LIVE: Battle Beast + Darkyra – Perth | Boorloo, 10 March 2026

LIVE: Battle Beast + Darkyra – Perth | Boorloo, 10 March 2026
Magnet House, Perth, Western Australia
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
Photography by Linda Dunjey

It’s an awfully long way from Finland to Western Australia, and Battle Beast are excited to be here, via two shows in Japan. It’s not just the sunny autumn days they’re enjoying: new vocalist Marina La Torraca shines centre stage, her vocals slotting in to the band’s established sound seamlessly.

Brazilian La Torraca is no shrinking violet: she has years out front of her ensemble symphonic metal band Exit Eden, and before that Phantom Elite, as well as some time singing live with Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia. Despite only playing two shows together before tonight Battle Beast are as sharp as a Finish Puuko blade.

Local openers Darkyra kick things off in style. They’re billed as “symphonic metal” but in absence of any symphonic-like instrumentation I’d liken their sound more to melodic Eurometal with some neo-Gothic elements. Whatever you want to call them, it’s impressive enough to rivet the attention of the small but captivated crowd, and deservedly so. Their set is world class, though a few more on stage dynamics wouldn’t go astray.

Battle Beast take to the stage with as huge a roar as a half full room can summon and – as is only right – turn things up a notch. With seven albums and countless shows under their belt over the past eighteen years they aren’t going to let a little thing like a new vocalist throw them off their game. Suffice to say La Torraca sounds and acts like she is right where she belongs, allowing her vocals to do the work rather than suit up in horns and wings as a replica of ex-singer Noora Louhimo.

They deliver epic Scandometal, soaring melodies, pummeling riffs, scathing guitar solos – all underpinned by uplifting keytar lines. Yes – keytar. Perhaps the cheesiest of instruments in a heavy rock band, but here it works, and works damn well.

Newcomers to the game might think that a band called ‘Battle Beast’ would be all ‘roooarrrgggghhhhh’ in yer face screaming metal, but that is not the case. The band are highly melodic, their catchy tunes immediately singalongable and the anthemic choruses tailor made for punching fists in the air and throwing devil horns skywards.

There’s little sense of jetlag after their long flight: the sextet are in great spirits, joking around, guitarist Juuso Soinio chugging a tinnie placed inside his shoe for a sort-of ‘shoey’ [never have – never will – Editor]. “I won’t lie,” he admits, “this is not the biggest crowd we’ve played to – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be the loudest!” gets the crowd in even fuller voice as La Torraca leads the band from the power metal of Where Angels Fear To Fly, from a rock salsa groove into the enormous Twilight Cabaret, then into the crushing Bastard Son Of Odin, channelling the Viking Gods.

The metal warriors prove that heavy metal doesn’t have to be Cookie Monster vocals and wall of sound dirges – they unite power and melody, titanic riffs and delicate finesse as they ignite through mighty versions of Steelbound and Eden before an encore of King For A Day and Wings Of Light, finishing their first Aussie show of the tour on as high a note as they started it.

As the band take a selfie from the stage with the crowd in the background we reflect on a monumental night of melodic heavy metal, certain that La Torraca’s place in the band is assured, and we cannot wait to hear how their next album will sound with her input.

Setlist:
Straight to the Heart
Last Goodbye
Master of Illusion
No More Hollywood Endings
Eye of the Storm
Blood of Heroes
Where Angels Fear to Fly
Watch the Sky Fall
Twilight Cabaret
Bastard Son of Odin
Angel of Midnight
Steelbound
Eden

King for a Day
Wings of Light

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries