Origin: Italy
Formed: 2005
Genre: Epic Dark Metal / Atmospheric Gothic Metal
Status: Active
Label: GS Prod.
Themes: Fantasy lore, inner journeys, mythic creation, Dekalurian language
Epika marks a decisive turning point in the Valkiria saga—recorded in 2005 at Valkiria Studio, it is the first full‑length album released under the Valkiria name after years of experimentation, narrative development, and stylistic transformation. By this stage, Valkus had moved far from the primordial, visceral force that fueled the early black metal demo The Narrow Bed. Instead, he entered a new creative phase: lighter in aggression, richer in atmosphere, and deeply rooted in the mythic universe he had been constructing since the late 1990s.
The album’s lyrics are entirely taken from Velmhar, the second book of Valkus’s fantasy cycle, written in the invented language Dekalurian. This linguistic and narrative worldbuilding gives Epika a unique identity—half musical work, half mythological chronicle. The album narrates the union of the men of Mharvelle, the forging of a new kingdom, and the rejection of imposed religion, themes that had already begun to surface in earlier Valkiria material.
Originally released independently and later re‑recorded in 2013, the new version expanded the album’s scope by replacing the tracks Imharad, Ilkendarth, and Madaka with three new compositions, refining the narrative and musical flow. The 2013 edition was released via GS Prod., strictly limited to 100 copies, becoming a sought‑after item among collectors of Italian underground metal.
Despite being Valkiria’s first official album, Epika unexpectedly reached a massive audience thanks to Valkus’s decision to upload it to e‑Mule, tagging it with numerous descriptors. This unconventional move resulted in approximately 30,000 downloads—an extraordinary number for a semi‑unknown band releasing its debut. The album received strong feedback from listeners worldwide and marked Valkus’s definitive return to the musical world after years of silence and creative metamorphosis.
Musically, Epika blends epic atmospheres, gothic melancholy, and melodic dark metal, with Valkus performing all instruments and vocals. The sound is less raw than his early work, more narrative‑driven, and imbued with a sense of vastness and mythic resonance. It stands as the foundation of the modern Valkiria identity: atmospheric, literary, and emotionally expansive.