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Album Review – Battle Beast / Bringer Of Pain (2017)

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Bringing to our ears and hearts first-class music inspired by the golden years of Heavy Metal, the most electrified metal squad from Finland are ready to storm the world once again with their brand new kick-ass classy album.

Rating3

battle-beast_bringer-of-painAfter listening to Bringer Of Pain, the fourth full-length album by Finnish metallers Battle Beast, there are two immediate conclusion that come to my mind. First, that the motto “100 % Heavy Metal – 0 % Bullshit!” couldn’t be more precise to describe the electrified Heavy and Power Metal compositions by this Helsinki-based squad. And second, the entire album feels like it was recorded back in the 80’s or 90’s due to its sensational old school aura, but only released now in 2017. And perhaps paying a tribute to the golden years of heavy music was the original goal of the band with Bringer Of Pain, starting with its impactful name. “The title is more than just a catchy punchline,” bassist Eero Sipilä explains. “’Bring the pain’ as a phrase means ‘giving your best’, stepping up against the odds, something that really sums up the spirit of this band and this album. The fact that the name also brought to mind a certain Judas Priest album definitely didn’t hurt either.”

The album’s classic album art, crafted by the specialist of realistic fantasy art Jan Yrlund (Darkgrove), is the perfect depiction of what Battle Beast have to offer their fans this time. “The cover art is mainly involved with the title track of the album, “Bringer of Pain”, which is obviously about this super evil female character destroying stuff. We brainstormed a little around this topic and then sent some sketches to Jan, who returned with the picture, some mean-looking woman who appears like she’s coming through the box art to kick your ass. And since ‘kicking ass’ is pretty much exactly what this band is about, we considered it a very fitting cover.” In addition to that, the main change from their previous album, the flammable Unholy Savior, is the departure of guitarist and main songwriter Anton Kabanen, but that doesn’t mean the band couldn’t maintain their signature sound alive, with newcomer Joona Björkroth fitting perfectly to everything Battle Beast stands for.

The first track of this rousing album, Straight to the Heart, brings to the listener pure upbeat Heavy Metal from the 80’s with the electrified keyboards by Janne Björkroth and the flawless vocals by the fiery metal goddess Noora Louhimo turning it into an instant classic. Put differently, it’s that type of metal music that will put you to dance right away while you scream its chorus from the top of your lungs together with Noora. Albeit the name of the album and its cover art bring the unbeatable Painkiller to our minds, the title-track Bringer of Pain actually reminds me of another high-octane classic by the almighty Judas Priest, “Freewheel Burning”, which obviously means it’s beyond awesome. Furthermore, the frantic performances by Pyry Vikki on drums and both Juuso Soinio and Joona with their blazing guitar riffs and solos, together with the song’s epic background vibe, turn it into the best of all tracks in my humble opinion. Whereas the first single of the album, King for a Day, unites classic Heavy Metal with old school Hard Rock, feeling at times like a modern metallic version of Survivor’s hit “Eye of the Tiger” with another blast of the sensational keyboards by Janne, not to mention its catchy chorus, which will certainly stick inside your mind for a long time (“King for a day / He kills the truth and looks away / King for a day / Lives like the world would end today / King for a day / What do you hide, why do you lie? / Who made the rules for this game? / Who is paying your champagne? / All the mercy in the world / Cannot save you anymore / King for a day”).

battle-beast-2017In Beyond the Burning Skies, Battle Beast deliver a beautiful and inspiring musicality, with Noora stealing the spotlight with her powerful and precise vocal lines while the rest of the band maintains a high level of energy flowing from their instruments. Needless to say, listening to this classy chant will make your day better for sure. Then we have Familiar Hell, a song about our inexplicable fear of change and how change can actually bring happiness and joy to our lives, with Janne and bassist Eero Sipilä keeping the adrenaline running from start to finish (if this song had been written in the 80’s, it would have definitely been a top-chart hit); followed by Lost in Wars, a mid-tempo composition showcasing an epic atmosphere with Noora and guest vocalist Tomi Joutsen sounding like the beauty and the beast, boosted by the song’s heavy riffs and thunderous keyboards. And Bastard Son of Odin might have the cheesiest song name, lyrics and rhythm of all, but that ends up working really well as Battle Beast are masters in crafting this type of music. In a nutshell, their “Viking mode” sounds absolutely great, especially the raspy screams by Noora and the galloping bass and drums à la Iron Maiden by Eero and Pyry, respectively.

