Album review: BATTLE BEAST – No More Hollywood Endings

Nuclear Blast [Release date 22.03.19]

Battle Beast are back with their second album since founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter Anton Kabanen left in 2016 to form Beast In Black (who released their latest album earlier this year on the same label). For those expecting a heavy dose of battle metal based on the band’s name think again, as Battle Beast mix metal backing with a keen ear for 80’s AOR/melodic rock. The album’s opening song ‘Unbroken’ sums up the band’s sound perfectly being a heady mix of metal riffs and rhythm mixed into a glorious melodic rock fuelled chorus and melody.

The synth drums on ‘The Hero’ give the song a real 80’s soundtrack feel, if they remade ‘Top Gun’ this song would be on the soundtrack. Then we have ‘Unfairy Tales’ with its dance beat backed by plenty of riffing guitars. Those after a bit of metal heft look no further than ‘Piece Of Me’ – like P!nk going metal and a very catchy tune. They even pomp it up on the intro of ‘Raise Your Fists’, a neat little forray into power metal territory.

Touch of the 80’s power ballad beloved by bands like Heart on ‘Endless Summer’, which like all the songs on the album highlights the powerful and melodic vocals of Noora Louhimo. Not for her the wailing harpy sound you get with some female fronted bands, rather Noora has a rich, melodic vocal that easily hits the high notes and can fill any song with passion.

Battle Beast are a new band to these ears and I will definitely seek out their previous albums based on ‘No More Hollywood Endings’. Strap yourselves in for an enjoyable melodic metal ride down an AOR boulevard. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)