BATTLERAGE is a true 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 public. 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 pages 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 show 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 in their advantage, because both the performance of the musicians and the sound improved. Meanwhile Rodrigo de la Hoz left 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. The Axeman returned! 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!
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