With Steelbound, Finnish band Battle Beast deliver an album that once again underscores the group’s strengths. The combination of driving guitars, anthemic choruses, and Noora Louhimo’s distinctive voice works well here too – this time in an even more compact, focused production.
The opener immediately sets the tone with power and catchiness, deploying Battle Beast’s signature formula of heaviness and hooklines right from the start. The title track then encompasses the band’s entire spectrum: metallic energy, grand melodies, and a production clearly designed for live performance.
In between, quieter passages and subtle stylistic experiments provide variety. Particularly noteworthy is the confident use of retro synths and pop elements that complement the metallic core without diluting it.
Both lyrically and sonically, Steelbound remains firmly planted in stadium metal territory: direct, rousing, and accessible. The production is immaculate, perhaps somewhat too polished in places, but never without substance. Those seeking complex arrangements or unexpected breaks won’t find them on this album. However, those who appreciate powerful songs with power vocals and high earworm potential will get exactly that.
Steelbound is a solid, expertly produced album that confirms Battle Beast as a reliable force in modern power metal. The band delivers catchy anthems and demonstrates that metal can certainly come with a certain lightness – without losing any of its impact.
Stream rhe Album here: