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Album Review – Battle Beast / Steelbound (2025)

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Finland’s own Heavy Metal powerhouse storms forward with unrelenting force armed with their seventh studio album, moving fluently between classic metal, superpowered synthesizers, and symphonic realms.

Three years after the critically acclaimed Circus of Doom, Finnish Heavy/Power Metal/Hard Rock powerhouse Battle Beast storms forward with unrelenting force, dropping their electrifying, highly anticipated seventh studio album, entitled Steelbound. Produced and mixed by Janne Björkroth at JKB Studios, and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios, the new opus by the indomitable frontwoman Noora Louhimo, guitarists Joona Björkroth and Juuso Soinio, bassist Eero Sipilä, keyboardist Janne Björkroth, and drummer Pyry Vikki moves fluently between classic metal, superpowered synthesizers, and symphonic realms, even embracing ’80s-tinged Hard Rock, resulting in a musical palette that’s powerful, engaging, and, above all, extremely fun.

Those talented and unstoppable Finnish rockers kick off another thrilling metal party with The Burning Within, offering their incendiary blend of Heavy Metal with 80’s Hard rock always boosted by Noora’s undisputed soaring vocals, followed by Here We Are, one of the singles previously released by the band which sees Janne kicking ass as usual on keys, giving the song the band’s trademark dancing vibe; whereas the title-track Steelbound sounds absolutely upbeat, with Joona and Juuso’s riffs walking hand in hand with the whimsical keys by Janne. Twilight Cabaret is another song that reeks of Battle Beast, with Noora melting our faces as usual with her hypnotic vocals supported by Pyry’s classic beats; and let’s say Battle Beast are one of the very few bands that can make happy music sound so badass like Last Goodbye thanks to Noora’s powerful vocals, while their guitars sound as electrified as they can be supported by Eero’s thunderous bass.

The second half of the album begins with the cinematic interlude The Long Road, setting the stage for the band to crush us all with Blood Of Heroes, as epic as it is imposing, bringing elements from Viking and Power Metal to their core sound, with all background vocals supporting the battle-like screams by Noora in great fashion. Joona and Juuso rev up the band’s metal engine in Angel Of Midnight, also fully inspired by 80’s rock and metal music, a radio-friendly tune that will surely please all fans of the band; and let’s keep jumping up and down and dancing with Battle Beast in Riders Of The Storm, absolutely futuristic and fun, like if it was taken from an afternoon adventure movie from the 80’s. Finally, the band closes the album on a high note with Watch The Sky Fall, a strong contender to make it to their live performances, where their guitar solos and striking keys bring an extra headbanging touch to the music.

In a nutshell, with Steelbound the band opens an exciting new chapter that offers some very heavy tracks, flirts with pop, unapologetic party anthems, and the empowering title song, or in other words, it is a thunderous monument of defiance and resilience, an earnest battle cry for all who have ever been dismissed, diminished, or silenced and also a big slab of positivity and joy. Hence, you can stay in touch with those marvelous Finnish warriors via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their striking music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Steelbound by clicking HERE, throwing your worries into the next trash can during the album’s 38 minutes of duration, and sing, dance, headbang, or do whatever feels right to the sound of their undisputed heavy music.

Best moments of the album: The Burning Within, Last Goodbye and Watch The Sky Fall.

Worst moments of the album: Here We Are.

Released in 2025 Nuclear Blast Records

Track listing
1. The Burning Within 3:58
2. Here We Are 3:03
3. Steelbound 4:30
4. Twilight Cabaret 3:56
5. Last Goodbye 3:34
6. The Long Road 2:12
7. Blood Of Heroes 4:06
8. Angel Of Midnight 3:27
9. Riders Of The Storm 3:51
10. Watch The Sky Fall 4:31

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

Album Review – Greyhawk / Call of the Hawk EP (2022)

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Flying higher than the sky and spreading their wings all over the world, these American metallers are back with a thrilling new EP of old school Heavy and Power Metal.

Equal parts traditional Heavy Metal, Power Metal and shred, Seattle, Washington, United States-based outfit Greyhawk blends the best parts of these styles together to create a high energy, dynamic heavy metal music that fans of Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen, Racer X, Manowar, Visigoth and Judas Priest will rejoice in. Having released their debut EP Ride Out in 2018 and their first full-length album Keepers of the Flame in 2020 to acclaim from both critics and fans alike, the band comprised of Rev Taylor on vocals, Jesse Berlin and Jacquelynn Ziel on the guitars, Darin Wall on bass, and Nate Butler on drums is back with a new EP, entitled Call of the Hawk, continuing the epic metal stylings of the previous releases while also adding some fresh new elements to their music. Mixed and mastered by Deron Daum, recorded by Deron Daum and Shana Daum at MagicMix Studios, and displaying a kick-ass cover art by GrimuzzA, the EP has everything we love in metal music, from blazing guitar solos and driving rhythms to soaring operatic vocals, harkening back to the golden years of Heavy Metal.

Jesse and Jacquelynn begin slashing their stringed axes in Steelbound, generating a classic, metallic atmosphere accompanied by the rumbling bass by Darin, feeling like a fusion of Queensrÿche and Saxon while Nate dictates the song’s imposing pace with his beats. The title-track Call Of The Hawk  brings to our avid ears an old school, in-your-face sonority inspired by 80’s Heavy Metal, with Rev declaiming the song’s epic words in great fashion while the band’s guitar duo stuns us all with their refined riffs and solos; whereas in Demon Star the band offers us all a galloping pace thanks to the awesome job done by Farin and Nate with their thunderous kitchen, presenting elements found in the music by Iron Maiden, Helloween and Iced Earth. Moreover, Rev’s soaring vocalizations sound very theatrical, always supported by his bandmates’ backing vocals. Then we have Shattered Heart, even more melodic and powerful than its predecessors, or in other words, a lecture in 80’s Heavy and Power Metal by Greyhawk showcasing epic vocal lines, reverberating bass and pounding drums, all spiced up by the razor-edged guitars by Jesse and Jacquelynn. Lastly, it’s time for more of their sharp riffs and rhythmic beats in the form of Take The Throne, a very pleasant mid-tempo tune led by Rev’s vocalizations.

In summary, Call of the Hawk, which is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, keeps the talented and hardworking Greyhawk flying higher than the sky, spreading the band’s wings all over the world with their classic fusion of Heavy and Power Metal. Hence, in order to show those American metallers your utmost support, don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course to purchase their first-class new EP from their own BandCamp page, from the Fighter Records BandCamp page, or from the Xtreem Music webstore. And after an array of excellent albums, I’m sure it won’t take long for Greyhawk to invite us to fly once again on their metal wings with more of their thrilling creations.

Best moments of the album: Call Of The Hawk and Shattered Heart.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Fighter Records

Track listing
1. Steelbound 4:10
2. Call Of The Hawk 3:56
3. Demon Star 4:07
4. Shattered Heart 3:26
5. Take The Throne 6:40

Band members
Rev Taylor – vocals
Jesse Berlin – guitars
Jacquelynn Ziel – guitars
Darin Wall – bass
Nate Butler – drums