Album Review: BEAST IN BLACK - From Hell With Love

01. Cry Out For A Hero

02. From Hell With Love

03. Sweet True Lies
04. Repentless
05. Die By The Blade
06. Oceandeep
07. Unlimited Sin
08. True Believer
09. This Is War
10. Heart Of Steel
11. No Surrender
12. Killed By Death (Motorhead cover)
13. No Easy Way Out (Robert Tepper cover)

Ex-Battle Beast guitarist and songwriter Anton Kabanen is back with a second album from Beast In Black. The first album was certainly more in the style of early Battle Beast, whereas this new one has more of an 80's Synth-Pop meets Metal thing going on. If I was cynical, I'd say it sounds more like the most recent and highly successful Battle Beast album (Bringer of Pain), which is the first they wrote and released without him. It's as though they shifted direction and now Anton is trying to beat them at their own game. Maybe I'm wrong? Either way, I'm a sucker for anything 80's and as long as the music is awesome, I have nothing to complain about.

I'm going to cut to the chase and let you know that From Hell With Love is absolutely awesome. Granted, it may be deemed 'too cheesy' by many Metal fans, but lovers of everything 80's, particularly the most ridiculous elements of the decade, will surely lap this up. Sometimes a little silliness provides a great deal of charm, warmth and character, and that is certainly the case with From Hell With Love. The band clearly had a lot of fun making this, and that certainly shines through. 

The album is packed with killer songs, my favourites being Sweet True Lies, Cry Out For A Hero, From Hell With Love, Die By The Blade, and True Believer. It's one of those catchy, very listenable records that you can enjoy in its entirety without skipping tracks, then play the whole thing again!

Finally, to seal the deal, one of the bonus tracks is a cover of There's No Easy Way Out from Rocky IV. That alone should be enough reason for anyone to pick up a copy of this album.