Valerian

Formed 1997 in Helsinki, Finland by singer Olli Koskela and drummer Tipi Andersson. Guitarist Toni Ritonen and bassist Jake Hayry joined the band in the summer same year. Koskela had a poem called "Valerian Moon" and according to Koskela, it wasn't much of a poem but the name stuck: Valerian was born. The band's first performance was in a club called "Fat Mama" in Helsinki in December 1997. The cd-single "Don't Let Your Vision Blind You" was released in the summer of 1998 with a keyboard-player as a fifth.

The band's first performance was in a club called "Fat Mama" in Helsinki in December 1997. The cd-single "Don't Let Your Vision Blind You" was released in the summer of 1998 with a keyboard-player as a fifth. Later on they decided to keep on rocking in the original form, as a quartet. At the end of 1998 Valerian's first video "Happy Is A Sad Word" was shot.

The second single "Why" was released in March 2000 and in May Valerian signed a recording contract with an independent record label Uplift Records. The second video, singletrack "Why" was shot in the summer of 2000.

The debut album "Narcosis" was released in August 2000. Single "Why" gained airtime on Radio City in Helsinki. Also the video "Why" had on a good rotation on a local tv-station, MoonTV. Year 2001/2002 passed by as the band concentrated on creating new material, searching for a new record contract and playing live shows as well as making general adjustments.

There has been a few changes in the line-up: In November 2001 bassist Jake Hayry was replaced by Janne Jskelinen, who had played a couple of shows with Valerian previously so he was familiar with the band and their style and vice versa. In April 2002, guitarist Matti Toivonen was welcomed to join the band.

In March 2004 City Canyons Records signs a three album deal with Valerian. The three-album deal between the downtown Manhattan label and the Finnish group kicks off with the late fall 2004 release of Valerian's North American debut album INTIMATIONS OF SORROW.

Valerian is the latest, and possibly the greatest, in an invasion of remarkable talent from Scandinavia and Northern Europe. This band is full of surprises, moving from grinding almost metallic riffs to soaring and dramatic guitar solos to a softer almost delicate lyricism, all tied to solid, heartfelt lyrics voiced with style and conviction by a brilliant lead singer.

Valerian has currently released a new record titled Guerilla Fighting Method, released under City Canyons Records. More information about the album can be found at http://www.citycanyons.com/valerian/

For more information about Valerian's current events, check them out at http://www.valerianmusic.com/