Album Review: Bloody Valkyria – In Our Home, Across the Fog

Band: Bloody Valkyria
Album: In Our Home, Across the Fog
Release date: April 4th, 2025
Country: Finland
Label: Northern Silence Productions
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording

Album Review: Bloody Valkyria – In Our Home, Across the Fog via Northern Silence Productions by Ask

The latest release by Finnish atmospheric black metal band Bloody Valkyria is an epic journey, inspired by classical music and folk music as well as traditional black metal and old school heavy metal riffs. Almost every song starts with a neo-classical arrangement which is repeated and deconstructed in the black metal part of the song. The arrangement feels like the soundtrack of a movie. In my mind I see battlefields from far above, the camera sweeping over dead soldiers; survivors crawling to the nearest comrade, taking the last sip of water from his bottle. I see snippets of human lives; a grieving widow, orphaned children walking barefoot to the nearest village. I see heroes and villains, battles fought and lost, new borders drawn and dynasties rising and falling. It is music for escaping into a different world.

The classical instrumentation relies largely on samples. Many of them work very well, giving atmosphere and colour to the epic world. The piano, harpsichord, the bowed strings and even the wind instruments sound so good I sometimes suspect they are real. My favourite of the classical parts is the duet between piano and cello in the song “Tale of House Hoslow”. It is simple and understated, yet the deep texture of the cello travels down my spine. The sampled choir vocals are the only real distraction. They bring a machine quality to the battlefield that I would have rather been without. The drums bring a steady flow that complements the melodic song structure without overpowering the arrangement.

The guitar work is melodic and catchy in a way that is recognizable from other melodic bands. The long slow melodies and clear harmonies are easy to follow. Even the break-out solos of clean and sometimes distorted electric guitars are nicely cleaned up and easy on the ears. The vocals follow the melodic rhythm in an almost euphoric way, competent and even. The vocal style is storytelling rather than emotional. The lyrics revolve around fantasy themes which go well with the imagery that spontaneously came to my mind.

Bloody Valkyria seem to set out to tell a long, epic story and draw the listener into relaxed immersion, away from everyday troubles, just like a good fantasy novel. This is music for easy listening. In the 53 minutes playing time, I don’t get surprised or challenged once. There are no sharp edges, no discomfort, no unexpected turns or questionable choices. It is safe like a comforting blanket on a cold day, like the second part of a trilogy you already love. Nobody will get scared away and nobody will get disappointed.

Is challenge necessary for a good black metal album? Maybe not. From “In Our Home, Across the Fog”I get the feeling that the story is in the centre, not the music. The music is there to bring the images to the listeners mind, to bring him or her to the imaginary space within himself where the movie can play out. Sometimes a well executed place of escape is needed, and Bloody Valkyria provides that escape in a masterful way. 8/10

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8/10 To Greatness and Glory!
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