Syd DuranRyan VillaTaelor DuranJared BaezKasim SomersKenneth BensonBio:Valora is a six piece hard rock band from Whittier, CA. featuringelectrifying frontwoman Syd Duran. Syd's powerful vocals and stage presencehave catapulted the band from obscurity to national attention.Revolver named Syd the Hottest Chick in Hard Rock for July 2011.AP named Valora one of the 100 bands you need to know for 2011. BreakingBenjamin's single Blow Me Away features Syd Duran of Valora, and is nowTop 10 on Active Rock Chart.Review:Behold the mighty mighty sonic sword of VALORAInspired by a fictional female pirate, that was the captain of a wayfaringvessel christened The Sea Witch and a predilection for eschewing a bravedetermination in the battle of the music business, this bold blusterysix-piece rock band from Whittier, CA (just a few miles SE of LA) is boundand determined to courageously fight for your honor and esteemed loyalty.Steering the vaunted vessel of VALORA is 22-year old singer SYD DURAN whomwas recently anointed one of the Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock by RevolverMagazine.Syd's shipmates include her sister Taelor whom plays keyboards and providesbacking vocals as well as lead guitarist Ryan Villa, drummer Jared Baez,bassist Kasim Somers and rhythm guitarist Kenny Benson.VALORA also has a special ship steward, that being an infamous 83-year oldMouse whom coincidentally first got his start via a vessel named SteamboatWillie.Signed to Walt Disney subsidiary Hollywood Records by Buena Vista MusicGroup Chairman Bob Cavallo, the mouse's multi-media empire has providedhigh-profile promotional avenues for the band with prime slots onsoundtracks to The Last Song and Almost Alice, the companion piece to theTim Burton Alice In Wonderland fantasy traipse.It also provided an opportunity for Syd to add her vocals\u002Fpresence tolabelmates' Breaking Benjamin on their hit song Blow Me Away:All of these sign posts are marking the map for the grand voyage of theirdebut album I WAITED FOR YOU on April 3, 2012. A musical journey three yearsin making, it's one that's well worth the wait and will firmly cement theirarrival as one of the Best New Artists, regardless of genre.I WAITED FOR YOU was produced and recorded by Grammy-nominated producerJohnny K (Disturbed, Staind, 3 Doors Down, Plain White T's, Straight LineStitch) and mixed by Neil Avron (Fall Out Boy, Linkin Park).The expansive 11-track opus also contains songwriting contributions byAmerican Idol alum Kara DioGuardi (P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Cobra Starship,Katharine McPhee, Carrie Underwood, Natalie Imbruglia), the Rock Mafiasongwriting team of Antonina Armato and Tim James (Vanessa Hudgens,78violet, Selena Gomez, Jesse McCartney, Miley Cyrus, David Archuleta,Brenda K. Starr) and Lauren Christy of The Matrix (Christina Aguilera,Hilary Duff, Avril Lavigne, Jason Mraz, Ashley Tisdale, Britney Spears).Make no mistake. While, it's always beneficial to have acclaimed hitmakersand spinning the knobs and starmakers doing their jobs, Syd Duran is thereal deal, a bonafide superstar-in-the-making whose ship has arrived.While having her own unique vocal resonance amidst a supremely powerfuldelivery, I hear textures of Lzzy Hale, Kelly Clarkson, Amy Lee, Ann Wilsonand Chrissie Hynde with a pinch of Cher, a dash of Doro Pesch and a dollopof Sandi Saraya.While the songs I Waited For You, Extreme and Live have already beenreleased as scores for an animated graphic novel based on the heroic femalecharacter Valora, as envisioned by Syd, and brought to life by AhmetZappa's Monsterfoot Productions, IWFY is loaded with big bold catchy rockanthems.I Like What You're Doing begins with an atmospheric bass line thatslithers through your mind before exploding into a full-fledged heavyweightpunch fueled by taut layers of rhythmic soothsayers.Heart-racheting palpitators like Forgotten, Irreversible and BetterWhen You Don't Know Better remind one of the urgent passion of a fierceKelly Clarkson in full form while the octave-enhanced sublime chorus of YouMake It OK sounds like it could snuggle nicely on any of the multi-platinumBon Jovi records.Lighters, cell phones, glow sticks, amulets, basically anything that can beheld, lit up and waved in unison will accompany YMIO one day at a sold-outarena show.Via repeated listens to the full album, embedded nuances of the Iron Chefproduction team reveal themselves but what is rudimentary upon first listento taut sonic sharpeners like Life Hungover and No Matter What is thatValora = Strength.And that Strength is best measured by numbers, as in those that go up to 10or in this case, that go to 11. Therefore, forevermore...VALORA + VOLUME = VICTORYAnd then when you add the syncopation of siblings as artillery in thearsenal, the volume knob might very well melt off the Richter scale.Musically, Duran & Duran are akin to Wilson & Wilson of Heart than say thesister set of Alexia and Anissa Rodriguez from Eyes Set To Kill, thoughtheir audience, initially, will be made up of younger exuberant fans whomchampion the systematic rock onslaught of ESTK.As powerful as VALORA is on record, the band flexes even greater might whilesailing on the open sea at night. They completed their first national tourlast fall opening for 10 Years and will surely land some key slots on toursin 2012 and beyond.Better get your passport stamped and get ready for the valor of titanicrock.Here's hoping that in addition to Warped TwentyTwelve that VALORA snag aspot opening for Evanescence.Let thee dark pirates unite in a valiant global flight.For all ye rowing the wayfaring Sea Witch, we shall be Victorious!