VALHKYR

Metal is from all over the world. So let’s find out something more about metal from South America. One of the new bands I discovered is from Chile. It was a great pleasure to interview the members of the band Valhkyr. So listen to their story!

First of all, can you introduce yourselves? Who are the bandmembers, which instrument(s) do they play, do they have an musical background etc.

For sure! The band members are:

Jaime Castro: Composer, guitarist and producer of the band

Estefania Constanza: Vocals, melodies and lyrics

Luis Meza: Drummer

Felipe Cornejo: Bassist

Ignacio Zeon: Guitarist

Can you tell something about the history of the band?

Our history begins at the end of 2017 when the band was created by Estefania and Jaime. We started with two songs: “moon of the wolf” and “War of peace“. It took us 1 year to record our first album “Tales of Battles“.  We promoted it a lot at events here in Chile.

In 2020 we released our first single “Judgement Day” with our first videoclip and it was amazing because it has already over than 16.000 views! We promoted it just online because of the pandemic situation, but it appears on many webzines and radios. And now we have our second single and videoclip “Demons on Me”

Are you professional musicians or do you have other jobs also?

Just Jaime is a professional musician, he lives of music. The other members have another jobs to survive .

You just released a new single “Judgment day”. What can you tell us about this single?

“Judgement day” was released in 2020 before the pandemic situation started. It speaks about how we are going to the same place if we die, no matters your religion, musically talking it comes to present in what we are working for our next album.

You have also released an album already called “Tales Of Battle”. I read about the album that the songs are about several battles that have fought humans both externally and internally. Why do you use these items in your songs?

We really like the history in many senses, so we decided to talk about it, like Glory and Honor that means the Gladiators Age, or Coven that means the Salem Age with the church hunting women. War and peace that means the viking’s war, etc. The history and mythologic has very much to talk about.

When I listen to your music it’s heavy but the voice of Estefania is less heavy. This gives a band a very unique sound I think. Do you agree?

Oh thank you! Yes, we wanted to do something “different” understanding that everything is created. That’s why we just call us “Metal without any subgenre”. It gives us the freedom to compose in any substyle of metal.

And for you Estefania, do you have a classical music education?

Hello friend! I only have particular lessons of lyrical and popular singing, but I always try to learn some new stuff to improve my singing like new techniques

Who in the band is responsible for the music and for the lyrics?

Estefania writes the lyrics and melodies and Jaime creates all the music, they work together.

How would you describe your kind of music or metal?

Our music is a kind of many substyles of Metal, we have nuances of heavy, progressive, power, symphonic, etc. So we always invite people to listen our music first, so they can find the styles that we are talking about.

We don’t know much about the metal scene in South America and Chile. Can you tell something about is? Is it easy to promote your music or is it difficult because you play metal.

Here in Chile it is very difficult.There are so many good metal bands but is very difficult to promote your music because there are not many spaces to do it. Sometimes we have produced our own events just to promote our music. The people like mostly big bands like “Iron Maiden”, “Metallica” and others, but the interest in original new bands is too little and only few people support our kind of bands.

Is there attention for metal music on the television and radio in Chile?

Just some radio stations play metal bands and not always new bands.

Is it still possible to play live because of Covid?

We actually played live but for a streaming concert the past October, with no audience. It was really strange  not hearing claps but at the same time it was nice to play again after such long time. Here in Chile some bands are starting to play live but just for 20 persons.

Which are your favorite bands and ca we hear that in your music.

Our favorites bands are very various in styles! That’s why our band Valhkyr is so “different” to the others. We like bands as  Epica, Helloween, Pantera, Vuur, Amon Amarth, Stratovarius, After forever, Nightwish, At the gates, etc.

Is there a new album on the way and if the answer is yes, when can we expect it.

Yes, we are working on a new album! That’s why we are releasing some singles to present our new music. We hope to release it at the end of this year, or in 2022. We don’t want to hurry, but we are advancing in the songs every week.

What was your most remarkable gig so far?

At this moment, the release of our singles have been very cool. The people supported them and so got to know who we are.

What can you tell us about the metal public in Chile?

They are amazing, they jump, they scream, they sing every song and are very hyperactive! That gives us all the energy in the live shows.

What are your future plans in music?

We want to release our next album, and then plan our first tour to Europe. We really want to know all about the beautiful countries and stages, new people and show them our music. We hope that we can do it someday.

Are there things I have not asked but you want to tell us?

We want to thank you for the interest in our music and what we do. It’s great to read that people who live so far away like our music! So thank you for this space. 

Valhkyr:

https://www.facebook.com/Valhkyr.Band

valhkyr.band@gmail.com