Battle Beast - Circus Of Doom (2LP) - 45RPM

If you like your metal with fireworks and face paint, Battle Beast’s Circus of Doom is pure Saturday night. The Finnish crew have always leaned into spectacle, but this one goes all in on the big top concept, wrapping their turbocharged power metal in carnival keys, choir stacks and hooky choruses you’ll still be humming while you’re locking up the shop. It is the band’s sixth studio album, released 21 January 2022 on Nuclear Blast, and it lands like a glitter cannon.

Noora Louhimo is the star attraction. Her voice has that rare mix of grit and clarity, the kind that can tear through double kicks without losing the melody. She doesn’t just belt, she phrases like a pop singer who grew up on Dio, so even the most theatrical moments keep their shape. Around her, Janne Björkroth’s keyboards do a lot of heavy lifting, painting the tent poles with cinematic strings and calliope colours while the guitars cut clean and bright. The whole thing is mixed for maximum drama, yet you can still pick out the individual parts, which is half the fun with this band.

The title track throws the curtain open with a swaggering stomp and that glossy Battle Beast chorus style that made so many fans in the first place. It sets the tone, a bit tongue in cheek but earnest where it counts. “Master of Illusion” is a standout single, a triumphant slice of power pop metal that struts in on a carnival motif before exploding into a sugar rush refrain. The guitar and synth trade-off on the solo is pure ear candy, and you can hear the band grinning as they stack those gang vocals. “Eye of the Storm” goes harder and faster, riding a classic power metal gallop, and it shows how tight the rhythm section is when the tempos tick up. “Where Angels Fear to Fly” slows to an arm-swaying mid tempo, the kind of anthem built for festival fields, and Louhimo sells the big lyric with total conviction.

There are fun little bits tucked everywhere. A snare accent here that tips its hat to 80s arena rock, a choir flourish there that gives a chorus extra lift, synth lines that wink at Euro disco without tipping the balance. Battle Beast know how to thread those elements so the songs feel playful rather than pastiche. The guitars from Joona Björkroth and Juuso Soinio lock into crisp harmonies, then peel off into tidy leads that never overstay their welcome. You get the sense they’re writing with stages in mind, not just studios, which is exactly why these tunes hit so hard the first time through.

Lyrically it is very Battle Beast, a mix of self mythologising, underdog grit and showtime imagery. The circus theme ties it together without forcing a concept on every track. There is enough bite in the riffs to keep things heavy, yet the melodies are unabashedly pop bright. If you checked out after No More Hollywood Endings and wondered where they would head next, this one answers neatly, sharpening the hooks without sanding off the metal edges.

On wax, that balance is a treat. The low end has warmth, the orchestration blooms, and the choruses feel larger than life, which is exactly what you want from Battle Beast vinyl. If you are crate digging in a Melbourne record store or weighing up a click to buy Battle Beast records online, the Circus of Doom vinyl pressing is the version that shows off the album’s sparkle as well as its punch. It also sits nicely next to other Battle Beast albums on vinyl, a colourful mid-shelf showpiece that you will actually play, not just frame.

As for where it sits in their catalogue, Circus of Doom feels like a victory lap from a band that has lived a few lifetimes already. The lineup is settled, the writing is sure of itself, and the production understands the assignment, let the choruses fly and keep the engine room thundering. If you are new to the band, start here and work backward. If you have been around since Steel, you will hear familiar DNA with a brighter coat of paint.

Power metal can be a serious business, but it can also be a party. Circus of Doom remembers that, and invites you in for another spin under the lights. For anyone building a shelf of modern European metal, especially those hunting vinyl records Australia wide, this one deserves a prime spot.