This is the new 'aluminum' album by Chilean Heavy/Epic Metal warriors BATTLERAGE, dressed in impressive cover artwork - it's kinda silly how such drawings can show up in various other covers but this is not the case here; this CD's front is spectacular and to-the-point - and featuring something more than 50 minutes of old-school 'true' Metal you really have to be into Metal quite 'deep' in order to - at least - evaluate its quality.
'Battlefield' Metal? Yeap, it seems so. The Chilean masters do not seem willing to change their style, so what we're offered here is a mix of the American Epic Metal of the 80s ('obscure' MANOWAR, OMEN, MANILLA ROAD) with the current illustrious ultra-heavy armor of e.g. SACRED STEEL, PARAGON and LONEWOLF. There are some march-on tempos in this CD (The Blind Dead, Warmachine) but BATTLERAGE feel more comfortable playing with speed and furious riffs (The Devil's Wings Bring Fire From Hell, Battlefield Belongs To Me, Black Hordes, Arise!). Classic mid-pace Metal samples are also shown (Die By The Power Of The Axe, Wine Of The Wicked) the time that the whole CD is quite banging and can even act as a fuming soundtrack to a scattering battle.
Insisting in this specific musical beliefs can also mean the band does not have - or does not want to - a clear tendency in building up some more intriguing songwriting total. Hence, if you need your Heavy/Epic Metal more polished or multi-dimensional you should rather keep your eyes open for something else. The production is solid and clear, anyway, but it's more keen on the 80s mould, to be honest. It breathes power but - at the same time - limits the willing ears around Epic Metal anno 2009. Another possible drawback someone could yell for is the duration of most tracks, with enough repetitive parts summing it up (approx.) to 6'30 per song, making it difficult to choose a couple of warlord tracks as 'trademark' ones...
Being only their second studio album - after 2004's Steel Supremacy - it is important to say that BATTLERAGE is (personally) one of the most appealing bands I've listened to the last decade, in this specific field. Hailing from a non-commercial country gives them the 'personality' bonus, too, and fans of the abovementioned bands/sounds will surely have a good time enjoying Blood, Fire, Steel. Plus, it would be rather interesting to catch BATTLERAGE onstage in a future 'true' Metal festival in Europe.