We Will Fight, an potent Power Metal hymn tailored for singing along with the band while holding your fists in the air, is another mid-tempo tune that enhances Noora’s vocals through its mystical aura and steady beats, while Dancing with the Beast is a very good surprise amidst so many heavy tunes. The first time I saw the song’s name, I honestly thought it would be more ferocious like any song with the word “beast” in it. However, it’s a smooth 80’s Hard Rock ballad with very gentle instrumental pieces, with the sexy voice by Noora leading its pleasant sonority. On the other hand, Far from Heaven is just a below average song that’s way too mellow, sounding like a lame ballad from any of those generic “top 40” artists, which obviously means it’s the worst of all songs hands down. It’s well-played and very melodic indeed, but it lacks punch and electricity. anyway, if you go for the digipack edition of Bringer Of Pain (which can be purchased HERE), you’ll be treated to three amazing bonus tracks, all displaying the band’s trademark high-voltage Power Metal, with Rock Trash being by far the most awesome of them. This is a superb metal hymn that should have been part of the regular version of the album, perhaps its closing tune instead of that boring ballad.

We can never get tired of the indomitable Battle Beast, right? That’s why the band is always willing to share more of their music and their lives with us, which in the case of Bringer Of Pain comes in the form of three entertaining official track-by-track videos from the band that can be seen HERE, HERE and HERE. And Valentine’s Day might be dead and gone this year, but I’m sure if you give your significant other the “Bringer Of Pain special bundle” (for guys or for girls), his or her love for you will only grow stronger than metal. Or you can go to the official Nuclear Blast webstore and choose your favorite option from several versions available. Battle Beast are more than ready to storm the world once again with Bringer Of Pain, bringing to our ears and hearts another shot of their first-class heavy music, and we should be more than thankful for that, as well as for the band not giving us any sign at all of slowing down or giving up metal. Quite the contrary, it seems that their battle will rage on for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Straight to the Heart, Bringer of Pain, Beyond the Burning Skies, Bastard Son of Odin and Rock Trash.

Worst moments of the album: Far from Heaven.

Released in 2017 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Straight to the Heart 3:31
2. Bringer of Pain 3:04
3. King for a Day 4:33
4. Beyond the Burning Skies 4:39
5. Familiar Hell 4:04
6. Lost in Wars (feat. Tomi Joutsen) 4:34
7. Bastard Son of Odin 3:34
8. We Will Fight 3:26
9. Dancing with the Beast 3:42
10. Far from Heaven 4:20

Limited Edition Digipack bonus tracks
11. God of War 3:56
12. The Eclipse 4:30
13. Rock Trash 3:13

Band members
Noora Louhimo – lead vocals
Juuso Soinio – guitar
Joona Björkroth – guitar, backing vocals
Eero Sipilä – bass guitar, backing vocals
Janne Björkroth – keyboards, backing vocals
Pyry Vikki – drums

Guest musician
Tomi Joutsen – male vocals on “Lost in Wars”

Album Review – The Hypothesis / Origin (2016)

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A complete lineup change and almost four years to conclude an album? In the case of these Finnish metallers, it was definitely worth the wait.

Rating4

The_Hypothesis_cover_2400After what happened with Guns N’ Roses and their controversial album Chinese Democracy (2008), whenever a band suffers significant lineup changes and takes a good amount of time to release an album, people get really skeptical about the final result. Fortunately, that’s not the case with Finnish Modern Melodic Metal band The Hypothesis, who after a complete change in their lineup and four years locked in the middle of a dark forest of Viitasaari, in Central Finland, are finally releasing their debut full-length album, entitled Origin, an excellent display of modern and melodic heavy music.

