BATTLE BEAST Circus of Doom | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Nuclear Blast Records on January 21th, 2022

Quick Background

Battle Beast is a Finnish heavy/power metal band established in Helsinki in 2005 by guitarist Anton Kabanen. Battle Beast's first album, titled Steel, was released in Finland in the Spring of 2011 and worldwide in January 2012 with the support of the two singles, "Show Me How to Die" and "Enter the Metal World". The first single with Noora Louhimo on vocals, "Into the Heart of Danger" was released in 2013, followed by the album Battle Beast. In 2015, Battle Beast released its third album, Unholy Savior and right after it the band parted ways with Anton Kabanen. He went on to form Beast In Black. Despite that, Battle Beast's ascent up the metal ladder quickly and the band’s 3rd studio album achieved remarkable chart positions all over Europe. Bringer of Pain first output without their original songwriter was released in 2017 and achieved even higher success. Then No More Hollywood Endings came to life in 2019. 

Circus of Doom

Now in 2022, the Finnish heavy metal sextet sixth studio album, Circus of Doom brings us 10 tracks in 42 minutes. A pretty sweet and easy to digest format. All songs are direct and to the point. All of which last between 3 and 5 minutes delivering a blend of true heavy metal with pop and rock-vibes, paired with Noora Louhimo’s unique voice. The album opens with the title track which features one of the heaviest riffs on the album. Relatively speaking it is a darker song but nothing to to with doom metal. It is a perfect sample of the album's quality. This time around Battle Beast went for a heavier album with more power metal influences than previous efforts. With that said the symphonic and pop rock elements are still very much present. "Wings of Light" follows and keeps the energy and tempo up. Great guitar work on this song in particular, I love the solos on it.

In terms of lyrics the album is full of clichés and even song titles that you'll make you think of other metal tracks such as "Master of Illusion" and "Eye of the Storm". But that doesn't bother me actually.  Funny enough those are my two favorite songs on the album. Louhimo's performance on "Master of Illusion" is fantastic, so much energy, range and hitting those high notes while delivering catchy vocal melodies. It's a power metal delight. 

The stunning artwork was created by Jan Yrlund (Among others Manowar), who already took care of Battle Beast’s previous two album designs. The album was produced and mixed by keyboardist Janne Björkroth and it sounds quite good.

The Picky Guy

There are a couple of moments that BB sounds too much like Nightwish era with Anette Olzon and I don't like it. It looses grip and energy. Not that I don't like NW, but that's not the style they shine here. The examples are "Where Angels Fear to Fly" a mid tempo song that doesn't keep my interest. "The Road to Avalon" featuring a very pop chorus and most of all "Armageddon". It sounds like a happy song to end a concert, but too much...  

The good thing is that the band arranged the song order in a way that the less impactful songs are not standing out. More importantly, Circus of Doom ends on a high note because the closer track "Place That We Call Home" is a good energetic heavy one. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

I liked this album a lot, but I haven't seen many good reviews. That doesn't surprise me and it's one of the reasons I started this channel. Of course if you want extreme metal or prog metal adventures this is not the album. But we have to judge an album for what it is and tries to accomplish. In that sense Battle Beast stayed true to the formula of “100% heavy metal - 0% bullshit!” This is fun, catchy and contagious while delivering energy and quality song writing. It's a very good album, 82/100 and I keep listening to it and I am not ashamed. For me their best album yet. Looks to me that Kabanen leaving the band was the best for all. Now on top of Battle Beast on top form we also get Beast in Black. 

SCORE: 82/100

Genre: Heavy Metal

Released by Nuclear Blast Records on January 21th, 2022

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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MAGNUM The Monster Roars | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Steamhammer Records on January 14th, 2022

Quick Background

Magnum are an English hard rock band formed in Birmingham by Tony Clarkin (guitar, songwriter) and Bob Catley (vocals). They have undergone several changes in personnel over the years; however, the core of Catley and Clarkin remains. Their debut studio album was released back in 1978! Chase the Dragon (1982) and On a Storyteller's Night (1985) are considered their best / most important albums. In recent years, my favorite album is Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies (2016). 

The Monster Roars

The Monster Roars is their 22nd studio album, quite impressive. I don't know how many bands have such an extensive catalog, but I don't think many. As a reference the Rolling Stones have 30 and are one of the oldest bands in activity. Anyways, the new effort follows The Serpent Rings (2020) and features a whopping collection of 12 songs in 60 minutes. 

Over the last two decades the band has been very consistent in not only releasing an album every other year but also maintaining their trademark sound. Bob Catley voice is beautiful and distinguished and Tony Clarkin knows how to write catchy melodies. Magnum creates tasteful hard rock with epic feel and a power metal edge. Keyboards and orchestrations add to their soundscape to create huge moments and choruses. Melody is the name of the game here. Songs and vocal lines are memorable and contagious, soon you will get those choruses stuck in your head and you will be singing them along.

There's no need to discuss songs individually, for one there are too many and also they are very similar. With that said, some are more upbeat (e.g. title track and "Remember") and others midtempo and more melancholic with stylish string accompaniment as in the single "I Won't Let You Down". "The Present Not the Past" is however one of my favorites. It's a subtle build up and that epic contagious feel that Magnum are the masters of. Very groovy and catchy chorus.   

