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Battle Beast had a stellar debut with 2011's Steel, and then had a bit of a wobble out of the gate when frontwoman Nitte Valo left the band. She was quickly replaced with wailer Noora Louhimo, who is a strong replacement, but on the sophomore album it was plain she did not have Valo's bestial force or bottomless charisma. Perhaps the fact that the second album was written with Valo in mind made a difference, because this one fits her voice better, and also features some of the band's best songwriting.

Unholy Savior comes roaring back from a bit of a slump with a fitful of powerful songs in the true Battle Beast tradition. This band mixes propulsive riffs, wailing vocals, and more than a little synth-driven 80s cheese to make a sound that is just unadulterated fun. Songs like "Lionheart", "Speed and Danger", and "Far Far Away" stomp mightily, and while the lead single "Touch In The Night" may be too cheesy for some, it is too catchy to really argue with.

Louhimo sounds better this time out because she's not trying so hard to sound like Valo, and the songwriting takes advantage of her more expressive voice, giving her the chance to do more than just power it out. The added textures allow this band to hit a point somewhere between Priest and Heart with plenty of energy and fun to be had all around.