Beast In Black - Dark Connection (2021) {Japanese Edition}

A melodic Finnish power metal quintet who count Judas Priest, Accept, and Manowar among their influences, Beast in Black quickly rose the ranks of the European metal scene in the late 2010s with two well-received releases for Nuclear Blast: 2017's Berserker and 2019's From Hell with Love. Dark Connection followed in 2021. Following his decade-long tenure as lead guitarist for Helsinki power metal classicists Battle Beast, Anton Kabanen left his former band and founded the like-minded Beast in Black in 2015. Rounding out his new outfit were singer Yannis Papadopoulos, rhythm guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen, bassist Mate Molnar, and drummer Sami Hänninen. After joining the Nuclear Blast roster, Beast in Black made their debut in 2017 with Berserker. In addition to its number seven chart placement at home, the album fared well throughout Europe and established the band within the international metal community. In early 2018, just prior to joining fellow Finns Nightwish on tour, it was announced that drummer Hänninen would be replaced by Atte Palokangas, who later made his recorded debut on Beast in Black's 2019 follow-up From Hell with Love. In October 2021, Beast in Black issued Dark Connection, their third long-player. It was recorded, produced, and mixed by Kabanen. ~ Timothy Monger, All Music