Vain Valkyries will be releasing their sophomore album, Wonders, on March 20th!

Brothers Ian and Simon Debeerst (playing respectively in Sordide and Karlich) will be releasing their sophomore album, Wonders, on March 20th. Ten new tracks that are sure to fortify the duo's status as unclassifiable. Grunge and mathcore collide with a resounding impact, while also sprinkling in hints of heavy rock, sludge, stoner, and even pop! While this might sound intriguing, the talent of these gentlemen makes the whole thing incredibly coherent and solid. It's a blast, in total invocation of the spirits of Mutoid Man, '68, Tigercub… and while we're at it Royal Blood in 2014 OR EVEN Meshuggah, let's go crazy.

With Vain Valkyries, the formula remains the same: guitar/vocals + drums. And that's it. Nothing more is needed to unleash a hellish hullabaloo, yet one imbued with a certain elegance. This is largely thanks to Ian's vocal timbre, which, personally, always reminds me of Brandon Boyd from Incubus. It's all the more striking how the contrast doesn't seem so incongruous when it's applied to such demanding and intense music. Paradoxically, the brothers have focused on getting to the heart of the matter while simultaneously becoming more radical in their approach. The rhythms are dizzying, and the tuning of the riffs reaches for the abyssal depths.

After the absurd and macabre tales of The Great Suffering, Vain Valkyries explores more down-to-earth themes on Wonders. This new album is even firmly rooted in current events, highlighting "monuments of negativity" through subjects such as the environment, capitalism, harassment mechanisms, and masculinism. The toxicity of our era is ironically vilified, though the underlying spirit of rebellion manages to spark a glimmer of hope.

Another bangers party, that feels reassuring about the state of health of the noisy French music scene. I suggest you dive in right now, below. I'm also including a shout-out for the video for the first single, "Majesty" which will be released on Thursday, January 22nd.

Brothers Ian and Simon Debeerst are back to deliver a sonic assault! 3 years after The Great Suffering, their debut album that introduced a unique vision of dissonant and chaotic music, Vain Valkyries follow up with Wonders. It's a celebration of a love as passionate as it is fraught between lumbering grunge and intricate mathcore. And as a bonus, they possess a knack for catchy tunes that flirt with pop without ever quite crossing the line. The duo continues to forge their own path, guided as much by their touch of madness as by their natural elegance. And isn't that exactly what we expect from metal in the year of 2026?

Still proud representatives of the "guitar, drums, and that's it" formula, Vain Valkyries evolve with an even more radical approach. They take on the challenge of blending complex atmospheres and rhythmic patterns with a stronger desire to get to the heart of the matter, and delve deeper into their melodies. Ian's riffs become increasingly sinuous, sometimes harsh and sharp, but always tuned roughly to the Earth's core. Riffs that are rediscovered in an improbable fusion with his dandyish timbre, vehicle for impactful vocal lines. Meanwhile, Simon still pounds his drums with the finesse of a bull in a china shop, while managing to weave in subtleties here and there that are enough to make your head spin.

Stream / Buy / Download the album on Bandcamp

After the absurd and macabre tales of The Great Suffering, Vain Valkyries explores more down-to-earth themes on Wonders. And completely rooted in current events, moreover, as these songs evoke the environment, capitalism, harassment mechanisms, and masculinist movements. Represented on the artwork by these inverted mountains, they are "monuments of negativity" that raise many questions and haunt us (in this regard, you’ll be able to detect the wordplay behind the album title). Here this toxicity of our time is vilified with irony, and a spirit of revolt meant to give rise to a glimmer of hope.

Wonders encapsulates the ecstatic energy that has been bubbling within Vain Valkyries since their inception. A sophomore album with a palpable urgency. "A sour candy" as Ian likes to describe it. Get ready for 10 edgy and unpredictable tracks, capable of confirming all the hopes placed here.

Line-up :
Ian Debeerst : vocals/guitar
Simon Debeerst : batterie
Tracklist :

1. Bokeh

2. Majesty

3. By The Thread

4. Gaslight

5. He Is Proud

6. Your End Is Near

7. Aching Lungs

8. Cult

9. Summer Days

10. Fever Dream

Recorded by Jean-Benoît Têtu et Ian Debeerst
Mixed by Jean-Benoît Têtu
Mastered by Collin Jordan
Artwork : Ian Debeerst
Photos : Ian Debeerst / Bastien Vannoni

Vain Valkyries:

Facebook Instagram Bandcamp Youtube Website Spotify

Courtesy Vous Connaissez ? // Freelance Music & Culture PR

I am not the owner of the picture, video or original song. Therefore, all rights belong to their respective owners. If you are the owner of the picture, video or any of the songs, write me a private message located on the information page and I will delete the video, photos immediately!!