CD REVIEW: BATTLE BEAST – Unholy Savior

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release Date: January 13, 2015

Rating: 9/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Long gone are the days of bands releasing new materials year after year, without long tours and passage of time between discs – unless your band is Battle Beast.  They are releasing their latest collection less than a year after the release of their self-titled disc.  “Lionheart” opens the disc with familiar sounds and textures from the previous Battle Beast release, but with more intensity and purpose and better lead vocals.  Title track “Unholy Savior” kicks in and we get some killer riffs and sounds that lend themselves to a symphonic sound, which builds on previous releases from the band.  “Madness” features some of the strongest vocals on the disc, as well as pounding drums, courtesy of Pyry Vikki, that lead the charge and take this song to a new level.  Eero Sipilä’s bass lines keep the song anchored against the soaring vocals.  “Speed And Danger” is self-descriptive, in that the speed of the drum track and the fretwork mix with the dangerous tones of the vocals to produce a heavy track that defines the heart and sound of this band.  “Hero’s Quest” is an instrumental piece (with a ‘hey,hey’ chants mixed in) that allows the keyboards from  Janne Björkroth and guitars to duel for the lead position on the track, but the bass and drums fill the void underneath and keep the track charging forward.

“I Want The World… And Everything In It” lets the vocals fly, with great singing, screaming, and growling that all mesh to create a wall of sound that is supported with great guitar work from Anton Kabanen and Juuso Soinio and a heavy bottom end, courtesy of the rhythm section.  “Sea Of Dreams” is a beautiful piece that allows vocalist Noora Louhimo to spread her wings and deliver emotional vocals and lyrics that, when mixed with the keyboards, gives the band a full-blown power ballad that builds when the rest of the band kicks in near the bridge.  “Touch In The Night” has a cool intro that sounds very 80’s pop and builds from there to the verse and into the chorus.  The full sound gives this song and disc depth and dimension against other heavy rockers in the bands catalog.  rockers.  “The Black Swordsman” is a cool track that features great guitar, keyboard, and vocals dancing together to develop another sound and feel from the band.  “Far Far Away” is one of the better tracks on the disc and combines the best of each song into a strong tune that drives from open to close.  The driving tempo of the bass and drums combined with the charging guitars and keyboards lay a foundation that supports the lofty vocals.  “Angel Cry” closes the disc with keyboards and beautiful vocals that show the softer side of Louhimo’s talent.

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Category: CD Reviews