Australian label BATTLEGOD PRODUCTIONS is a label I’m rather unfamiliar with, although they appears to have been around for a quarter of a century by now. This promotional CD was issued back in 2016, and it’s function appears to be to mainly represent the bands attached to this label that had new albums out around that year.
I got this promotional CD when I attended our local metal club, Oak Metal Club, which is situated a five minute walk away from where I live, which is basically in the middle of nowhere in rural Norway. As for why a sampler form an Australian label found it’s way there, it is probably due to this label having signed a great number of Norwegian artists. The greater majority of the bands represented on this album are Norwegian, as a matter of fact.
Actually reviewing such an album is challenging of course, as there’s such a great variety of material. As each band is represented by only one track each, stating something more profound about any of them isn’t really viable. But breaking down the contents somewhat is possible.
Thrash metal is present in the shapes of the bands Harm, Wyruz, Forgery and Dark order. Harm being tight, intense and primal, Wyruz being more of the same but with a greater repertoire taking the band into more challenging territories, Forgery hones in on a darker and more atmospheric variety of thrash metal while Dark Order kind of comes across as a meeting of the minds between Nuclear Assault and Voivod.
Classic era metal with a New Wave of British Heavy Metal or a more modern power metal mode of delivery comes courtesy of Temtris, Tomorrow’s Outlook and Cyclophonia. Temtris kind of like mid 80’s Iron Maiden and Chastain combined, complete with female lead vocals, Tomorrow’s Outlook with power metal with arguably something of a subtle folk music flavoring, while Cyclophenia is more of a power metal band of the kind that nods back to bands like Iron Maiden by way of subtle details.
Melodic heavy metal is represented by Tony Mills and Cameltoe. The former closing in on more of an AOR tinged mode of delivery, the latter a heavier and darker variety of the hair metal we either love to love or love to hate.
Extreme metal is represented by Subliritium and Antares Predator. The former with more of a thrash metal flavoring and the latter with what I’d describe as a stripped down sound that still comes with certain similarities to the likes of, say, Dimmu Borgir.
At last we also have a fine case of 80’s heavy metal with a bit more of a majestic and perhaps even epic sound to it in the shape of Nergard.
My impression is that this production is a jolly mix of bands with more of a niche appeal to diehard fans of the various subsets of metal they explore and bands that due to their chosen style or the quality of their material will have an altogether broader reach and due to that also makes a stronger overall impact. Cameltoe is probably the pick of this album as far as I’m concerned, with Wyruz, Nergard and Forgery among the other notable items. Tomorrow’s Outlook strikes me as the weakest contribution here, where the song itself doesn’t really convince, something that is emphasized by the mix and production that gives the song a thin and somewhat flat sound.
If you should ever stumble upon this label sampler from Battlegod Productions it is one worth giving a spin though, as there are some fine bands that are represented here, and as the sampler covers bands from all across the metal spectrum, most metal fans will find some bands that will be of general interest by default. As far as label samplers are concerned, I’ve come across many over the years that are less interesting than this one.
My rating: 70/100
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Track list:
1. Harm: Kill the King
2. Wyruz: In Hell
3. Temtris: Enter the Asylum
4. Tony Mills: 4 in the Morning
5. Nergard: Help Me Through the Night
6. Subliritum: Choir of Blasphemy
7. Forgery: Mind of Rage
8. Tomorrow’s Outlook: Gate to Freedom
9. Cyclophonia: Retaliate
10. Cameltoe: Devil’s Toe
11. Antares Predator: As Dragon Roam the Sky
12. Dark Order: Caravan of Death
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