Reviewed by: Mikko

Generally, you can see why an unsigned band isn't signed - maybe the music is pretty good, but nothing special; perhaps they're let down by poor demo recordings, or a lack of image; or, more often than not, it is a lack of drive, resources or support. On the other hand, sometimes you come across an absolute gem of a band and cannot for the life of you understand how they aren't signed. The mighty Vallenbrosa, with their brand of heavy, dirty, testosterone-fuelled hard rock, fall firmly into the latter category. Voted 5th best unsigned band of 2007 in Metal Hammer magazine, and rising to 4th in last year's poll, not to mention having toured with Sepultura, played Watchout Festival in Italy two years running, self-released two albums and being due to support Trigger the Bloodshed and play Bloodstock in the coming months, the band have an impressive list of accolades to their name.

Musically, Vallenbrosa only just fall short of hard rock perfection. Their songs invoke elements of 90s Metallica, Pantera and Black Label Society - I feel like I'm in deep 'n' dirty south US, chugging a bottle of JD whilst cruising through the desert on my Harley with a couple of hookers clinging on (complete with bikinis, cowboy hats and snakeskin boots, of course). Think catchy, hard-hitting riffs, memorable melodies, a groovy mid-tempo pace, flawless rhythm section and powerful vocals, with a few buckets of sweat, blood and alcohol thrown in. How can that not be a recipe for success?

Standout tracks? All of them. Listen to "Sifting Through The Dirt" for a good intro to the band; it has a catchy main riff, nice guitar solo and strong vocals, a kind of amalgamation of Hetfield and Anselmo, which are characteristic of the band. "A Smooth Rejection", with its eerie opening melodies and incredibly catchy vocals, has a nice atmospheric feel whilst staying heavy that is mirrored on "Blow by Blow", and "Dengenerate" and "Brainwast Patriot" will have you banging your head in no time. The production is excellent throughout: the guitars are fat and heavy whilst retaining clarity, and the drums sound particularly beefy.

True, Vallenbrosa don't exactly reinvent the wheel. But they don't need to. They put their own refreshing spin on a classic formula and are clearly doing well out of it. With their lowest playcount being on 21,000, having nearly half a million total plays and over 36,000 friends, the band obviously has strong support, both across the UK and internationally. With a strong fanbase and a team of dedicated staff behind them, they definitely have the potential to go far. I'm glad I got this chance to review them as an unsigned band, because it's only a matter of time before they expand on their already impressive achievements and land themselves a record deal.

9/10

Mikko


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