Hornburg Magazine: Valhom is the second release from America record label Ars Magna Recordings. From the first listen you can tell that the band is talented and a lot more interesting that the first band from their label, Animus. The first song “The Infinite Dream” shows what the band is all about. After a bizarre intro the music starts up full speed ahead, with epic guitar melodies with strange influences. The drums come in playing completely detached from the distorted guitars and are topped of by frightening vocals. This is pure chaos. The keyboards are also well done and are heard more than expected. Lord Temptation, the chief member of the band, formed Valhom in 1999. They released several albums before signing their new deal as well. This is recommended for fans of early Immortal and Dark Throne. There are definite similarities between this album and “Pure Holocaust.” Unfortunately the booklet did not come with the promotional CD, so I cannot comment on it. Everyone into classic black metal with minimal innovations needs to find this CD! Morgan H. (7,5)
Burning Black Webzine: This album is the second full length Cd of this US Black Metal band, formed back in ‘99 by Lord Temptation, who has become the only stable member of the band (which have never being more than a duo). Musically Valhom delivers a highly intricate and complex Black Metal, with some traces of bands such Emperor and Tartaros in the drowned keyboards melodies and chaotic fast passages in the finest vein of Immortal and Dissection. The blurry and electric guitar riffs drive the whole music through intricate structures, adorned by the atmospheric keyboards which add an almost symphonic aura, but never becoming protagonist, always quite buried under the almost impenetrable wall of darkness created by the tight drumming and the intense riffing. The vocal work is highly remarkable, with an extreme and raspy tone adds, probably, the rawest element to the equation. The music of Valhom is much more than the sum of its elements, the atmospheres created by the whole instrumentation are just amazing. Incidental effects decorates the apocalyptic panorama, like some gloomy, clean almost lyrical female voices that makes its appearance here and there, being its most remarkable interlude (and at the same time an incredibly simple one) at the 6th track “Glory an Death”… The production of this album is pretty good, with a strong and powerful sound improving even more the musicianship of Valhom… I really don’t know what else to say… “Desolation” is an incredibly work; full of complexity, intricate structures and chaotic, hellish and turbulent atmospheres, it conjugates the savagery of traditional Scandinavian Black Metal with the intelligence of modern Black Metal. So, if you enjoy the mentioned bands, especially the turbulent atmospheres of Emperor and Tartaros, this album will easily fit in your collection.
Pull The Chain Webzine: «Desolation» is my first contact with the American (Chicago based) Valhom and judging from the album art, the pics and the label they are on it, it’s quite obvious they play old school European style black metal. Fortunately, Lord Temptation and Lord Deception have derived most of their musical style from the old Dissection albums and made a rather good copy of guitar axed melodic black metal. «Desolation» is even more ‘depressive’ in atmosphere than the new Dissection album which flattered to deceive at times. The song writing is interesting and Valhom capture the right feeling for this style, playing some melodic black songs that need several careful listens. Some themes may sound too repetitive and you can at times get lost in the music but generally there is enough variation within the songs to stop this happening to often. I really like the vocal works delivered throughout «Desolation», Lord Temptation’ vocal approach is at first nothing special but it not only suits the musical direction very well, it also grows on you after two or three listens. The downside to this album would be the lack of real identity but it’s absolutely no major problem as «Desolation» features a high entertaining value.