UMUR
"Heading for Mars" is the second full-length studio album by Norwegian stoner doom metal act Valhall. The album was released through Head Not Found in 1997. It´s the successor to "Moonstoned" from 1995. Formed in 1987 it took no less than five demos and a stylistic journey from a hybrid death, thrash, black, doom metal style too a more pure doom metal style on "Moonstoned" before Valhall landed on the music style heard on "Heading for Mars"...
...which is a Black Sabbath influenced stoner doom metal style combined with more epic traditional doom metal moments and even some 70s hard rock touches. Lead vocalist Ronny Sorkness gets the job done, but he doesn´t have a distinct voice or vocal style and the vocals are arguably the weakest link of "Heading for Mars" (just as they were on "Moonstoned"). Another issue from "Moonstoned" contineus on "Heading for Mars" too and that´s the below par sound production values. Doom metal and stoner doom metal releases need a heavy organic bottom end but this sound production is thin and lacking the heavy bass bottom which is so important for an album in this genre.
Repeating the same mistakes isn´t a plus in my book and Valhall seem content playing a similar doom metal/stoner metal style to the one found on the debut album (although leaning more towards stoner doom this time around), which in itself isn´t an issue, because the compositions are actually relatively well written and effective. But continuing with a lead vocalist which sounds out of his league and a thin sound production lacking bottom end are unforgivable. A 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.