Formed in the city of Kouvola, Finland in 2009, but currently based about 130km to the southwest of that, in the capital Helsinki, The Hypothesis have already built a solid reputation in Melodic Death Metal, playing in renowned festivals such as Nummirock and Qstock, and sharing the stage with names like Swallow The Sun, Scar Symmetry, Wolfheart and Before The Dawn. And that’s after having released only one EP, named Nightshade, back in 2010. And now, without further ado, it’s time to hit play and start moshing with those Finnish metallers.

Right from the first few notes in Shades to Escape, you’ll notice how much they love futuristic keyboard noises, providing a sound that’s very harmonious and polished as usual, but always as violent as this type of music demands. In addition, frontman Antti Seppälä offers sharp and harsh growls nicely complemented by some clean vocals to give more balance to the song, with the powerful riffs and solos by both guitarists Juuso Turkki and Asko Sartanen filling all the spaces left. Leak, an old school Melodic Death Metal with hints of Metalcore, sounds less experimental and a lot heavier and more vicious, with the precise drumming by Waltteri Väyrynen enhancing the electricity found in the music; while End of Your Days somehow “takes off” from where the opening track stopped, with Antti going on with his furious screams and both guitars blasting some awesome riffs, all supported by the song’s background keyboards and the intricate bass lines by Markku “Neissu” Ruuskanen.

The_Hypothesis_promopic_largeOnce again exhibiting a futuristic and metallic aura, Scarface is a decent composition that unfortunately doesn’t live up to the energy found throughout the rest of the album, with its rhythm sounding a bit confusing (or maybe too progressive compared to what the other songs offer). Exit puts the band back on track with its high level of violence and nonstop action, boosted by an amazing guitar solo by guest musician Daniel Freyberg. Moreover, Markku can’t stop pounding his thunderous strings in this modern and melodic Death Metal chant tailored for fans of the genre, and almost immediately they connect it to Atonement, another song presenting potent riffs and high-end solos by Juuso and Asko where Antti showcases some clean vocals before going back to his demonic mode.

In Eye for an Eye, the rhythmic beats by Waltteri craft the perfect sonic tornado for Antti to fire desperate and harsh vocal lines in the best song of the album. This is how a Melodic Death Metal band should always add progressive elements to their musicality, not to mention its yet again flawless keyboard notes. On the other hand, Weak Story, despite its instrumental pieces being as good as the rest of the album (in special its guitar solos), brings forward out-of-place clean vocals that sound taken from a generic Metalcore song. And closing the album we have the interesting instrumental song Second Chance, where the modern elements added to its polished production turn it into a nice experimental voyage in Melodic Death Metal. Besides, you can pretend to be Antti and add your own lyrics and vocals to it, how about that? Or you can simply relax and relish the beautiful guitar riffs and rumbling bass lines offered by the band during the whole song as well.

This up-and-coming band from Finland can be found on Facebook and on YouTube, and you can purchase Origin at the Inverse Records’ webshop, on iTunes or on Amazon. It might have taken almost four years for The Hypothesis to conclude their first full-length record, but after listening to it you’ll realize it was definitely worth the wait thanks to all the energy and passion those guys put into the making of the album.

Best moments of the album: Leak, Exit and Eye for an Eye.

Worst moments of the album: Scarface and Weak Story.

Released in 2016 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Shades to Escape 4:20
2. Leak 4:25
3. End of Your Days 4:47
4. Scarface 3:51
5. Exit 3:34
6. Atonement 3:28
7. Eye for an Eye 4:46
8. Weak Story 4:03
9. Second Chance (Instrumental) 4:43

Band members
Antti Seppälä – vocals
Juuso Turkki – guitar
Asko Sartanen – guitar
Markku “Neissu” Ruuskanen – bass
Waltteri Väyrynen – drums

Guest musician
Daniel Freyberg – guitar solo on “Exit”

Album Review – Dö / Tuho (2016)

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If you were born under black wings and love the taste of destruction in music, the Dööm Metal blasted by this fantastic power trio from “Hellsinki” is all you need to keep enjoying your miserable and excruciating time on earth.

