UMUR
"Trauma" is the third demo recording by Norwegian death/black/thrash/doom metal act Valhall. The demo was independently released in April 1990. It´s the successor to the August 1989 "Amalgamation" demo. Valhall formed in 1987 and featured Gylve Nagell (aka Fenriz from Darkthrone) on drums on their first two demos (and on some tracks on this demo). "Trauma" is an odd demo release as it features four Valhall tracks and was released under the Valhall monicker, but it also features one track from Isengard and one track from Reitgjerde Pasientband, and the Heavy Ripping Fyrstikk. Both contemporary Fenriz related artists.
Stylistically the Valhall material featured on "Trauma" is a giant step forward for Valhall in terms of quality and consitency of style. The music is still a hybrid doom, death, black, and at times even thrash metal style, which isn´t easily described, but Valhall are much closer to nailing a version of their sound here than they were on the first two demos, which weren´t exactly high quality releases. "Trauma" is both well produced (considering that it´s a demo), well performed (I enjoy that the blackened snarling vocals have returned), and well composed and Valhall are now a force to be reckoned with.
The "Kingdom Fire" track by Isengard is pure oddness with a mousy child like spoken word vocal featured on some of the track. The instrumental part of the music sounds a lot like the four Valhall songs which preceded it on the tracklist. The Reitgjerde Pasientband, and the Heavy Ripping Fyrstikk track is a "fun" track and sounds like Beastie Boys got really drunk and couldn´t control themselves. Pretty awful rap/funk song that one.
Disregarding the Isengard and the Reitgjerde Pasientband, and the Heavy Ripping Fyrstikk tracks, "Trauma" was by far the best quality demo release from Valhall up until then and there´s some real promise here. Therefore a 3 star (60%) rating isn´t all wrong.
