Battle Beast's 'No More Hollywood Endings' - Album Review

Losing their driving force and main songwriter would be the death of many bands, but Finland's Battle Beast have proved over the past four years that they are more than one man. With former guitarist Anton Kabanen credited for single-handedly writing every song on the band's first three albums, I think it was only fair that fans waited in trepidation for 2017's Bringer of Pain (which I reviewed here). Bringer of Pain could have been a disaster but, just as Uriah Heep proved that they could survive and thrive without Ken Hensley, instead it was another strong release from the band that fitted well into the their existing canon while also introducing some new elements. I listened to that album a lot throughout 2017 and I seriously considered including it in my Albums of the Year list. In the end it did not quite make the cut due to the sheer amount of excellent albums that I enjoyed throughout 2017, but I still consider it a triumph. The band's Painkiller-era Judas Priest meets 1980s melodic rock sound that had been forged through Kabanen's songwriting - something he has carried on with this current band Beast in Black - remained intact, and was the result of a songwriting team effort with five of the six members of the band contributing. On the whole it was a well-received album by the fanbase too, and many were already looking forward to see what Battle Beast would come up with next. It is now two years down the line, and the band have unleashed their fifth album No More Hollywood Endings. I always remain open-minded when it comes to new albums, but I have to say the lead single, which is also the album's title track, did not really excite me. It is a mid-tempo rocker, which is something common in the Battle Beast canon, but it seemed to lack the big hooks that a lead single needs. The song has grown on me somewhat over time, but I think it turned a few people off. The reception to No More Hollywood Endings has certainly been fairly muted in comparison to Bringer of Pain. Much has been made of the lack of overall heaviness, which in my opinion is a bit of a generalisation but there certainly seems to have been a shift towards the more melodic 1980s rock end of the Battle Beast sound. There is much less of the driving, fast-paced power metal to be found here than on the band's previous albums - but it is not absent altogether. There is a noticeable focus on retro 1980s hard rock however, which is certain to drive those fans away who prefer their music heavier. As a big AOR and hair metal fan however, the 1980s hard rock focus does not bother me, and No More Hollywood Endings, despite feeling a bit tepid at first, is an album that continues to grow on me despite some issues that will be explored throughout this review. This also the band's first album to see the Björkroth brothers - guitarist Joona and keyboardist Janne - really dominate the songwriting with ten of the eleven songs here written by one of them.

The album opens with Unbroken, one of the somewhat heavier songs here. It is a solid, mid-paced rocker with a crunching guitar chug throughout, and a halo of melody courtesy of the keyboards. While it is somewhat heavier when compared to many of the songs here, it lacks the bombast needed to be a truly successful album opener. Power metal albums usually start off with a flurry of energy and an explosion of notes, but Unbroken just plods along a little. It is not a bad song, and like many here it has grown on me quite a bit, but it does not feel like an effective statement piece. That being said, it has a killer chorus which sees frontwoman Noora Louhimo getting her teeth around some soaring melodies, while the keyboards add the necessary pomp with blasts of 1980s-style synths. The album's title track is next, which opens with some gentle piano and violin melodies, before it explodes into another mid-paced rocker with twin-guitar lead riffs and a dancy drum beat from Pyry Vikki. Despite a strong groove throughout, the verses again fall a little flat. The band seems to take a bit of a backseat to the groove, leaving Louhimo to croon atop a very simple musical backing. As one of the most exciting vocalists in modern melodic metal, it is a shame that Louhimo never really gets to let rip that often throughout the album. She mostly sings in a style reminiscent of mid-1980s Ann Wilson which, while enjoyable, is less impactful than her full-on metal wails of the past. That being said, there chorus here is another strong one that has grown on me quite a bit. It seems the band have not lost their knack for catchy choruses, despite the overall mellowing of their sound. Eden has a bit more of a ballsy sound, with a strong driving riff opening the song up and a bass-heavy verse which allows Louhimo to shine. There is a little more metal bombast throughout here, with plenty of dramatic keyboards to back the muscular riffing. Battle Beast have never been a symphonic band, but the use of strings during the chorus sees the band's sound move towards that direction. This song reminds me a little of some of Nightwish's singles (think Amaranth) with its mix of driving metal instrumentation and catchy, poppy vocals. As a result the song is an early highlight, and feels a little more like classic Battle Beast than the proceedings two numbers. Unfairy Tales has a strange, synth-driven sound but this actually creates quite a heavy feel. The guitars mostly provide the crunch here, while the bassy keyboards create a groove-filled base for everything. The 1980s feel is really strong here, with a flashy shredded guitar leads and piano fills adding additional melody when required, and  another strong chorus. As with many of the songs here I feel that it would have sounded better if the overall sound was tougher, but there is still plenty to enjoy in Unfairy Tales.

