonating, a trait which can best be heard on songs like “To Wander and Beyond” and “Into the Mist”. The rapid tremolo riffs they play exhibit melodies that help to create an environment that is grand and epic in its scale. This wondrous and expansive feel can best be seen on songs like “Among the Giants” and the thirteen minute long epic “Land of the Lurking Twilight”. Some of these melodic riffs can be downright catchy, as can be heard on “Realms of the Elder”. They throw in lots of different influences ranging from post-rock to Norwegian black metal to create a guitar sound that is fresh and unique while still familiar and pleasing to the ears. Not only that, but they also play plenty of acoustic guitars to add a bit of variety and break up the pace.

Vallendusk easily exceeded my expectations. They created something that boasts amazing and powerful production, superb and relentless drums, and wondrous guitar work. This album proves that the Indonesian metal scene is getting larger and more vibrant with every passing day. Not only can the Indonesians produce great death metal, they can also produce great black metal.