When a Finnish band crosses the Sea of Tranquility, it's often a neoclassical-influenced power-metal group, or a female-fronted outfit. So when the second disc from Finland's Valerian - an indie rock band signed to upstart Manhattan label City Canyons Records - docked at our port, skepticism and intrigue ran rampant. It's safe to say that Intimations of Sorrow is a decent record that should appeal to a wide range of listeners. From the hook-filled life-on-the-road-sucks opener "Homesick," to the haunting epic ballad "Angel of Death," to the creepy closer "Nothing Will Ever Take Me Away From You (From the Archives of a Serial Killer)", Valerian play smart modern rock fronted by a strong and moody singer (Olli Koskela) and laced with evocative and intelligent lyrics. The five members of Valerian may look like L.A. Guns and Strokes wannabes, but their music - which sometimes dances along the borders of both metal and prog - is worth exploring.
Track Listing:
1) Homesick (4:18)
2) Corporation Mule (3:34)
3) Liar (3:30)
4) Mine Forever (4:41)
5) Ain't Cryin' For You (No More) (3:38)
6) Never Bring Me Down (3:58)
7) Angel of Death (7:51)
8) Summer's Gone (4:54)
9) Love Gone Loco (3:35)
10) Nothing Will Ever Take Me Away From You (From the Archives of a Serial Killer (4:34)