It's always interesting to see what happens when an important songwriter for a well-established band suddenly splits up with his bandmates and goes his own way. In such a scenario, it's interesting both to see what direction the remaining members will take with their sound, and also see what the departing member will do with any future projects. The latest case of this happening is with Anton Kabanen, main songwriter of Finnish heavy/power metal band Battle Beast for their first three albums. After having disagreements with his bandmates over which musical direction to take, following their third release, Unholy Savior, he left the band to pursue his own vision, while the remaining members decided to keet the band going. Two years later, Battle Beast has already released Bringer of Pain, their first album without Anton, and it proved to be a solid release that took the band in a catchier, more melodic direction, while Anton has started his own band Beast in Black, who is now set to release their debut, Berserker, in early November. I had high expectations for this album, as Unholy Savior is my favorite Battle Beast album to date, and I'd been waiting to see what Anton would do next. I'm happy to report, Berserker does not disappoint in the least, and manages to both continue with the sound established on Unholy Savior, while also continue to explore new territory, sometimes going in shocking directions, but somehow managing to make all of it work.