Music
Press
What ever happened to classic rock with a modern edge? Well, it's here with Valerian, that combines dirty old school rock 'n' roll and kick ass bluesy guitar solos with a hip European look. "Homesick," is an absolutely catchy song. Singer Olli Koskela has a unique voice that echoes with charisma topped with personal and heart felt lyrics.
He sings, "I couldn't go any further / I couldn't walk another yard / I know it ain't never easy / But this time it was way too hard."
The second song on the CD, "Corporation Mule," blows you off your feet with heavy metal ballsy dirty power chords by Matti Toivonen and Toni Ritonen.
It's topped off with a powerful guitar solo that brings another echelon to the band. However, these hard rockin' boys have a soft side and the ballad "Liar," displays it perfectly.
This is where the band comes full circle and shows they have the goods with technical musicianship and a social conscious message.
Every so often you hear a band that stands out from the rest of the crowd. Valerian is that band, and flaunts it with everything they have.
This album is for anyone who loves rock, hard rock, and is a sucker for an occasional ballad. - by Travis Bain, ballbusterhardmusic.com
Mining the riff-books and wardrobes of such '80s pop-metal acts as Motley Crue and Bad English, and infusing them with the dark and distorted power-pop flourishes of Frosting On The Beater-era The Posies, Valerian have crafted an album that's sure to draw attention upon its release. Harshly anthemic yet imbued with enough melodies to make it a sing-along favorite, INTIMATIONS OF SORROW is an accomplished work, and "Liar" is clearly its standout track -- a perfectly explosive statement of intent. With its fist-pumping guitar bursts and rabble-rousing melody, it's the type of rocker metal kids from the '80s have been waiting for since, well...the '80s. Frontman Olli Koskela's plaintive emoting and coming-of-age lyrics erupt during a bombastic, distortion-drenched chorus that echoes with the band's harmonious "woohoo"ing. It's a classic hair-metal rocker that actually outshines its own inspirations....When a band can rock, as Valerian do, with so much power and melodic intricacy...simply listen and enjoy.
- Rob Moran, Splendid Magazine
Outstanding in every musical perspective, Valerian rocks! Olli Koskela has an enticing, sensuous, voice that will have the listener absorbing every word as he enchants fans with his lyrical stories. Great vocals is not the only thing Valerian has going for it. INTIMATIONS OF SORROW (the band's new release) is full of hot, smokin' guitar that will satisfy guitar enthusiasts immensely. Likewise, the rhythm is amazing. Valerian's music will have waters parting and red carpets rolling as they become the rock stars they are obviously meant to be.
—BandsBackStage
- BandsBackStage
City Canyons Records' Valerian... melds distinctive melodies with tasty guitar solos. The songs concern life on the road ("Homesick"), "the man" ("Corporation Mule") and serial killers ("Nothing Will Ever Take Me Away From You") The best song on the CD is "Liar," which features a classic pop-metal guitar work, courtesy of Toni Ritonen and Matti Toivonen.
- Marianne Moro, Suite 101.com
This band hails from Finland and I have to say that country exports some damn good musical talent from Hanoi Rocks to Children Of Bodom to these guys with their CD, INTIMATIONS OF SORROW. Having been a huge lover of the 80's music scene it's nice to have some new bands putting fresh blood into that. There's some angst and melancholy in some of the tunes. Some ballads. Wonderful vocals and great guitar riffs. I think the Finnish invasion is definitely taking us by storm...
- RockNet Webzine
Valerian's INTIMATIONS OF SORROW is quite excellent, very potent stuff indeed. Think of a good 80s hard rock band, with big pop/alternative hooks (Think ROXXETE meets the BANGLES... But a tad more sorrowful), in the choruses. The best of both worlds really. Think of a mellower, acoustic FAITH NO MORE, a “lies” kinda era GNR, a lil THE CULT, a little emo, throw in hints of ALICE IN CHAINS and a bit of CHRIS CORNELL perhaps. Also pour in a lil bit of RHCP funky skagness and a bit of MOTLEY and BRYAN ADAMS ?! Sounds like it couldn’t work…. Doesn’t it !? Well it does work! VALERIAN pulls it off remarkably. Fusing all those different influences, they still sound original. They have 3 songs that could be huge hits.. .. The “hits” are namely, “Liar”, an anthem to the powers that may-be, for not caring enough for what’s going on, in this world. “Never bring me down” with it’s cool syncopated rhythm and super catchy chorus and the soul stirring, stupendously long titled, elegy of “Nothing will ever take me away from you”. (From the archives of a serial killer). The band is tight; their singer is oozing with charisma, managing to sound like Chris Cornell one minute, David Bowie subsequently and himself, the next.... The tunes are instantly gripping and still grow even more with a couple of spins. Get them on TV and they could be huge. I can see them going stratospheric, if they keep producing songs of this caliber....
