Battagia - Hell Just Froze Over
	Released: 2003 Label: Independent Cat. No.: Total Time: 20:36
	Reviewed by: Bjørnar Bevolden, May 2003 Not so long ago I reviewed this outfits last CD-demo which was a rather pleasant surprise. Just to remind you, Battagia hail from Finland and consists of Tero (vocals, guitars), Sami (guitars, vocals) and Jimbo (Drums, Percussion). With this 5-track offering the band has cranked up the guitars a notch resulting in a heavier, more in-your-face, attitude than what was on Cockroach Meat. The music is very catchy with layers of energetic riffs and on top Tero's raw, rusty voice. Although he does a decent job, I still find his voice to be this band's main problem and as I mentioned in the last review* it might put some people off, but at the same time his raw voice might be exactly what you might like about this band. I've seen some comparisons to Blackie Lawless which might give you an idea how the vocals sound. The music however is irreproachable. It's very straightforward without any capers, but it's catchy as hell and will rock any fan of the hard rock genre. Of the 5 tracks on offer, track 1, simply titled "Intro," is a short track while the remaining 4 tracks are all sleazy, mid-tempo rockers. Battagia is not breaking any new ground with their material, but that's not what this is about either. It's pure, implacable party rock. The rhythm section is very tight and as far as the song-writing goes it's safe and solid. Also worth mentioning is the strong production which is beautifully crafted and just as good as most of the stuff released on hard rock labels these days. Having this in mind, Hell Just Froze Over is a self-financed demo CD I am very impressed. I am not sure whether Battagia has gotten any better since last time, but it is safe to say that they know what they do and they do it well. Besides having a minor problem with the vocals this CD comes recommended and I wouldn't mind seeing the band signed soon. They have proved to have a sufficient number of good songs for a full blown release. Keep up the good work guys! Similar To: Skid Row, Gotthard, WASP PPO Rating: 6/10 [This review originally appeared at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.] More about Hell Just Froze Over: Track Listing: Intro (0:21) / Burning The Sky (4:32) / Deep Cuts The Knife (5:41) / Hell On My Back (4:18) / Fire Of Rock (5:35) Musicians: Tero - vocals, guitars Sami - guitars, vocals Jimbo - drums, percussion Contact: Website: www.battagia.com Note: will open new browser window Discography Cockroach Meat (2001) Hell Just Froze Over (2003)
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