Independent
Review by Anthony “Tony” Cannella
Man, I had no idea what I was in for when I came into contact with the self-titled debut from the all-star epic metal band Valcata. Valcata is not so much a band as it is an experience. Comprised of many talented metal musicians from around the globe who lend their considerable abilities to tell a concise story and a truly memorable concept album. The album is the brainchild of Brooklyn, New York based musician Oha Cade and was produced entirely online.
“Valcata” is recapturing the lost art of concept records, with glorious results. The album flows from beginning to end, staring with the intro “Stars”. “Our Quest” follows and the listener is introduced to many of the great vocalists that grace this record. Highlights include: “The Turning”, “Horror Machine”, “Life and a Million” and the 11-minute “The Termination”. Each singer plays a specific character like a play, movie or opera and it adds to the depth of the record. It’s also easy to get caught up in the sheer brilliance contained within. “Valcata” is a concept album that does a great job in capturing the imagination of the listener. There are certainly many ebbs and flows throughout and it takes the listener on a musical journey that I didn’t want to end.
Rating – 90/100
Tracklist:
- Stars
- Our Quest
- The Turning
- Horror Machine
- Life And A Million
- 3-2-1
- Beyond
- Escalate
- The Termination
- Valcata
Line Up:
Singers:
- Liel Bar-Z (Janissary: A Balkan Rock Opera) — as Coral
- Josh Munnell — as Rocket
- Zuberoa Aznárez (Diabulus in Musica, Tragul, Dryades) — as Astra
- Oha Cade — as Surge
- Hadi Kiani (Gereh, The Frame, Farshid Arabi) — as Dr. Hessabi
- Angel Wolf-Black (Vivaldi Metal Project, Bare Infinity) — as Dr. Hypatia
- Kenneth Èlan (Acoustic Dreams) — as Maximum
- Mary Zimmer (Helion Prime, ex-White Empress, ex-Luna Mortis, VoiceHacks creator) – as President Fox
Guitar Players:
- Steelianos (Enemy of Reality, Keado Mores)
Bass Players:
- Babis Nikou (Jaded Star, ex-Visions of Atlantis)
Drummers:
- Jonas Schütz (Sacrosanct, Eraserhead, Diësis, Sapiency)
Strings:
- Pablo Hopenhayn (Esession Strings)
Synths:
- Oha Cade
Links:
Valcata Official Website
Valcata official Facebook Page