- Dimitrios Fatouros, Metal Invader
“Liar” will rip a hole in your heart as Olli’s vocals strain forth from the speakers, laden with conviction and heartfelt emotion. Backed by an incredible melody played by phenomenal musicians, Olli’s lyrics will have you searching your soul if in similar straits. If not, he’ll have you empathizing with everything you have! “Are you only a liar?” It’s a haunting track…I loved each and every track on this CD, which is a rarity...I’ve only got two questions where Valerian is concerned – when’s the next release? And of course, when are you going to be touring...?! Get INTIMATIONS OF SORROW you won’t be disappointed. It’s a powerhouse of sound, talent and uniqueness. It has become my favourite CD, and if I could I’d listen to it 24/7....
- Naomi de Bruyn, Linear Reflections
Valerian's lead singer and spark plug, Olli Koskela, fronts a set of growling taboo-twisting guitarists who can sound like the Butthole Surfers, while, he belts out rocking power vocals. The band proves to be a great surprise from the frozen land of the Fins, with the pleasing blend of conscious lyrics in "Corporation Mule" and the sorrowful power of love and loss in "Ain't Crying For You."
- John Shelton Ivany, Top 21 CD's
The single would have to be "Liar", a soaring beast of a song, with an immense melody designed for the megadromes of America. There’s even some classic ‘woohooing’ going on for good measure. The best of the power ballads is "Mine Forever", another song that would have been Top 10 with a bullet back in the day. There aren’t enough bands doing the pop glam metal thing these days, and Valerian could soak up that particular demand, if enough people hear it. If they can cut it live, they could rule their own world.
- Zeitgeist
Discography
Official Releases:
Intimations of Sorrow (LP), City Canyons Records (2004)
Narcosis (LP), Uplift Records (2000)
Compilation Albums:
It's So Easy (Tribute to Guns N Roses), Versailles Records (2006)
Photos
Bio
Formed 1997 in Helsinki, Finland by singer Olli Koskela and drummer Tipi Andersson. Guitarist Toni Ritonen and bassist Jake Hayry joined the band in the summer same year. Koskela had a poem called "Valerian Moon" and according to Koskela, it wasn't much of a poem but the name stuck: Valerian was born.
The band's first performance was in a club called "Fat Mama" in Helsinki in December 1997. The cd-single "Don't Let Your Vision Blind You" was released in the summer of 1998 with a keyboard-player as a fifth. Later on they decided to keep on rocking in the original form, as a quartet. At the end of 1998 Valerian's first video "Happy Is A Sad Word" was shot.
The second single "Why" was released in March 2000 and in May Valerian signed a recording contract with an independent record label Uplift Records. The second video, singletrack "Why" was shot in the summer of 2000.
The debut album "Narcosis" was released in August 2000. Single "Why" gained airtime on Radio City in Helsinki. Also the video "Why" had on a good rotation on a local tv-station, MoonTV. Year 2001/2002 passed by as the band concentrated on creating new material, searching for a new record contract and playing live shows as well as making general adjustments.
There has been a few changes in the line-up: In November 2001 bassist Jake Hayry was replaced by Janne Jskelinen, who had played a couple of shows with Valerian previously so he was familiar with the band and their style and vice versa. In April 2002, guitarist Matti Toivonen was welcomed to join the band.
In March 2004 City Canyons Records signs a three album deal with Valerian. The three-album deal between the downtown Manhattan label and the Finnish group kicks off with the late fall 2004 release of Valerian's North American debut album INTIMATIONS OF SORROW.
Valerian is the latest, and possibly the greatest, in an invasion of remarkable talent from Scandinavia and Northern Europe. This band is full of surprises, moving from grinding almost metallic riffs to soaring and dramatic guitar solos to a softer almost delicate lyricism, all tied to solid, heartfelt lyrics voiced with style and conviction by a brilliant lead singer.
Valerian is currently in the works of creating a new and riveting album that will be released in mid to late 2007 by City Canyons Records.
For more information about Valerian's current events, check them out at: WWW.VALERIANMUSIC.COM
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