Music / Reviews
Review: Battle Beast/Dominum, O2 Academy
The first time Finland’s Battle Beast played here, they were initially booked into the Fleece. That show sold out almost instantly, so it was pulled and rescheduled for the Marble Factory. Where it also sold out. Which rather suggests someone, somewhere has no idea about the popularity of power metal round these parts. This time, they took no chances by booking the band into the Academy.
Given the absurdly early start, we miss all but about a minute of openers Majestica. But they seem impressive enough, with plenty of synchronised headbanging and sturdy, melodic songs.
If a Hollywood casting director were to create a band who’d been possessed by Satan, chances are they’d come up with something like Nuremberg’s Dominum. Led by a jovial, Max Schreck-alike frontman who calls himself Dr. Dead, they take to the Academy stage in full zombie make-up and masks and proceed to win over the assembled throng with a set of hugely enjoyable, only slightly derivative power metal.
Most of their songs seem to be inspired by horror staples such as vampires, zombies and Frankenstein’s monster, highlights being The Dead Don’t Die and Don’t Get Bitten by the Wrong One. They also play a splendid cover of fellow countrymen The Scorpions’ Rock You Like a Hurricane, with accompanying mass singalong.
It’s coming to something when we have to look to heavy metal bands to inject some sense into political discourse, but Domiunum do just that with the catchy Woke Metal of We All Taste the Same. They promise to be back soon and we all promise to be there. Job done. Follow that.
Battle Beast, the self-styled “six idiots from Finland who play heavy metal”, don’t really need to worry, despite concentrating on the just-released Steelbound album for much of their set. With her distinctive horned hairstyle (how long does it take to get that just right?) frontwoman Noora Louhimo – possibly the only Noora in metal – sounds even more impressive than ever, despite the rigours of a lengthy tour.
The nagging feeling that if one were to strip away the keytartastic metal, you’d be left with a repertoire of catchy show tunes, perhaps explaining the diverse audience, is enhanced by an unexpected cover of Elton John’s Can You Feel the Love Tonight? from the Lion King soundtrack, sung by bassist Eero Sipilä. But Battle Beast aren’t afraid to take risks, as the Latin-infused Salsa metal of Twilight Cabaret demonstrates amply.
One reason for the sextet’s growing popularity is surely the amount of fun they seem to be having up there. So much so that it should probably be illegal.
After nearly two hours they conclude with a storming Wings of Light, Noora’s powerful vocals still undiminished. Where next for Battle Beast? Well, it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that they could follow German fellow travellers Powerwof, who went from playing SWX to Wembley in just a few years without attracting the attention of the mainstream media, who’d probably feel obliged to hate them anyway for the old music press crime of daring to “happen without permission.”
All pix by Mike Evans.
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