As soon as it starts, Battle Beast’s seventh album wastes no time in showing exactly what this band is all about. “Burning Within” revs itself into a grandiose frenzy — and only European bands seem able to pull this kind of glorious excess off. Frontwoman Noora Louhimo has an incredible range to go with the band’s musical firepower, and you can never underestimate just how tight and theatrical Battle Beast are.
But “Steelbound” isn’t about restraint — it’s about leaning all the way in. If, at times — like on “Here We Are” — it sounds like they’re ready for the Eurovision Song Contest, that’s always been part of their charm. And really, what did you think a song called “Steelbound” was going to sound like?
The title track takes things up another notch — those keyboards spark like it’s the theme to some lost 1980s cop show, and the whole thing builds into a wild crescendo. “Twilight Cabaret,” meanwhile, is what Barry Manilow might have sounded like fronting a cruise ship band on its way to hell, but somehow you get completely sucked into this world.
“The Last Goodbye” has a beautiful, fist-in-the-air feel to it — pure emotion wrapped in melody. Then “The Long Road” acts as a palate cleanser halfway through, feeling like a theme song waiting for a fantasy epic. “Blood of Heroes” pushes the limits again — if less is more, Battle Beast’s philosophy seems to be “how much more can more be?”
Elsewhere, “Lucky ’n Angel” and “Midnight” strip things back to gloriously straightforward hard rock, while the ever-present keys add a touch of disco sparkle. If you can’t handle the theatrical, overblown, and proudly ridiculous, this probably isn’t the record for you.
“Together We Fall” closes things out, underlining the band’s knack for melody and drama — in other hands it could have been a ballad, but here it becomes something triumphant.
You wouldn’t want every band to sound like Battle Beast, but you can be very glad that Battle Beast exist. Raise whatever it is you raise — sword, glass, or fist — and join in. If you love power metal, you’ll love this. If you don’t, move along. There’s nothing for you here — nor do we care for your opinion.
Rating: 8.5/10
