Val LittleJohn
Music has been coursing through my veins for as long as I can remember. My musical roots started their growing process with the aid of punk rock and d-beat/hardcore (From The Ramones to Discharge and Broken Bones etc.). From there I eventually found bands like Slayer, Iron Maiden, Exodus, and Mercyful Fate. As I dug deeper and deeper I fell more and more in love with sound. That love hasn’t stopped growing since. I consider myself married to music. My heart beats fastest and most steady to heavy metal, NWOBHM, death, and thrash metal. My favorite band will always and forever be Thin Lizzy. In fact, if there’s even a week that goes by without me listening to them I can assure you something is terribly wrong with me. I’m not just a metalhead though; I listen to almost everything under the sun. From Waylon Jennings, to Prince, to Radiohead – I like my ears to fall along a spectrum of diversity. Keeps things interesting and the palette fresh, the way life should be. On top of being a grief counselor full time at a hospice in Phoenix, AZ, I also take photos at live shows at least once or twice a week (sometimes more). Check out my work at my Facebook page. I’ve shot everyone from Motorhead, to Judas Priest, to Neurosis, to Slayer. There’s something almost indescribable about the power felt in the photo pit. My favorite place to be is sandwiched between the energy of the band playing in front of me and the strong presence of the crowd exploding behind me. I’m most comfortable when I’m surrounded by a wall of sound, and I think that’s where I’ll stay.
Articles by Val LittleJohn
Old school death metal in style, Deathronation has found a way to blend powerfully catchy riffs with tinges of black metal and even elements of thrash and crust. They know when to slow it down and unearth the core of their sound, and they know just when to speed things up to keep images of horror alive. – By Val LittleJohn
Burial Ground is sure to be one of those albums every death metal fan should have in their collection. It’s already a strong contender for my top 10 list this year. – By Val LittleJohn
Just as water turns into wine, Behemoth found a way to turn malignant blood into masterpiece. – By Val LittleJohn
Val LittleJohn uses her unique experience as a grief counsellor to express her opinions on the special connections that music can create…
This is a powerhouse of a band that blend together as musicians just as well as the genres of this record does. – By Val LittleJohn
The perfect record for someone who wants to be jolted from their worldly existence and placed on a ship destined for the darkest expanse of the cataleptic mind. – By Val LittleJohn
Val LittleJohn virtually sat down with Matt Harvey from Exhumed for an interview covering topics ranging from musical influences, to long walks on the beach, to Mercyful Fate vs. King Diamond. Read on and get to know the man behind Exhumed.
With a drum sound that crushes and pounds as it couples with a bacchanalia of delicious solos, Necrocracy is sure to punch you over and over in your innards. (And you’re gonna like it!). – By Val LittleJohn
Playing blackened metal that will leave you with an aftertaste of rock & roll, TOAD. composes their music with a unique style and undeniable ferociousness. – By Val LittleJohn
One of this year’s great releases is Tempest by American doom metal band Lycus. They have been touring extensively through North America after their album release, but still managed to find the time to answer some interview questions Val LittleJohn asked them.
Val LittleJohn went to the much anticipated Lycus show in Phoeniz, Arizona and wasn’t disappointed at all. The support was by Sorxe, Godhunter and Funerary.
The entire album is a repulsively wonderful set of ten songs that will satisfy and leave gore filled reminders imprinted on the brain. – By Val LittleJohn
Danish heavy metal band Witch Cross are back with their first album in nearly 30 years. – By Val LittleJohn
Playing crusty doom filled death metal that weaves into an eerie dark tunnel tinged with high speeds of d-beat hardcore, punk, and grind, this is a band new on the map but one destined for takeover. – By Val LittleJohn
Almost like gold thread being weaved through black cloth, the moments of light on Tempest are just as impressive as the solemn, dour tempos that compose its body. – By Val LittleJohn
The Crowning Horror is the perfect polyamorous blended relationship of black metal, punk, and melodic speed metal. – By Val LittleJohn
Although this EP as a whole isn’t over the top unique, it is definitely going to turn some heads. – By Val LittleJohn
Svartsyn is a Swedish word for “pessimism,” and the gloom and blackened ghastliness of this album holds true to that meaning. – By Val LittleJohn
Perfect for fans of Black Sabbath, Sleep, Boris, Trouble, and Saint Vitus, Thy Kingdom Scum is an all-consuming album. This is definitely one that you want to crank up the volume for. – By Val LittleJohn
