Valient Thorr

Evidence that wacky metal schtick feels complete only when paired with an equally dorky devotion to the music itself, Valient Thorr both claims to be a clan of mutant heroes from the planet Venus, and revels in the chromosomes metal shares with proto-punk. While the imagery and backstory suggest something closer to proggy Viking-metal, the North Carolina band pairs its epic bluster with bluesy muscle that recall the grimy streets of MC5’s Detroit or Thin Lizzy’s Dublin more than any other known locale in the galaxy. The 2010 album, Stranger, finds the band as genuinely bloodthirsty as ever, proving these scuzzy old sounds can still be vital in the present—with or without the benefit of galactic travel.

Updated 06/13/2012