Valhalla Awaits Talk Debut EP, Their Hometown And More

South Wales rock band Valhalla Awaits have released their ‘Perdition’ EP which is out now and have previously toured with Those Damn Crows. The band kindly chatted to us about their music, hometown and more:

Who is in Valhalla Awaits and what do they play?

Snoz – Drums

Chris – Guitar

Rhys – Guitar

Sam – Bass

Andrew – vocals

When and how did you all meet?

The band are based out of Rhymney in the South Wales valleys. Andrew is from the Neath Valley, but the rest of the boys are from the same area. We’ve all been in various bands over the years so have known each other a long time.

Your debut EP ‘Perdition’ is out now . How did you want to approach the making of the EP and who produced it?

Sam our bass player owns a studio in Tredegar so we wrote, recorded and self produced it all there. We are always working on new material, so we just selected the best batch of songs from what we had at the time. We try not to overcook it from a production point of view, or the songs can lose their soul.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

Chris and Rhys use Gibson Les Pauls.

Chris – Mesa Boogie amp.

Rhys – Quad cortex.

Snoz – Tama drums and Zildjan cymbals.

Andrew – Sennheiser mics

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

We are all the from the South Wales valleys. In five words – Working Class Grit With Soul.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the EP recording sessions?

We spend a lot of time in the studio as it belongs to our bass player. We always have a laugh amongst ourselves whilst recording, but nothing rock and roll happens there as we are there to create. The only thing consumed there are kebabs, maoam and hairbo sweets.

You have also released the track ‘Is There Anybody Out There?’ What was the story/inspiration behind the song?

Our guitar player Rhys, wrote the music for the song. It was dark, moody and ethereal. The chorus melody came first and we knew we were onto something. Working off the song title, the lyrics fell together very quickly. I wrote the lyrics for my brother who had been battling mental health issues, and was close to the edge. I had been in such a place myself, and wanted to reach deep into the well, and make something good from the bad. When the song was finished, we realised we had created something emotive and relatable. It has an honesty and unifying undertone, that people can tap into. It’s a cry to the universe… to be pulled out of the prisons we create for ourselves in our mind. A couple of months after we finished it, I realised the song was for both so us. My calls to a world beyond this one were answered. We knew it had to be single from the forthcoming EP, Perdition.

The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?

Snoz, our drummer, came up with an intriguing concept for the music video. “It’s about the daily struggles that a man or woman endures when dealing with personal mental health issues, when on their own. The constant pressure of having to deal with your own thoughts and feelings when you feel the world is full of darkness, and the pressures that come with having to wear a mask in public, to give the impression that the life you lead has everything going the way you want it too.”

We were thrilled to have to have our friend, the amazingly talented actor, Paul Black, direct and star in the video. He was the perfect choice as he has lived experience relating to the song content.

 Do you have any plans for live shows in Europe/UK in 2024?

We are opening for Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons in Newport on 11th May. More dates are currently being planned for around the UK in 2024.

How do you look after your voices?

Lots of water, catnaps and herbal teas. Most importantly, warmups.

Which tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

Happiest – Staring At The Gun

Angriest – Door of No Return

Most reflective – Is There Anybody Out There?

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

Alice In Chains, Alter Bridge, Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver, Soundgarden

Do you have any further music releases planned?

Yes, we have already started working on our next batch of songs.

What makes Valhalla Awaits happy and what makes you unhappy?

Spending time with each other writing new material, makes us happy. Along with being on the road.

Injustice and cruelty make us unhappy.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Megan Jenkins 

Valhalla Awaits debut EP ‘Perdition’ is out now.

For tickets, to purchase the EP and more visit their official LinkTree here: https://linktr.ee/Valhallaawaits