Battle Beast, live at The Lion Arts Factory in Adelaide, South Australia

Major chords sound happy. Minor chords sound sad. Power metal tends to be filled with major chords, driving riffs, a bass drum that sounds like a horse galloping joyfully, and a room full of similing faces, as it were on a night that began in conversation with a friend.

"Want to come see Battle Beast?"
"Who?"
"They're from Finland, they sound a bit like early Nightwish."
"I'll check them out."

A few hours later I had purchased a ticket and was keen to see the act perform live. This is the first tour with a new singer, and given the band's resistance to cancel shows... in the wake of a war impacting transport "Adelaide, we are fucking glad to be here and not elsewhere in the world." and being struck down by what was described as "pestilience", "There is love in my chest, and probably virus, too", the show was an incredible atmosphere of fun, belonging, and a celebration of what happens when a wall of sound and a gleeful group of strangers with a love of noise gather.

Arriving about 15 minutes before the doors opened, I recognised a few faces from prior gigs. I recognised, too, a few T-Shirts from communally attended gigs, and as metal heads tend to, we became fast friends in the line, on the barrier, and between the opener and the main act.

Finland is a long way from Australia. Australia is a long way between Finland. The highlight of the show was the band members doing the Australian ritual of the "shoey" all wrong. This is where a beer, or alcoholic beverage is poured into the shoe, and the shoe is used as a vessels to drink.

Join me in the still echoing public boo-ing of this man drinking from a can placed in the heel of a shoe, instead of fully committing. The crowd was fast to forgive, however, "Now that we have honoured your culture, you shall honour ours", before playing a song about Vikings.

The outfit the lead singer wore was an incredible combination of belts, chains, and leather, with optics and theatre being a large part of the show.

This video is from the older singer, but you get the point, I hope. Driving riffs, music complexity, and the ever present double kicks of a bass drum. Delightful in a live environment.

I would be in a rush to see this group again. The performance of The Last Goodbye, in particular was excellent, and the title track of the new album, Steelbound, was revealed as a track about all the different genres of metal coming together in union.

I was personally targeted in the front row, as the first example of the broad spectrum of other-band-attire in the crowd. Audience engagement was excellent throughout the show, and it was a well behaved audience.

Metal people are the best people. I am just sad that I do not yet know what the next major gig I will be attending shall be.