The Black Cat

The new instrumental album by the band Valhala is in every respect a very courageous musical and production achievement at a time when all pop-rock activities and developments in our environment are based on stereotypes and the dictatorship of the majority. The album Black Cat primarily represents a step forward when compared with Valhala's first work. The musicians of Valhala (Jodl Gazvoda, guitar, Ivo Golmajer, drums, Damijan Košir, bass and Uroš Rakovec, guitar) this time leave more room for “live” musicianship, while subtler sonic nuances are given more space, weaving characteristics of ambient music, subtle, gentle rhythmic patterns, at times almost “classical” chord structures, as well as pleasant, humorous elements from other genres into solid jazz-rock foundations. Some demanding passages demonstrate their higher musical ambitions, supported by the carefully constructed multilayered structure of the individual compositions.

The very fact that Valhala's music is purely instrumental is, in our country, a rare exception within this genre, yet their performances show that audiences are genuinely eager for this kind of sound, which is not immediately appealing but requires more focused listening. The softness and, at the same time, vividness of the musical pulse demonstrate the musicians' desire to develop sophisticated musical elements outside the rock sound mode. These musicians therefore deserve every encouragement and production support, which audiences, despite the “unconventional” nature of their music, show them to a great extent. (Gallus Carniolus, Studio Rakovec, 1997-98).