Rating3

Dö_Tuho(CoverArt)If you’ve been following The Headbanging Moose for a while, you’ve already been in contact with the up-and-coming Finnish Doom/Stoner Metal power trio Dö. In fact, these talented guys from Helsinki, Finland do not play your regular Doom Metal, but instead they play what we can call “Dööm Metal”, and if the music found in their 2015 EP Den wasn’t dark enough for you, those three unholy bastards are back from the depths of their distinct city with another blast of hellish riffs, mesmerizing beats and low-tuned keys and growls in the form of Tuho, their first (and awesome) full-length opus.

Tuho is the Finnish word for “destruction”, and there couldn’t be a better definition for the sludgy and obscure turmoil beautifully crafted by Dö. Despite the change in their lineup due to the departure of drummer Peat Rex, the band keeps firing their characteristic demonic sounding flawlessly, now with Joe E. Deliverance (where “E” stands for “Epic”) taking care of the ritualistic beats and pulse that make their music so captivating. While listening to Tuho, although you will be facing 42 minutes of damnation, grief and sorrow, I’m absolutely certain you will enjoy every single second and go back to the starting point as soon as the last song is over, just like what you normally do with any album by Black Sabbath, Dö’s biggest influence and guiding (dark) star in the world of Doom Metal.

Relax, take a deep breath and fill your mind with your darkest thoughts, because this is what Dö want you to do during the wicked opening track Born Under Black Wings. The Sabbath-like riff by guitarist Big Dog guides its tribal intro, making this the perfect drug for Doom and Stoner Metal addicts, while lead singer and bassist Deaf Hank barks the most obscure and anguished vocals and growls you can imagine. Needless to say how unhappy the lyrics are during the song’s eight evil minutes, with Deaf Hank reminding us at the end of the song that “There’s no Messiah!” (and he’s damn right about that). And following that powerful start we have Everblast II (The Aftermath), a doomed massacre tailored for fans of the dark side of music where newcomer Joe E. Deliverance seems excited to destroy his drums the way he smashes them. Furthermore, the spot-on guitar solos by Big Dog add more feeling and intricacy to the overall sonority, fueling the whole trio to generate even more destructive and ill-tempered music, and consequently getting to a point the uproar will break your neck so heavy it becomes.

Dö_Promo2In Ex Oblivione, or “the amnesty” from Latin, a slow and eerie intro grows into a pure Doom Metal instrumental tune where you can sense that all three band members are in some sort of trance. It’s hard to say which musician has the best performance in this solid song due to the high quality of the music coming out of all instruments, and as I don’t want to pick a fight with any of them I’ll leave it for you to decide, sounds good? But before you choose your favorite member of the band, enjoy the distorted noises flowing from the bass guitar by Deaf Hank until a violent guitar riff comes crushing our spines in Kylmä, or “cold” from Finnish (and we all know how cold Finland can be). I must say that this guy sounds truly demonic when growling in his mother tongue in this impressive display of Sludge and Doom Metal, with some effective hints of Black and Death Metal thoroughly added to its last part, which ends up making the song transpire violence, malignancy and sorrow.

Hail the Fire, a gentle acoustic tune that sounds introspective and heavy even without being electric, works as an intro to their boldest composition to date, entitled Forsaken Be Thy Name. Be prepared for 12 minutes of awesome distortions, low-tuned bass lines and hypnotizing beats, where Dö professionally (and pleasantly) blend the music by icons such as Black Sabbath, Triptykon and Celtic Frost, among others, with their unique Scandinavian punch. The second half of this vile hymn becomes a completely different song, still sounding Doom Metal but slightly more melodic, ending with a soulful solo by the talented Big Dog and properly concluding another thrilling chapter in the career of those Finnish metallers.

You can listen to Tuho in its entirety HERE, and while you do that go check the band’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, and don’t forget to grab a copy of this masterpiece of damnation at their BandCamp page or at the Ozium Records’ webstore. If you were also born under black wings and love the taste of destruction in music like what these fantastic power trio from “Hellsinki” can generate, their Dööm Metal is all you need to keep enjoying your miserable and excruciating time on earth. Yes, that thing you usually call “life”.

