The Beast in Black unleashes the "Berserker" in November

Beast in Black had a start most other bands can only dream of: They were invited to play big shows long, and I mean long before only a single note of their new album was released, actually even before it was recorded. And being invited to support acts like Nightwish and Sabbaton or for a slot on Tuska – that is a statement. A statement of trust in the capacities of this new band and most of all, their mastermind: Anton Kabanen.

When I met Anton in early July the band was still negotiating a deal. All he could say was that he was optimistic and the decision should not take much longer. It was clear to me that someone of his energy, will and ambition would go for nothing less than a deal with a well-known label aiming for strong support. With the album completely finished in his pocket his odds were in favour.

So today Beast in Black and Nuclear Blast announce their cooperation.

Beast in Black will release their album in November 2017.

“Berserker”, this much told me Anton already back in July, will be the evolution of the music he made with his former band, Battle Beast. He gave pretty much insight on the production and how hard each band member worked to achieve the best ever. He gave some more details on that for example on the recording of the vocals with the Greek vocalist, Yannis Papadopoulos, also known from Wardrum. Anton’s illustration of the vocal recordings in his interview with me: “… Well, the actual lead vocal recording for this album’s songs were kind of a test for him and me as well how our cooperation works. And I am really demanding. And I knew the talent of the guy, his potential. And I decided to push it to the limit. And he did it. Like, when we were both listening to his vocal tracks he sometimes saying himself like ‘Woooow’, like ‘What is this?’ So I think that he is pretty satisfied with what he could do…”

Anton has recruited musicians to his new band picking the cherries from wherever he could get the best: He had reached out for Yannis due to his performance in vocal covers on Youtube and his engagement in Wardrum, for example. Maté, he had known from Wisdom and a joint tour of Wisdom and Battle Beast some years earlier already. Check out the interview for the whole story!

Speaking of cherry picking and evolution, the Beast in Black relies on Roman Ismailov who also did cover art for Battle Beast. The band’s name was also chosen carefully bridging quite many elements that have been of importance to Anton. He intended, of course, to hint to his former band and the music he made there. On the other hand one major source of inspiration and topics in his lyrics is to be found in the “Berserker” comics and Guts, the black sword’s man, a major character of the series. Gut’s companion is the Beast of Darkness – and so the circle is filled. Battle Beast evolved into Beast in Black releasing or unleashing the “Berserker”, soon.