In Our Home, Across the Fog

Bloody Valkyria - “In Our Home, Across the Fog” 2025

If you’re a seasoned connoisseur whose knowledge of Black Metal runs deeper than surface level and well into hallowed ground, you’ve no doubt discovered a limitless universe where radical concepts pertaining to occultism, worldview, war and fantasy are brought to life; realized through the collective vision of genuine dark artists and their craft. Volumes of philosophy and mysticism: Nietzsche, Jung and even the great olde ones of Grecian legend to explore. Heathen barbarism, chaos gnostic Satanism, Slavic paganism and even a little ancient Sumerian action to get your curiosities tantalized as they would by an engrossing novel. I’ve reviewed countless black metal records, but so few of this particular variety. On this eve, there’s something amiss. Something a little more golden as the sun sets and a little more sacred as promises of lunar blessings draw you nearer the night. Harken fantasy’s call! On April 4, Finland’s Bloody Valkyria will release their stunning sophomore LP, “In Our Home, Across the Fog”, via Northern Silence Productions.

Easing ever so epically into the experience by way of a Peter Jackson cinematic intro to “The Fallen Leaves Tell a Story”, and then, as if by enchantment are we drawn in deeper still - in awe of its power - riffs like thunder’s roll and godlike rhythms to toll the coming of what feels like the march of a thousand legions. Epic indeed but without a trace of pretentiousness or overreaching. Beyond epic, even, and into the sphere of enlightenment like discovering that the black metal you’ve been listening to all these years means absolutely nothing in comparison to this. Concept? Does it matter? You’ll be catching visuals off this thing and having epiphanies like that time you ate too many mushrooms while watching Lord of the Rings. All other 2025 Black Metal albums need to just chalk it up and bow to this one…

There was a series of books I used to read as a child. It was an endless series of novels called Dragonlance, mostly written by authors, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I’d pick one up and would often not put it back down until it was read. Spending even the most gorgeous days penned up in my room, curtains drawn and spellbound by Dragons. Much like this experience. The romance of it like discovering Black Metal for the very first time. “Thorns of Crimson Death” all over again… “From Stormveil to Liurnia” marks the midway point and just getting lost in it now. Relinquishing yourself unto the music as you would unto a welcomed death as hypnotic melodies tranquilize like morphine.

What are you going to do with all this epic? All this unabashed fantastical majesty? Laying it on thick… Just wait till you lay your ears on “Age of the Stars”. This is why nobody does black metal better than Suomi. Tranquil and gothic like Sentenced. Austere and mighty like Wolfheart. Blackened to obsidian perfection. An engineering triumph! All the bass when you need it and crisp as autumnal breeze. From the ethereal down to the foundational, a production feat to be envied. Take it in easy at first, so as to appreciate the buzz, accept its sweet amber warmth and proceed to indulge to the point of blissful drunkenness, because this is one of those special occasions. These are few and far between. Let the fanfare commence! Finnish Black Metal perfection is just around the corner.

10/10

~Jeger

Experience “Imbued With the Rune of Death” from “In Our Home, Across the Fog” by Bloody Valkyria right here as presented by Black Metal Promotion II:

https://youtu.be/Hd5FwgTcbGg?si=USjxT1bS2uMot1ms