Endless Summer sees the band really going for broke with their 1980s obsession, and penning a full-on AOR/soft rock anthem. Fans of the band's gradual shift towards a more 1980s hard rock sound should not be surprised that Battle Beast have written this song, as I had always expected them to eventually tackle this kind of material. It really works well for the band however, and the melodies throughout are excellent. The chorus is one of the album's best, and it would have been a real hit if it was released 35 years ago! I would not be surprised to see more songs like this from Battle Beast in future, and I feel that this is the direction that they want to take. Many of the preceding songs on this album feel a bit caught between this sound and the band's heavier, earlier sound - and in the end never truly satisfy on either front. The Hero is heavier, and sounds more like the band's earlier work. Written by bassist Eero Sipilä, the song moves along at a fast pace and possesses one of the most epic choruses on the album. The guitar riffing here is much stronger than on many of the album's other songs, and the strong keyboard presence adds some real melody. The best part of the song however is Louhimo's vocal display, which sounds more akin to her older delivery. The heavier song allows her to shine a little more, and it is her attitude that really pushes the song (especially the soaring chorus) forward. It is a very different song to Endless Summer, but it is just as good. Battle Beast are great when they either write an AOR song or a power metal song. As I mentioned earlier, some of the songs here feel caught in between the two sounds, rather than fitting nicely into either camp. Piece of Me is a tougher song, and once again sees Louhimo unleashing her heavier vocal delivery. It is one of the heaviest tracks here, but it still moves along at mostly a mid-pace - albeit with some strong guitar riffing. There is a slight punky twist here though I feel, with much more of a focus on the guitars than the keyboards, which culminates in a more in-your-face feeling. This is a song that would have fitted nicely on Bringer of Pain, as it has the heavier tones and attitude that that album was packed with. It does seem a little out of place here among the more glossy songs, but it provides the middle of the album a kick when required! I Wish opens with dramatic strings the tolling of a bell, before a soaring guitar lead kicks in which is packed full of 1980s power ballad goodness. This song is the album's ballad, and it works well to slow things down a little. Piano dominates many parts of the song, with the verses almost-entirely being built around a simple piano melody, while Louhimo croons atop it with her beautiful voice. She really is one of the most versatile singers in modern metal, with her more delicate delivery here sounding vastly different from her rasping vocals in the previous number. All great AOR albums need an aching ballad, and this is Battle Beast's strong attempt at one.

Raise Your Fists has a bit of a symphonic intro, before the guitars and folky instrumentation come in to add some simple, folky melodies. While not exactly a folk metal song, there seems to be an influence of that here which is something a little different for the band. Despite these melodies, the song also sees the band upping the heaviness. Vikki suddenely remembers that he owns a double bass pedal which speeds things up a little, and the guitars have more of a crunch here than on many of the album's other songs. It is not as furious as the Battle Beast of old, but the heaviness here is welcome. Subtle uses of gang vocals help to make the song more of an anthem in places, while Louhimo's stunning voice just drives everything forward with her rasping power. The Golden Horde sees the band doubling down on the heaviness, as the song is a furious speed metal anthem that sounds a lot like the band's earlier albums and contains much less of the 1980s AOR influence that permeates elsewhere. While the band seem to be moving away from this sound to an extent, it is still great to see them let rip like this. The pace never lets up throughout the song, and sees everyone in the band really giving it their all. This song contains the fastest drumming on the album, and the band's two guitarists really let their hair down with lots of little intricate guitar leads. The chorus is probably the most anthemic on the album, and I have no doubt that this song will become a live staple if the band choose to play it live. The dual guitar solo is also excellent, and is the icing on the cake. The album comes to a close with World on Fire, the only song here co-written by Louhimo, pairs things back somewhat and re-introduces the keyboard-heavy mid-paced hard rock sound that dominates much of the album. It is one of the best representations of that sound however, with some of the biggest melodies to be found on the disc and some of the best-sounding synths. I am a big lover of 1980s synths and keyboards, so to hear so many great examples throughout this song is very pleasing to me. It is a little heavier too which certainly helps to keep the energy levels up after two faster songs. Albums need to end on a high, and this is certainly a strong song to come a close on. The fast-paced guitar solo here is another good moment, and the final reprise of the chorus that brings the album to a close ups the synth and guitar quota to end things with a bang. Overall, No More Hollywood Endings is an enjoyable album with some strong songs throughout - but is an album that feels a bit disjointed. Some of the songs are not sure whether they want to be heavy metal or AOR tracks, and end up falling a bit flat on either count. The best songs here are either fast and heavy or full of AOR goodness. Battle Beast are great at both sounds, but either need to choose a path and stick to it, or ensure that each song is a great representation of one sound.

The album was released on 22nd March 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for No More Hollywood Endings.