https://metalonmetalrecords.com

NEW ALBUM:

"DREAMS IN DARKNESS"

It's been 7 long years since the last album of these Chilean heavy metal warriors, but finally the follow-up to their 3rd full-length is here and it's their most varied one to date. BATTLERAGE have been always struggling with line-up problems, but one constant remains: the original vocalist, Fox-Lin Torres, who now became the main songwriter. His unmistakable gruff voice, with tons of passion and rough energy, along with the hard hitting old school heavy metal with the most impressive guitar work, will have many metal hearts pumping faster for sure! As uncompromising as before, but with new facets to their songwriting, standing with one foot firmly planted in US metal (CIRITH UNGOL, METAL CHURCH, OMEN...) and one in European metal, especially the Teutonic metal of the '80s (GRAVE DIGGER, TYRANT, PARAGON, SACRED STEEL...), they are once again fighting for a true metal victory, though the style is better described now as just plain heavy metal. They've exchanged the axe for the sword, no less deadly but oh so much more versatile. From speed metal bullets to mid-tempo fist-raisers, the album packs everything you can expect from BATTLERAGE, but often with a new and unexpected twist to it. Reinventing themselves while remaining themselves, this is surely their strongest and most original album so far.
RELEASE DATE:
September 2018

BIOGRAPHY:
BATTLERAGE is a heavy metal band hailing from Santiago, Chile, born in 2002 from a personal project of the ex-STEELRAGE drummer, Francisco Vera, who wanted to play some tough and loud heavy metal. Vera left STEELRAGE and contacted Mauricio Cavalla (guitar, member of AFTERLIFE) to compose the first songs for this new-born band, and a few months later Christian Willembrinck (bass, ex-member of STEELRAGE) and Fox-Lin Torres (vocals, ex-DAMA NEGRA) joined Vera's project.

In February 2003, after the release of their first demo "Metal Slaughter", which got a very good reception among the fans of this genre, the band started to play some shows. A few months after the release of "Metal Slaughter" Alejandro Oliva (guitar, ex-member of AKRAMEN) joined BATTLERAGE and in December the same year recorded with the band their second demo "Return of the Axeman".

2004 was a roller-coaster of good moments and line-up changes. The band signed a record deal with Highland Records/Octagon Music Group, but unfortunately Mauricio Cavalla had to leave BATTLERAGE due to personal reasons. Cavalla was replaced by Nicolás Arce before the recording of the debut full length, "Steel Supremacy" that was released in November 2004. This album, like the demo, got a great reception among the Chilean fans. Not much later after this, another band member left. Alejandro Oliva parted ways with BATTLERAGE to work on his own project and was replaced by Daniel Roman (member of VALKIRIA).

Another good year for BATTLERAGE arrived in 2005. With many shows ahead and a new record coming, an EP called "Battlefield Belongs to Me" that is a sort of a "trailer" for a next full length album, their success in the Chilean metal scene was confirmed. Unfortunately, this EP got delayed due to some label problems. Late in 2005, guitar player Nicolás Arce left the band to focus on his own band called LOST HIGHWAY (split in early 2006) and was replaced by Luis Arenas.

In May 2006, "Battlefield Belongs to Me" was finally released and gained many good critics again. Christian Willembrinck had to leave the band, being replaced later by Rodrigo de la Hoz (member of ABOHRRENT, ex-ANIMA IMMORTALIS).

Still in 2006, BATTLERAGE recorded what was to be their sophomore album, but sadly, due to the problems with their former label, this material has never seen the light of day.

The two demos from 2003 were limited to 200 copies and not available since a long time. Being the lucky ones who have had them, Metal on Metal Records thought it's a shame for these real heavy metal hymns not to be available for a wider audience and decided to reissue both demos on one CD in November 2008, remixed and remastered, under the title "The Slaughter Returns", with a new artwork, 20-page booklet with lyrics and liner notes and with 2 additional songs.

2008 saw also the release of the limited audio tape "Living Slaughter" (Morbillus Records), containing live tracks from the band's shows in February 2004 and in December 2006.

In fall 2008, BATTLERAGE entered the studio to record the songs from their never released second full-length once again. The fact that they had to do it, since they didn't own the rights to the old recordings, only worked to their advantage because both the performance of the musicians and the sound improved. Meanwhile, Rodrigo de la Hoz left and Nicolás Arce played bass on the album as the session musician, however in 2009 Felipe Vuletich (member of WITCHBLADE) joined the band.

Their long awaited new studio album "Blood, Fire, Steel" was finally released in September 2009 on Metal on Metal Records. Recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by Nicolás Arce who also played all bass on the this album, and adorned by a fitting artwork by Gonzalo Ordóñez, it sounds just like a real heavy metal album should sound like.

During 2010 and 2011, BATTLERAGE played numerous gigs, the most important being two shows supporting U.D.O. and SAXON.

The band kept on working on their next album, "True Metal Victory". Just before the recordings, guitarist Luis Arenas left the ranks and the band hired Gabriel Hidalgo for some extra guitar solo work. The album was mastered in September 2011 and released on October 28th through Metal on Metal Records. The battle for True Metal rages on! This bludgeoning, epic slab of metal with slamming riffage, pounding drums, harsh vocals and shout-along choruses is bound to raise the fists of every true metal fan!

In May 2012, a compilation "Battlefield Supremacy" was released by RAW Metal (Metal on Metal Records division) on pro-tape format, limited to 66 copies. It contains "Battlefield Supremacy" album from 2004 plus 4 studio tracks from "Battlefield Belongs to Me" EP from 2006.

In 2013, Francisco Vera left BATTLERAGE because of musical differences between him and Fox-Lin Torres, making the singer the only remaining founding member. After that, there were many line-up changes and also a recession in the band for more than a year.
Mauro Silva, Cesar Pulpeiro and Soco Moraga are some of the musicians who were involved at various times until mid 2018, playing at several festivals such as Chiloe Metal Fest, Merken Rock, Legions of Under Metal, Choques de metal and Chile Rock Festival. BATTLERAGE also played at the international Chile Metal Fest with bands like TWISTED SISTER, CARCASS, VOOIVOD, ARCTURUS, MORBID ANGEL, SODOM and others.

In December 2015, a video clip for "Dreams in Darkness" was posted on the band's YouTube channel, a previously unpublished song that would inspire the creation of the next semi-conceptual album of the same name.

The band's 4th full-length, "Dreams in Darkness" was finally recorded between December 2017 and June 2018 by Fox-Lin on vocals and Edgardo "Soco" Moraga on guitar, bass and drums. It's a new chapter in the band's history, where the concept of "True Metal" no longer exists and the Axeman has been banished forever. The lyrics talk about the world of the subconscious and how it warns us of the evil that dwells in us. BATTLERAGE has changed its logo and its proposal to a more authentic and original metal. The musical direction and lyrics are in charge of the only surviving original member and leader of the band, Fox-Lin Torres. The album was released in September 2018 by Metal on Metal Records. From speed metal bullets to heavy metal mid-tempo fist-raisers, it packs everything you can expect from BATTLERAGE, but often with a new and unexpected twist to it. This is their strongest and most original album to date.