Now there is one curve ball on the album "No Steppin' Stones". Not that I love this song but I do appreciate that they did something a little bit different. When the song started I thought I pressed a button and was listening to another band, more specifically something like The Glenn Miller Orchestra. It's weird but interesting.  

When it comes to the vocals, Bob is a legend, how does he still sound so good after 50 years is beyond me. The guitarwork is effective but rarely takes the central stage. And the production is again modern, clear and pristine. Similar to the latest albums. 

The Picky Guy

The no brainer criticism here is that the album is more of the same. There's very little new things in this albums that we haven't heard before from this band. The last few albums all blend in together and the main different just comes to song writing and personal connection to the songs. The other thing for me is that the album is way too long in both minutes and number of songs. So some songs like "That Freedom Word" were not really necessary to be in there.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Magnum delivers what you would expect from them. High quality hard rock with big choruses, addictive melodies and tasteful guitar work.  The band doesn't adventure outside their comfort zone, so no surprises really. You know what you get and that's very similar to previous albums, the good news is that it's all high quality music writing and execution. Therefore it's a good album, 81/100. Old time fans can go for it and for new fans, this is as good as any of the last records. 

SCORE: 81/100

Genre: Hard Rock

Released by Steamhammer Records on January 14th, 2022

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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WILDERUN Epigone | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Century Media Records on January 7th, 2022

Quick Background

Formed in 2012, the New England quartet Wilderun has released three albums prior to 2021, the third one being 2019's "Veil Of Imagination". That album was praised by critics. It transformed and expanded the band's sound resulting in an album that is beautiful and fierce. While their roots are the American response to the European Folk Metal, the band has evolved to a full prog rock/metal band with folk and extreme metal influences.  

Epigone

Epigone arrives as the year starts and it's the band's fourth album. Important to notice that the album was recorded as a 5-piece band with Joe Gettler on the lead guitars. However in the mean time he left the band so Wayne Ingram is now once again in the lead guitar seat and is slaying the parts live. He is also responsible for the orchestrations. The band is completed by Evan Anderson Berry (Vocals, Guitars),  Daniel Müller (Bass, Synths) and Jon Teachey (Drums).  The new album features nine songs in just above one hour. But notice that "Distraction" is broken into 4 songs. And "Ambition" is a short instrumental. The album opens with the relatively short almost 5 minute "Exhaler". It's a folk orchestrated acoustic ballad that to me more than standalone song feels like a long intro to the album. After that we go into a series of epic songs where Wilderun traverse a variety of musical genres, such as epic orchestral passages followed by hard guitar riffs, clean vocals transform into deathly growls. To me there's a lot of Opeth in their sound, but interestingly also bit of Kamelot due to Berry's clean vocals, orchestrations and female backing vocals. There's still a lot of folk and acoustic elements still in their sound but they are much more subtle than in other bands. The middle part of "Woolgatherer" for example is really cool and brings that  Middle Ages feel without the use of in your face folk tricks. 

"Passenger" is my favorite song on the album. That epic opening is great, it sounds huge with orchestrations, a choir and guitar solos. When the clean vocals come in, it brings that power prog metal feel as it could've been in Kamelot's The Black Halo. But then that's mixed with death growls in the best Opeth style it's just great. Talking about Opeth, "Identifier" is one of the best Opeth songs of the last few years. But wait until, it fully brings a Haken vibe to it. The vocal melodies in this song and overall on the album are super catchy and memorable. And both the death growls a la Mikael Åkerfeldt or the clean Roy Khan singing are beautiful. 

"Ambition" is an expendable almost three minute sample effects song that breaks the album into two. The second part of the album is "Distraction" in four parts and totaling almost 20 minutes. It's a journey though what Wilderun is all about. Acoustic passages, clean sing-along vocals building up to huge orchestrations and choirs to death growls during part I. Part II balances melody with aggression and heavy guitars. It also build up to this big erratic orchestration, almost like The Beatles' "A Day in a Life". Part III is like bring us from that sound mountain to a calm valley. A strings and keyboards surround the singing and creates this peaceful ambience. Until this finally leads us to the coolest guitar solo on the album. We then reached "Distraction Nulla" is a 3-minut chaotic instrumental that closes the album without adding much to it. 

The Picky Guy

"Woolgatherer" had everything to be a fantastic song, but a couple of choices made during production ruined the songs for me. Mainly, the piercing noise that is for an inexplicable reason included in a couple of moments during "Woolgatherer" not only irritates me but it physically hurts. I really don't get why they did this, probably nobody on the band suffers from tinnitus, otherwise they would have removed this effect. It ruins the song for me, sorry. Then there's an useless 1 min of sound effects to close the song. With that said, for the rest there are some very cool moments on this song, it's a pity. I also find the opening song too long. And those really the only issues I have with the album. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

Wilderun alternates between orchestrations, folk elements and extreme metal, all executed with technical mastery and skillful songwriting. It's a delight for modern prog metal fans as it draws from many of our favorite bands but the band creates an interesting combination that leads Wilderun to have an unique and hard to define style. Despite some editing issues and a couple of poor choices, I still consider it a good album and I have been listening to it a lot. So that's a 81/100 album. I must also point out that "Passenger" is already a contender to be among my top songs of the year. Prog fans, you can try Epigone with the confidence to have a good time.

SCORE: 81/100

Genre: Progressive Metal

Released by Century Media Records on January 7th, 2022

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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