BATTERED – Battered

Norwegian Viking-Metallers Einherjer, consisting of Frode Glesnes on guitars and vocals, Aksel Herløe on guitars, and Gerhard Storesund on drums, created a significant loss when they decided to retire in 2004. Albums like Norwegian Native Art and Blot had been, and still are, inventive and powerful efforts in a genre overcrowded with drunken and overly primitive pub bands. Luckily, it didn’t take more than two short years before the Einherjers – together with singer Siggy Olaisen and bassist Ole Moldesæther (both from the underground act Headblock) – released the first album under the moniker Battered.

This self-titled effort bears little, if any, resemblance to the epics of old – instead focusing on punch, grind, and pure “rawk ‘n’ rawl” to come up with an explosive Thrash effort reminding of Destruction, Slayer, Pantera, and The Haunted.

The riffs are primitive and straight-ahead furious, and the production, although mixed in the fancy facilities of master producer Børge Finstad, is lo-fi enough to give you that cold, hard, “being on the run, drinking stolen beer in the gutter” feeling. However, Finstad could have taken the time to adjust the drum volume a little during the drum rolls –- of which there are quite many. The sound is very uneven and it tends to sound like it’s Storesund who plays sloppy, which is clearly not the case.

The overall musicianship gets the job done, and the album doesn’t ask for hyperactive solos or overly complex arrangements. This is a no bullshit effort – some tend to call shred solos and huge arrangements bullshit – and this approach suits the material well.

Songwise, the trio of “Oblivion Awaits,” “New Lament,” and “Demagog” is a killer way to open an album. The combination of the chunky and fast-paced riffs, intense drum beats, and Olaisen’s extreme vocals make for a very entertaining mix indeed. The Testament-influenced “Industrial Killing” is another highlight, as is “Perfect Illusion” and “Parasight,” with the latter probably being the track that most clearly shows off the band members’ roots.

The groovy “Derelict” ends the album – showcasing Olaisen doing a frighteningly good Phil Anselmo interpretation – and as you probably can understand, any album where 7 out of 10 tracks can be considered a highlight is something everyone should have. This is a awesome collection of true Power Metal – with the emphasis on Power rather than fluff – and should be checked out by all true Metalheads