VALET PARN — Riddle Figure (review)

VALET PARN — Riddle Figure album cover Album · 2011 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
The Block
Valentines Night

It’s only fitting that I should call this review that since I am writing it on Valentines Day. I planned this in no way, but now that I am writing this review I’m glad that I did. For one thing, I am listening to a great, young musical talent and I am really enjoying it. And another thing is that they sure deserve the recognition. Valet Parn mixes great talent with progressive themes and even some heavier themes too to make this one very good album.

The musicianship on this album is very good to say the least. One thing that I would like to point out is the great guitar work by both George Emmanuel and Jimmy Haursen. They are especially good on the track “Fear the Bullet” which not only features great guitar solos, but some pretty good drumming from George Canavari. The double bass drum beats are placed very nicely throughout the song, giving it a kind off rigid and exact feel that is really cool. Another place where the guitars are very noticeable, and good, is in the beginning of “Till We Rise”. The bass guitar played by Stathis Ridis, takes the main highlight of this song, with his hearty riffs and chords, but the guitars also deserve recognition.

Another thing that I like about “Till We Rise” is how the vocals mix in very well with the overall sound of the band. Steve Venardo’s voice carries a great tone to it that is hard to find a lot in modern groove metal bands. He has a good talent to transfer between light and heavier vocals from song to song. In “Blindfall” he has a very light voice that fits fine with the songs feel. But then, he transfers seamlessly to a much heavier vocal pattern in the next song, “Valentines Night”. This song is perhaps my favorite on the album, and my only complaint is that, I think, it could have been longer, since I like long songs a lot. And, of all the songs on the album, “Valentines Night” is definitely the most sound technically and musically, so I think it could handle some elongation. But, this detracts nothing from the album.

The production on this album is very good, even though it is self released. The highs and lows are mixed well and it adds to the overall enjoyment of the album.

For a young band Valet Parn has so much talent and it really shows on their 2011 release, “Riddle Figure”. They have a great mix of talent and ability that when the two are mixed together it creates something that would be hard for any metal fan to pass up. Any fan of progressive groove metal, or even prog metal in general will really enjoy this album. For their very good release Valet Parn gets 4 stars.
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