Battleroar are a Greek band that plays a decidedly epic form of Heavy Metal characterized by an enormous sound augmented with sound effects and non-traditional instrumentation, like strings. Their music is designed to transport the listener back to a time, possibly real, more likely mythical, when warriors and heroes ruled the land and that exactly what album #4, Blood of Legends, delivers. Between the opening sounds of wind and mournful melodies on "Stormgiven," which sets the pre-battle tone, to "Relentless Waves," another quiet track perfect for reflecting on the preceding events, Battleroar deliver a pummeling, rough-shod charge of power and sweep. The guitars crank out huge riffs that are hurtled at you from the ramparts atop a wall of solid bass and drums. I found the vocals, which warble a bit like Sanctuary-era Warrel Dane, out of place, but after a few spins of Blood of Legends, they soon synced up with the music. The songwriting is very good though only "Valkyries Above Us," with its Blind Guardian-level catchy chorus, has stayed with me, but this remains an album I do not look forward to ending once it has started.
I've not heard much from this band prior to Blood of Legends but I can certainly hear why the band enjoys a solid reputation in Epic Metal circles. Fans of grand, majestic Heavy Metal, Grand Magus and early Manowar especially, should be all over Blood of Legends.
