it's worth to do a reminder: Battleroar

Battleroar: Blood of Legends (Cruz del Sur Music)

Battleroar (Greece/Germany) manages a balance between traditional heavy metal and traditional epic doom metal, which is to say, to rock with a melancholic edge. It would not be so far off to call it “epic heavy metal of doom” with expertise in the department of songwriting; much care to guitar playing, to the singing and to the melodies. Consequently, the quality of the music is very impressive.

The guitar work shows an effort to deliver shredding, hard-hitting riffs, melodic hooks and energies that the metal audience easily recognizes. The band speaks fluently the language of metal and communicates the tradition of metal, from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, the melancholy of traditional doom, the crunch of current traditional heavy metal, with a nod to more intense forms of metal, like thrash. One interesting detail: Battleroar has a substantial use of the violin. The results are effective: “Valkyries above Us,” for instance, reaches for symphonic doom and melody. The violin contribution to this album is essential, given the features, moods and layers added through said instrument.

The singing of Mr. Gerrit Mutz, he of Sacred Steel renown, seamlessly weaves in and out of various moods, coherently bringing to bear the wherewithal at his disposal: the metal-headbanging singing, the voices of the melancholic soul and intensity of a semi-death metal growl, the grit and the melody, the glory and doom. Musically, Battleroar sounds very, very different from the leather-and-spikes metal of Sacred Steel; this is more atmospheric and melodic. The singing is also substantially distinct, less aggressive and more multidimensional, more expressive, which is a big credit to Mr. Mutz for putting so much care and personality into Battleroar.

To end: highly recommended for those into traditional heavy metal looking for shredding, melody and quality, as well as a bit of a unique take on epic metal with power and doom elements.

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