Valesa – Chapter II: Viva the Apocalypse! is the new full-length album from Norwegian art-pop cult band Major Parkinson, and the second installment in their ongoing Valesa series. Expanding the neon-shaded universe of Velvet Prison, this chapter pushes the project into sharper, more visceral territory, blending theatrical art-pop with psychedelic rock, groove-driven arrangements, and a darker narrative edge.
Recorded largely live with the full band in the same room, the album carries a renewed physicality and immediacy. Prominent horn sections, dual vocal interplay, and a groovy, rhythmic pulse gives the record an energetic, almost feral presence that marks a distinct evolution from Part I’s synth-infused aesthetics. Thematically, the album explores the dark magnetism of showbiz, American mythologies, and the hallucinatory line between utopia and delusion — delivered with the band’s trademark dark humor and cinematic flair.
Viva the Apocalypse! showcases Major Parkinson at their most unhinged and alive: youthful energy revived, shadows deepened, worlds expanded. A bold, immersive new chapter that opens the Valesa saga wider, stranger, and more unpredictable than ever.