Michael is talking to Lachlan Neate from Valhalore about their music and career highlights!
Metal-Roos: Thank you for taking the time for an interview with Metal-Roos.
When I am writing the questions, Tropical Cyclone Alfred is approaching Queensland.
I hope you are all safe and prepared?
Lachlan Neate: Hello, thank you for having me!
We are all safe and well, thankfully. Lots of rain, and a few days with no power but otherwise unscathed. I personally love camping and the outdoors so I was very prepared for this.
Metal-Roos: You are just starting to tease the new single ‘The Storm’ what a coincidence. You must have hired Freyr and Thor for the PR campaign! No joke, by side anything you want to say to your fans at home?
Lachlan Neate: Look it certainly strained the budget! In all seriousness though, we’ve seen firsthand the devastation this weather system has caused, and just want to extend our thoughts and our support to anyone who has been affected.
Metal-Roos: ‘The Storm’ will be the 3rd single from your upcoming album “Beyond The Stars” what can we expect from this song? Your first two singles ‘Wayfinder’ & ‘Horizon’ have beautiful meanings and amazing videos by the way.
Lachlan Neate: Thank you. I have far too much fun making music videos, my bandmates are very obliging. We wanted people’s first experience of this album to be a bit of a tasting platter, in terms of the singles. ‘Horizon’, to me, is a classic example of a “Valhalore” song. Then ‘Wayfinder’ was obviously a lot more intimate and emotional, both musically and lyrically. Now there’s ‘The Storm’… Let’s just say that you couldn’t ask for a more contrasting track to ‘Wayfinder’.
This is track is an absolute tempest. Where ‘Wayfinder’ was light and hope, this is dark and doubt. There’s barely any clean, sung vocals in this song, which is something we haven’t done too much of before as well.
Metal-Roos: What else is planned for Valhalore in 2025? I mean the year started crazy for you guys. Signed to ROAR in Europe, in the same week your tour with Hammerfall through Australia started. Your second single already reached 100.000 views and climbing! Europe tour?
Lachlan Neate: It feels like we’re FINALLY making up for the lost time since Covid, and able to put all the plans we’ve had in place for years into action. The label signing was a massive milestone for us, and we’re so grateful to be working with our amazing team. We’re already seeing the immense fruits of this new partnership, for instance, the reception to ‘Wayfinder’. And of course, touring with HammerFall was an amazing way to cap off an insane start to the year.
We will be touring our new album ‘Beyond The Stars’ down the East Coast this May, joined by some amazing Aussie bands and playing our biggest headline shows to date. Beyond that, filming another music video, continuing work on album 3, and who knows! Europe is always beckoning us..
Metal-Roos:. Coming back to the Hammerfall tour any funny tour story or anything happening you want to tell us?
Lachlan Neate: At risk of being incredibly boring, not really! We had some brutal early morning flights, and the delirium that comes with it, but otherwise just business as usual. Very grateful to both HammerFall and The Phoenix for having us, true class and professionalism all ‘round.
Metal-Roos: If you look back at 12 years of the band existing, what are your highlights?
Lachlan Neate: For me, this band has been an almost non-stop slew of “pinch me” moments. Way back at the beginning, maybe our fifth ever show, opening for Eluveitie, who were the reason I even discovered this style of music. Then suddenly we were touring Australia with Kamelot (another all time favourite band), Japan with Ensiferum and Wind Rose, recently touring with Blind Guardian… It’s truly been an incredible ride, and I can’t wait for the next 12 years!
Metal-Roos: If you can go on tour with any band, which one would it be and why?
Lachlan Neate: That’s like picking a favourite child! I think I’d have to say Nightwish because they’ve consistently been one of my all time favourite bands and main inspirations. We’d love to team up with Troy for a whistle/ pipe duel with Sophie!
Metal-Roos: You did this amazing cover 4 years ago from The Witcher song ‘Toss a Coin to Your Witcher’ Who is the fan in the band and can we expect in the future another epic cover? This one is well done.
Lachlan Neate: At the end of the day, we’re just 6 nerds who managed to meet and somehow form a band haha. I think we’re all fans of the show, or at least the games or books, so a cover was inevitable. I think there’ll be a few more over the coming year.
Metal-Roos: What is your personal favorite song of the upcoming album?
Lachlan Neate: For me, the closing track “A Walk Among The Stars” is a definite favourite. The lyrics are some that I’m most proud of, and although deeply personal at the time of writing, have only become more poignant as the years have gone on. I think the whole track is really a “level
up” for us as a band, both as writers and players.
Metal-Roos: And any last words before I let you go?
Lachlan Neate: Be sure to pre-order ‘Beyond The Stars’ via ROAR now, and we can’t wait to see our Aussie fans on the road this May.