Best moments of the album: Born Under Black Wings, Everblast II (The Aftermath) and Kylmä.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Born Under Black Wings 8:06
2. Everblast II (The Aftermath) 6:00
3. Ex Oblivione 6:28
4. Kylmä 7:09
5. Hail the Fire 2:26
6. Forsaken Be Thy Name 12:14

Band members
Deaf Hank – vocals, bass
Big Dog – guitar, backing vocals
Joe E. Deliverance – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Dö / Den EP (2015)

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Enjoy the darkest side of heavy music forged in the deep and ghoulish den of “Hellsinki”.

Rating4

“Through the gates left open.
From the paths unknown.
Came three unholy bastards…”

Den_CoverHow about that? Those are the beautiful words used by Finnish Doom/Stoner Metal band Dö to present themselves to the rest of the world, and let me tell you they couldn’t be more accurate than that. Furthermore, you might be asking yourself what “Dö” means and how to pronounce it, right? If I’m not mistaken, “Dö” means to die or kick the bucket, with its correct pronunciation being available HERE. This is all very interesting, but what about their music? Well, that’s where the band truly excels, firing deeply disturbing and exciting tunes for our deviant delectation.

Forged in the frozen flames of “Hellsinki”, Finland (or just Helsinki for the mere mortals) and fueled by epic amounts of bitterness, alcohol and dark humor, those talented Finns embrace darkness once again after the release of their unnamed debut EP in the beginning of 2014 to offer us metalheads a brand new EP entitled Den, which goes on for over 28 minutes despite having only four tracks and, believe me, there’s absolutely no sign of hope or tranquility throughout its entirety. After all, we’re talking about the darkest form of Doom Metal, which means happiness is just a distant memory and nothing we would expect to hear from a band like this.

That characteristic Doom Metal rhythm is already there in the excellent For the Worms, with its low-tuned riffs by Big Dog and slow and steady drumming by Peat Rex, enhanced by hints of the most obscure songs by Black Sabbath. The song, which begins with an acoustic intro followed by the harsh growls by Deaf Hank (by the way, one of the highlights of the entire EP), showcases lyrics that couldn’t be more morbid and desperate, especially its funereal chorus. Not only that, its guitar solo by Big Dog, totally inspired by heavy classics from the 70’s, adds an extra layer of mysticism to the final result.

Dö_promoFollowing that marvel we have the even more gruesome Frostbites, which if you live in a warm country or have never heard of it means the medical condition in which localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to freezing. Just as “lovely” as that sounds, the band provides us some amazing instrumental passages, with highlights to the excellent job done by Peat Rex in maintaining the rhythm as nefarious as possible without becoming stale, while Deaf Hank vociferates the lyrics with an extra dose of negativity during the chorus (“Red skies / Dark eyes / Last rites / Frostbites”). Another awesome part of the lyrics is “You live in fear / Winter is here”, probably as a tribute to the country where they come from (although it’s not dangerous there at all, it’s just damn cold), and once again Big Dog masters the art of old school guitar solos.

Just when you think it couldn’t get more freakish the band comes with the mesmerizing tune Hex, thanks mainly to the cryptic and polished riffs by Big Dog, with the second half of the song being a perfect Stoner Metal exhibit. And last but not least, The Moon Follows Us, a track highly recommended for metalheads that love dark and extremely well-crafted music, brings forth a comprehensive mix of Doom and Stoner Metal, with its cleaner guitar riffs providing it a slightly lighter atmosphere while the raspy screams by Deaf Hank and drums by Peat Rex are the “doomed” side of it.

Please, I’m kindly asking you to visit their Facebook page, BandCamp and YouTube channel to know more about this outstanding Finnish band, listen to the entire EP, purchase their music and support them in their path to stardom. Moreover, if you do not do what I’m saying, those three unholy bastards will drag you anyway to their grisly den, so why resist and suffer their wrath when you can easily join the dark side of music and, of course, enjoy it?

Best moments of the album: For the Worms.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1.For the Worms 7:08
2.Frostbites 8:19
3.Hex 6:05
4.The Moon Follows Us 7:01

Band members
Deaf Hank – Executive Vice President of Low-end and Oral Messaging
Big Dog – General Development Officer of Riffs and 6 Strings
Peat Rex – Chief Executive Officer of Rhythm and Tempo

Album Review – Sata Kaskelottia / Sata Kaskelottia (2015)

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One hundred sperm whales playing heavy music? Not only that’s real, but the final result is also pretty good.

