First of all, I want to stress that I didn't even know about this band, even though it contains members of well-known bands, one of which belongs to my favorite ones. I still haven't understood whether this is a full time band or just a project. The thing that interests us is if these guys can produce some good brutal music or Kingdom Of Fear is just a waste of time. That's why I am here brothers, to sort this thing out!

IN BATTLE's line up filled me with joy since this band consists of members that have played or play in bands like DIABOLICAL, CHASTISEMENT, DARK FUNERAL (one of my top Black Metal bands), and let's not forget that one of the founding members (guitarist/bassist Sjodin) is the drummer of the cult Black Metal act SETHERIAL. What would you expect with such a line up? The same thing that I was expecting probably, pure Black Metal holocaust!

Unfortunately IN BATTLE's fourth full-length album did not manage to meet my expectations. First of all, this is not what I call pure Black Metal, nor Black Metal with some epic (or should I say Viking) touches. This is mostly heavy Death Metal with some melodies that try to make the whole thing sound more majestic. In Kingdom Of Fear you can also find some Thrash elements that actually spoil the whole epic atmosphere IN BATTLE try to create. The Swedish quartet probably tries to mix AMON AMARTH with BOLT THROWER and make this mixture sound a bit more blackened, but they end up sounding tiring and common. I even sensed that John Odhinn Sandin's voice sounds a lot like D. Randall Blythe's from LAMB OF GOD. I don't know if he's doing it on purpose or it just happens, but that's how it sounds to me.

I am trying to think how I would act if I was a buyer that was thinking whether he should buy this album or not. We are having to do with a skilled band that has just released a new album full of Death/Black brutal compositions that just don't seem to have this something that will attract someone's attention. The songs are mediocre, the sound kicks ass and the band in general seems to have the potential to release something that can kick major ass, but they have to work harder in order to achieve something like that.

I think that as a buyer I would not spend my money on Kingdom Of Fear since I believe that there are much better releases out there that are worth my money. I would recommend this album only to people who adore every single release that belongs to the specific kind of music. The rest of you just search for something better.