Originally released during the first half of 2021 but only in extremely limited quantities in their native Chile, HALLUX VALGUS‘ Reflections of Distant Dreams displayed the full depth of their daring vision, which had been slowly brewing since the band’s formation in 2013. Not for nothing did the album sell out quickly: the power trio of Horrorhammer, Old Ripper, and Spectre perfected an idiosyncratic sound that could be liken to a head-on collision between Cadaver, Running Wild, and early Christian Death. And yet, there’s no winking/cloying cleverness about the band’s bubbling cauldron of unhinged, unfettered wildness; Hallux Valgus are simply being themselves, and creating tongue-twistingly epic yet impossibly catchy heavy metal dusted with deathrock.
We could claim that no one quite sounds like them, but we’ll just conservatively say that they sidle alongside labelmates like INCULTER, PHANTOM FIRE, SEPULCHER, SPEEDKILLER, and fellow Chileans DEMONIAC and SIGN OF EVIL. And HOLY SHIT, there’s a cat on the cover!
Feeling duty call, to properly excavate this gleaming gem of weirdo metal magick, Edged Circle Productions is honored to release a worldwide edition of Reflections of Distant Dreams. What else is lurking within Hallux Valgus’ cauldron? Only time will tell
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"Consider much of what Halluxvalgus do the garage-borne death metal equivalent of Morbus Chron to start as we dive into the wheeling heavy metal jogs and King Crimsonian spread of “Ghastly Fascination”, which still maintains its fucked and raw post-‘Severed Survival’ arena of early Swedish death metal whilst sustaining a moderate rock beat much of the time."
- grizzlybutts.com
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"(...) they are a Chilean, if I’m correct. And they are anything but standard."
- metal-temple.com
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"In brief - Reflects Of Distant Dreams is a thrilling record that is going to keep devotees of the underground excitedly coming back for more. Hallux Valgus have managed to execute on a very high level for this one and it's a delight to see them really executing at the highest of levels on this latest offering. Edged Circle has once more signed an interesting and genre breaking band. Letting yourself revel in the bloodthirsty magic that they have executed on is such a delight and hints at so much more to come."
twoguysmetalreviews.com
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"Is that a cat on the cover? Well, it surely is! HALLUX VALGUS surely have managed to get my immediate attention even without hitting play! (...) If you haven’t heard HALLUX VALGUS, do check them out. This is a fun record and will make for an excellent companion during driving."
voicesfromthedarkside.com