Since moving to Europe about a decade ago, Argentinian singer Diego Valdez has been part of several projects in multiple rock and metal styles. The one band he stayed with all these years, however, is the German progressive power metal band Assignment, whose excellent new album ‘With the End Comes Silence’ once again features Valdez in great shape.

This year, Valdez will have been with Assignment longer than he fronted Helker, the band that made him a household name in his native country. “My relationship with Assignment started some years ago while I still lived in Argentina”, Valdez nods. “But meeting finally meeting the guys after all those years made a big difference. It was great.

I promised myself to not do anything I don’t like as a musician. I think that Assignment has a very unique approach to the progressive metal style that they play. I feel very comfortable working with the band. I have always had a lot of freedom to create or give my input about what the vocal lines should be.

Usually, when I work with Goran (Panić, guitarist and songwriter), the instrumental part of the songs is done, or almost done. He has a very clear vision regarding Assignment’s music, so it doesn’t change too much between the moment the music is presented to me and the final results. Goran gives me a sketch of the vocal lines, a very basic one, and the only thing I should follow exactly or almost exactly is the way that the words fit into the song.

Apart from that, I have always had complete freedom to sing the songs any way I would like. Of course, Goran has to approve the ideas that I’m sending him. But usually he agrees with what I went with, so working together goes very smoothly.”

Sort of a Diary

“Compared to our previous works, ‘With the End Comes Silence’ is a more guitar-oriented album. The previous albums had a bigger focus on the keyboards. But the identity is still there. It still sounds like Assignment. I wouldn’t say that it there is as clear a difference vocally speaking, because the essence, the musical concept and the style are still there.”

Frequent mentions of The Tower in the lyrics, not limited to the song with that title, imply that ‘With the End Comes Silence’ is a concept album. “The Tower definitely is a character on the album”, Valdez states. “I wouldn’t say that the album is a concept album, but it is true that there is some kind of connection between the songs.

Goran and I talked a lot about life experiences. At some point, you can see the album as sort of a diary, I supposed. I tried to understand what Goran wanted to say and what he felt, so that I could then put my own feelings and my own approach into every song, based on our conversations, on the lyrics, and on the vibe of the music.”

Finding the right vocal approach isn’t just something that requires Valdez’ own voice, as Therion and former Candlemass singer Thomas Vikström appears as a backing vocalist on ‘With the End Comes Silence’. “Thomas is a very close friend of mine”, Valdez emphasizes. “He was actually my minister when I got married!

We worked together for quite some years, and I know for sure that he is a top-notch singer. But he also has the amazing ability to create wonderful walls of backing vocals, and also the taste and the creativity to adapt to whatever style. I thought that having Thomas doing backing vocals would be a really great addition to the album, so I suggested it to Goran, and he accepted. As you can hear on the album, the results are amazing.”

Extremely Enjoyable

Assignment doesn’t really play live, so the need to create songs and vocal parts to fit the stage isn’t there. For Valdez, that doesn’t make as much of a difference as one might expect. “I always try to record what I think is best for the song”, he says. “Even if it is a little demanding. Of course, I will then complain about having to do it live, haha! But it’s not like I base my vocal choices on any album on whether or not the music will be played live.

What does make a difference is that we know each other better now, after having worked together for a number of years. We understand what we can do as a band, and how we can do it. So in that regard, coming up with the appropriate vocal melodies for Assignment has definitely become easier.”

What may also help is that Valdez has tackled various musical styles through the years. And even Assignment tried their hand at songs in a different style with the pop covers on 2022’s ‘Assimilation’ EP. “I do like challenges”, Valdez asserts. “Especially with cover versions, I really like trying to make the songs my own. So I found it extremely enjoyable to adapt those songs to my style. I try not to imitate the original singers if I can avoid it. If I have to change something for whatever reason – let’s say my range – I will do it.

I really like to try different things. Of course, my voice sounds better or fits better in some styles than others. I could try to sing blues, for example, and it would be decent, but it will never sound as good as when a pure blues man does it. In my case, I am a metal singer, so I have learned to bend myself to fit multiple areas within the genre.

When it comes to maintaining my voice, honestly, I’m a mess. I’m a smoker, so I can’t give any advice about it. What I do when my voice is tired is a lot of exercise with a bottle of water and a plastic tube. It helps me a lot, and it saved me several times. And of course, I always try to sing with the proper technique.”

More Respected as a Musician

“When I first came to Europe, the biggest challenge was that the career I had as a singer in Argentina wasn’t really all that useful here, so I had to start more or less from scratch. I was known by some musicians and by people who were really into international music, but most people had no idea about who I was. But it’s okay, because as I said: I like challenges.

In some areas, the differences between Europe and Argentina. In others, not so much. I could say that here in Europe, musicians are more respected than in Argentina. I mean… When you explain to someone that you’re working as a musician in Europe, most people would say ‘oh, that’s great!’ When you do the same in Argentina, people will say ‘oh yes, but I mean: do you have a real job?’

At the moment, I am working on a Queen tribute called Keeng. We play the songs a little bit heavier than the originals. I also sing in Defenders of the Faith with Thomas Vikström, which is the side project of Christofer Johnsson from Therion. Also, I’m the lead singer of Brotherhood of Wolves, which is a hard rock band from Spain. The first Defenders of the Faith album did very well, and Brotherhood of Wolves is about to release a new album very soon. So there are a lot of good things going on!”