Valiant Sentinel – Neverealm
Release Date: 16th January 2026
Label: Theogonia Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Power Metal
FFO: Aeon Gods, Rage, Frozen Crown, Elvenking, Blind Guardian, Gloryhammer, Nemedian Chronicles, Burning Witches.
Review By: Malte Brigge
I don’t know what happened over the holidays, but I woke up in 2026 and said to myself, “Self, how ‘bout some power metal?” I tried talking sense into myself, but then came across the promotional track for Greece’s Valiant Sentinel’s sophomore album, Neverealm, and relented. Power metal for me thrives or dies on the vocals and the valiance of the guitars. I enjoy the gritty folkiness of Elvenking but bounce right off the Richard Simmons-inspired synth-drenched Battle Beast. So where on that cline is Valiant Sentinel, and can they convince me to power up my 2026?
Fuck yes they can. Neverealm hits the sweet spot of aggressive, Accept-ably speed-based riffomania supporting powerful vocals and terribly catchy melodies. Like Aeon Gods, it eschews excess and frills, focusing on powerful vocals and spitfire guitars. Dimitris Skodras put together a battle-ready crew after doing everything but the vocals on Valiant Sentinel’s self-titled debut (2021) himself. His guitars, therefore, are multi-layered and formidable in the mix, almost completely drowning out Panos Manikas’ bass but for a few choice moments. Blind Guardian’s Frederik Ehmke absolutely kills it on the drums, the crisp production capturing every ounce of his furious energy (MA says John Allagiannis is now their full-time drummer). All of this supports Veandok’s wide-ranging vocals, reminding weary armies why they fight. The lyrics (drawing on anything fantasy, whether pre-biblical wars, D&D, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Elden Ring who knows what else) can be pretty ham-fisted, but I don’t care because I’m too busy trying to sing along every chance I get, much to the chagrin of everyone around me.
War in Heaven drops you in the middle of a celestial battle and has your head banging from the first formidable notes. Gruff vocals sound a little forced on first listen, but it’s just a setup before Veandok lets loose glorious power pipes, rising to bright falsettos. Ehmke drives the title track with a demon’s whip and Laura Guldemond (Burning Witches) slays on guest vocals, channeling her inner Lizzy Hale and belting with delicious ferocity (Savatage’s Zak Stevens also guests elsewhere on the album). Mirkwood Forest has a ridiculously catchy, two-note, rise-fall chorus you’ll belt out while chasing a new personal best. For the first fifteen minutes of Neverealm you’ll be bouncing up and down in a steady 4/4 groove. Though there’s nothing wildly technical in the composition, Skodras shreds melodic solos and massive riffs, whether blazing forth like Bütcher or sitting on big Manowary open chords that allow the vocals to soar. Shades of thrash or Maiden-esque dual-harmonies often bridge movements together seamlessly, and if it doesn’t set you alight, there’s probably something broken in your soul.
The overly dramatic start to The Underdark, the obligatory 4th-track slowdown, reveals there’s still some craft to be learned. The “The Underdark!” chant is more goofy than foreboding and the Gregorian cantor feels slightly out of place, though it further displays Veandok’s impressive abilities. The midsection reveals a beautiful bass tone that highlights its absence elsewhere, accompanied by extraneous whispered exposition. At this point, the consistency of tone and middle range of melody blurs things together a tad; sandwiching the slightly negligible Elden Lord between two short, soft, elven ballads makes for slightly awkward pacing. They’re both very pretty songs, though, sung as if by a bard at a soldiers’ campfire (To Mend the Ring)or entertaining lords and ladies by candlelight (Come What May), providing respite and emotional depth, but there’s something slightly off about their placement. Epic closer The Battle of Hornburg (despite the title, it takes inspiration wholly from the film rather than the book) does not do Theoden King’s mighty speech justice as its centerpiece, but once Veandok takes hold of “now for wrath! now for ruin!” he saves the day, and you do believe you can win this fight.
Neverealm has turned my morning bus into a cavalry charging into battle and fellow commuters into brothers- and sisters-in-arms riding into glory. It’s a much stronger album than their debut; Valiant Sentinel has benefited mightily by becoming a full band. The songs strike a fine balance between a driven, riff-centric musical foundation and a multifarious vocal attack, approaching a symphonic quality in composition while staying grounded in a powerful, guitar-rich production. Despite few technical flourishes and nothing melodically complicated, the album has sharp, determined, memorable songwriting that lights a fire in the belly and sets hooks in the ears. Armed with Neverealm, your PBs and enemies alike don’t stand a chance.
(3.5 / 5)
