Battlerage - Dreams In Darkness [CD]

2018 release, the fourth studio album of these heavy metal veterans of the Chilean scene, formed in 2002. Professional recording and production resulting in xceptionally clear and powerful sound meeting the highest modern standards, but at the same time staying old school enough for the traditional heavy metal style. It's been seven long years since the last album of these Chilean heavy metal warriors, but finally the follow-up to their third full-length is here and it's their most varied one to date. As uncompromising as before, but with new facets to their songwriting, standing with one foot firmly planted in US metal and one in European metal, especially the Teutonic metal of the '80s, they are once again fighting for a true metal victory, though the style is better described now as just plain heavy metal. They've exchanged the axe for the sword, no less deadly but oh so much more versatile. From speed metal bullets to mid-tempo fist-raisers, the album packs everything you can expect from Battlerage, but often with a new and unexpected twist to it. Reinventing themselves while remaining themselves, this is surely their strongest and most original album so far.