Album Review: BATTLE BEAST - No More Hollywood Endings

01. Unbroken

02. No More Hollywood Endings
03. Eden
04. Unfairy Tales
05. Endless Summer
06. The Hero
07. Piece Of Me
08. I Wish
09. Raise Your Fists
10. The Golden Horde
11. World On Fire

12. Bent And Broken (Bonus Track)
13. My Last Dream (Bonus Track)

Battle Beast's last studio album, Bringer Of Pain, was one of the best surprises of 2017 (read my review here) and was my third favourite album of the year (click to read). That album saw Battle Beast move away from being a 'full-on' Power Metal band, and incorporate more 80's Pop and Heavy Metal, bringing to mind Judas Priest's albums from that era, Turbo through to Painkiller to be precise. I also have a love of 80's Pop music, so this shift in direction really appealed to me.

With all of that in mind, I've been very excited to hear this new album. First off, I think that any of their fans that didn't like Bringer Of Pain and were hoping for a return to their early, more traditional Power Metal sound will be disappointed. However, what's unlucky for some is lucky for me as No More Hollywood Endings ticks most of the boxes in regards to what I wanted from it.

The album as a whole seems quite 'Power Ballad heavy', as though they'd been listening to lots of Vixen and Heart before writing it. Tracks like the ridiculously 80's Endless Summer and the upbeat, emotive Eden really reflect this. Both are insanely catchy and make great singles.

There's still a reasonable amount of badass Metal on the album, but I'd have liked a bit more of that if I'm honest. However, when Battle Beast kicks ass, they kick hard! Piece Of Me may be the most aggressive song they've done yet. The Golden Horde is a glorious display of triumphant Power Metal that I'm sure older fans will think is the best track on here. Personally, I love the 80's tinged rocker The Hero which is thoroughly infectious and my personal favourite track on the album.

No More Hollywood Endings is certainly a step in a more commercial direction, but the quality of the music is undeniable. I wouldn't say that it is as strong as its predecessor, but it's still an excellent album nonetheless.