Cygnus Rock Band - Valhalla (live at Plaza San Francisco) (video review)

If you really want to enjoy this video, dear Reader, you will need headphones.

Not earbuds. Nor laptop speakers. Headphones. This nice, huge, soundproof kind that locks out the world and shows even the most hidden little tones and melodies.

Believe me, it's worth to invest into a good one made by some (any) reliable brand. Cygnus's music deserves that you buy yourself a cool headphone. You'll be surprised how many beautiful little things you'll discover.

No, it wasn't a hidden commercial ad. I'm just trying to confess you, for your own greater good. You suspicios, distrustful carrot 😒

This is the 2nd part of the series Cygnus releases from their gig at Plaza San Francisco - the 1st part (Fenrir, the Wolf) was released on July 26. Upon the video's description this song, "Valhalla"

their forever fan-favorite, epic song

was the show opener, and - as every single performing artist ever on this planet - they struggled with stage anxiety.

Here I admit to everyone - including Deneb, Ruxx, Jota and Drew - that it's not visible at all. What is more, they gift us with such an energetic start that looks like they had been waiting for this show in their entire lives. They take your breath away. And this is one of the most beautiful things you will see in this video.

The smiles.

The laughters.

The two wonderful male vocals showing a myriad of new flavors. The energy. The joy. The pure rejoice over music and a decades-long friendship. Eyes full of sparkles. Power. Might. Magic. Everything we love in this band.

They start the song with full blast, and here, right in the beginning you will find out why it's worth much more to listen to this video with headphones.

The rhythm section can be heard crystal clear. Ruxx's kickdrums will spotlessly find their way to your auditory meatuses. And Deneb's bass lines... here you will be able to hear, dear Reader, what a complex bass theme this song has. Fast and virtuoso, and you can hear it in your headphones so clearly that you can even catch yourself hearing Deneb's fingers touching the strings.

I admit, dear Reader, being an avid rhythm section enthusiast, it's a piece of massive bliss for me. The complexity and beauty of Ruxx's and Deneb's play, the virtuosity of each of them separated as well as together in harmony is something that can't be heard even in the album version, no matter how many times you're listening to it. It's beautiful and you, dear Reader, can watch - and listen to - them in awe for the umpteenth time (while you simply can't get enough of them) how very skilled, talented and wonderful these two musicians are.

I remember Ruxx and Deneb emphasized it that they gave these videos out of their hands exactly the way they released it - both this video and "Fenrir".

Okay, not EXACTLY the very same way, there had been tiny modifications... if you know, you know 😉 Cygnus TV forever!!!

That means we get the original, unmodified images and unmodified sound of this gig, the way it was back in June 21st. Practically we are in the audience, watching and listening together with those people who were there at Plaza San Francisco. While I'm aware that the band would have probably wanted to modify the sound as well, I'm still more than happy and grateful that it all remained untouched.

I'm just thinking that maybe if the original stems were modified, we couldn't enjoy the raw, detailed beauty and the fine details of the bass and the drums. Maybe it doesn't sound as divine as these wonderful, beloved musicians originally planned, but this insignificant little fan here, in Eastern Europe is beyond happy with it.

And you just watch them. The smiles. The proud, strong, bright eyes. You hear the power in their voices. The determination. The playfulness. The thousand new flavors in their voicals as they sing.

Fall in love with them, dear Reader. Don't hold yourself back. It's useless anyway. They will not only win over your heart, but they tickle and tingle all those walls you built up (with long years of hard work) in yourself that have been blocking the light out from your life. I know, I know, dear Reader... you built them up to protect yourself, even by locking out the light. But it's time for those walls to collapse. It's time for you to come out to the light and heal. And these wonderful four men will give you their music full of beauty, hope, joy, gentleness and the love of life. Take it, dear Reader. You'll be safe.

The magic continues. Flowing voices, powerful and energetic. Men full of life and joy, music that heals and gives hope. 

Beautiful? Absolutely.

Divine? It is.

Sacred? Yes.

Spiritual? If your ears, hearts and soul are all wide open, then you can have such an experience, too.

And for the whole time the drums are kicking your heart, the bass caresses your soul, the two guitars tickle your ears and the two voices push you upwards, even if you might refuse it first.

Believe me, they know that this is exactly what you need 😁

The solo - while Drew lets his fingers run up and down on the guitar's neck -

this always leaves me speechless, he's doing it every time as others make coffee in the morning

brings a "duel of the axes" by Jota and Deneb. And it's not all; Ruxx does his "throw the drumstick in the air" trademark trick (we love it just as he loves it!) then he stands up from his stool, giving Deneb a powerful support as the bass player is calling the audience into battle.

And then comes the final part, where these four musicians give in all their might. You can see a short non-verbal communication between Jota and Ruxx, a small "duel of the axes" between Drew and Deneb, a closeup with Ruxx - you can watch how much he is working during these songs, how much he's focusing, drumming, keeping the pace, playing all the fills, while singing for the whole time -, while Jota is the embodiment of stability, always at the left side of the stage, playing with great precision and professionalism.

And you love them. With an all-growing love every time you see them.

And you see them constantly, because you keep playing this video - and all other Cygnus videos - on repeat, right?... Because you can't live without them, right? 💗