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Personnel:
Bettie Floyd – vocals
Adam Sanders – vocals
Joey Grimaldi – guitar
Ryan Metroka – drums
Dave Hale – bass
Salem Belladonna – keys, cello
Producer: Joey Grimaldi
Release Date: September 18, 2026
Record Label: Eclipse Records
I am loving 2026 in music! So many old-timers returning, and so many debuts that feel like they’re the start of something huge. Here’s another one, this time a symphonic metal masterpiece.
Valkyrie’s Fire are a symphonic metal band from Nashville, Tennessee, who just released their debut album, Out of Darkness. The 13-track album marks the beginning of what could be a very interesting chapter for the band.
Out of Darkness hits like a huge debut from a band that already knows exactly what they are capable of. A 13-track album can easily become exhausting, especially when you consider the length of some of these tracks. However, the pacing, production, and way the vocals are spread across the record keep the momentum going from start to finish. It has the heavy orchestration and variety you would expect from top-tier symphonic metal, and the music sounds far more experienced than you might expect from a debut album.
If you’re into any of these artists, this album should be on your radar.
The album’s artwork, designed by Jan Yrlund, shows a lonely figure stepping out of a dark cave and facing a winding mountain path with a huge, fiery sunrise in the distance. It takes the title Out of Darkness pretty literally, but the contrast between the pitch-black cave and the bright golden light works really well. It also fits the music, which moves from heavy and darker moments into huge, anthemic power metal sections.
After a song like “Burning Sky,” you might expect the next track to slow things down and simply keep the album moving. Instead, “Shattered” is one of the biggest surprises on the record for me. It starts at a calmer pace, but quickly shows that there is much more to it than that. The symphonic parts are huge, the guitars sound great, and there is plenty going on musically without making the song feel crowded. Both vocalists get their moments to shine, before the song ends with Bettie’s softer, almost serenading vocals. For me, it is easily one of the standout moments on the entire album.
The guitars and orchestrations on Out of Darkness work together beautifully, with the band moving between huge orchestral openings and driving metal riffs in songs like “Valkyrie’s Fire” and “Nocturne.” The faster guitar leads in “Evermore,” “Cascade,” and “Skylark” add another side to the album, while “I See The Angels Fly” and “Bone and Thorn” show that the band can slow things down just as well. Both are beautifully written ballads and could easily work as singles on their own. The orchestrations are especially impressive on “Shattered,” where they take total command of the song, while the ten-minute closer “I Will Rise Again” uses them to build its longer sections and bring the album toward its conclusion. All of this comes through clearly in the production, which gives the guitars, drums, vocals, and orchestral parts enough room to be heard without making the arrangements feel cluttered.
The vocals of Bettie and Adam are a huge part of what makes Out of Darkness work so well. Their voices complement each other beautifully, especially in the big choruses of songs like “Evermore” and the ballad “Bone and Thorn.” Bettie gets to take the lead on “Cascade,” where her voice has a very distinct character that goes far beyond just hitting high notes. She also takes a much softer approach at the end of “Shattered,” closing the song with calm, almost serenading vocals. The harsher vocals also come in at the right moments, adding more weight when the songs need it. Mikael Sehlin’s appearance on “Burning Sky” is another great example of this. Sehlin may be a big name, but he is not simply there as a big name brought in for marketing. His particular vocal approach is exactly what the song needs at that point in the album, creating a great contrast with the operatic vocals and giving the track a heavier edge. That heavier side returns later in “I Will Rise Again,” giving the epic closer an extra impact.
The album tackles resilience, vengeance, and rebirth, with cosmic imagery and fire running through its themes. These ideas go beyond the lyrics, with the music itself carrying much of the emotional weight. The sweeping orchestrations and heavy arrangements help take the listener from deep grief to defiant triumph, giving the album’s themes a clear musical progression.
If aliens visit Earth and ask me what symphonic power metal is, I’m showing them this album. Valkyrie’s Fire have created a masterpiece with Out of Darkness, perfectly balancing brilliant orchestrations, beautiful guitar work, and iconic vocals.
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Emotional Struggle – escape emotions through some heavy tunes
Nature – unplugged from the world, plugged into the universe
Working – listen to while working to focus your energy
Creating Art – perfect to enhance your creativty
Thank you so much for the review! We love that everybody is finding so many different facets of this album to enjoy, and we so appreciate your support 🙏 Keep rocking on!