Ice and fire from the north

HEROES AND MORTALS: Brandon Haru, Omer Gilroy and Rebel Reid of South Auckland three-piece Vallkyrie bring their electic stage presence, which blends the Goth, anthemic and theatrical with a love of Nordic mythology, to Gisborne next week.

THE ice and hide of Nordic mythology is the oft favoured character of heavy metal bands, but South Auckland three-piece Vallkyrie’s sound is more about rock and hip hop with pop influences, says band manager Shae Sterling.

Consisting of Rebel Reid, Omer Gilroy and Brandon Haru, the three-piece brings elements of the theatrical and anthemic to Vallkyrie’s shows.

“If Imagine Dragons, Rihanna and The Prodigy had a soul child, it would be Vallkyrie,” says the band in its biography on Facebook.

“Norse mythology and gothic rock inspire their visual design and ideology. They often refer to this as New Age Goth, anthemic and powerful.

“Vallkyrie have embodied their inspiration, to create an immersive world. They are also proud Maori artists, hailing from south Auckland, drawing strength from their cultural heritage.”

There are elements of Queen in the band’s act but the sound can be moody as well, says Sterling.

“They are all creative people. They read a lot and see a lot of movies so they draw on a lot of inspirational sources.

“They love Nordic mythology and culture but are learning about their own Maori culture as well.”