Rating5

SK_album_coverAlthough English is considered the universal language of music, especially if a band or artist wants to be heard and recognized overseas, sometimes singing in their mother tongue becomes not only an essential part of the music, but what differentiates the band from the others. That’s what makes such amazing bands like Eths, Teräsbetoni and Rammstein so entertaining, and now the same can be said about Finnish Stoner/Progressive Metal band Sata Kaskelottia and their self-titled debut album Sata Kaskelottia.

If translated to English, “sata kaskelottia” curiously means “one hundred sperm whales”, but obviously do not expect to listen to that amount of cachalots singing in Finnish like one of those nature compilations with the sounds of whales and dolphins. What we have here is pure heavy music crafted by a very talented Helsinki-based quartet who mixes elements of Stoner Rock, Sludge Metal and Progressive Metal in their music, without limiting themselves only to these genres. The final result is very solid, legit and, who knows, might even inspire you to learn some Finnish.

You will truly enjoy the raw and direct musicality found in the opening track, Huuto (“Scream”), with the very aggressive vocals and riffs by both Eetu Kauppinen and Matti Kangaskoski adding a lot of energy to the song, which by the way should sound amazing when played live. The following track, Yö On Ohi (“The Night Is Over”), showcases a stronger Stoner Rock/Metal vein, with its riffs and drums the likes of Down and Crowbar. Moreover, in my opinion this song would be an excellent choice for introducing a badass character in a movie, don’t you agree?

Sata_kaskelottia_2Based on what I could find online, Ikuturso means “The Eternal Turso”, a malevolent sea monster in Finnish mythology, which perfectly fits the sonority found in this track. It’s interesting how vocals and riffs complement each other throughout the entire song, with bassist Jukka-Pekka Kupi and drummer Ville Salonen helping elevate the overall progressiveness of it. Then we have Veden Alle (“Under Water”), a song full of progressive elements similar to what Dream Theater do, with of course a heavier approach thanks to its guitar solo totally inspired by Stoner Rock, and the longest track of the album, Kyntö (“Plowing”), which despite starting with a smooth and progressive intro, suddenly turns into somber  Stoner Metal. Not only that, the intense screams used during the song are very effective in making it even darker and more interesting.

Suljetun Huoneen Samurai (which should mean “Samurai In A Closed Room”) is a faster and more direct tune, with highlights to the excellent job done by all band members, especially to drummer Ville for maintaining such a high level of aggressiveness during the entire song; while Jumalan Ääni (“The Voice Of God”) is the perfect example of what happens when Stoner Rock and Progressive Metal walk hand in hand. Even if you don’t understand a word in Finnish you can enjoy the vocal lines so fun they are, plus a soulful guitar solo to end this song on a high note. Finally we have the excellent headbanging tune Kansalainen Zombie (“Citizen Zombie”) and its fuckin’ heavy riffs commanding the rhythm, with its last part being a delight to fans of good old rock music jamming, and the more introspective Merimies (“Seamen”), which despite having some melancholic passages also offers us that fierce and technical Stoner Metal we all enjoy so much.

Go support this promising band by checking them on Facebook and SoundCloud, and by purchasing their music on iTunes or Amazon. If you want to take a listen at the potent sound that one hundred sperm whales can generate, Sata Kaskelottia is by far your best option.

Best moments of the album: Huuto, Suljetun Huoneen Samurai and Kansalainen Zombie.

Worst moments of the album: Veden Alle.

Released in 2015 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Huuto 2:51
2. Yö On Ohi 4:34
3. Ikuturso 4:04
4. Veden Alle 4:46
5. Kyntö 6:31
6. Suljetun Huoneen Samurai 2:26
7. Jumalan Ääni 3:15
8. Kansalainen Zombie 3:43
9. Merimies 5:43

Band members
Eetu Kauppinen – vocals, guitars
Matti Kangaskoski – guitars, vocals
Jukka-Pekka Kupi – bass
Ville Salonen – drums, percussion