Finland's Rauta recently caught up with Battlelore vocalist Tomi Mykkänen  and guitarist Jussi Rautio to discuss the band's Lord Of The Rings-inspired epic metal. Check out the interview below.

Mykkänen: "Battlelore is quite hard to describe. Back in the day we used to say if you put The Gathering and Bolt Thrower together, that's a good description.Then there's the lyrical part, which is fantasy metal. I don't think we're a symphonic metal band, or power metal; it's hard to say. We have a lot of symphonic parts (in our music), but we're not using backing tapes or anything like that when we're playing live, so we're kind of a punk band playing symphonic metal (laughs). But (the label) 'symphonic metal' is better than 'female fronted metal.'"

Following their much-acclaimed, latest studio album, The Return Of The Shadow (released June 2022 via Napalm Records), Finnish fantasy metal masters Battlelore unleashed a lyric video for the song "True Dragons" in June 2023. Check it out below.

The Return Of The Shadow marked the band's first offering in more than ten long years, and immediately showcased the incredible energy the Tolkien-inspired band delivered on their seventh album; making this record one of their strongest, heaviest and best works to date. Named after Tolkien’s original, shelved title for his legendary epic fantasy novel, Fellowship Of The Ring, Battlelore’s latest album features nine Middle-earth themed songs, shining with the blistering aura the band has become known and loved for. Enter "True Dragons", a song the band has just unleashed a brand new lyric video for.

"Behold the 'True Dragons'! Creatures of legend and fearsome power! Born of fire and magic, imbued with the wisdom of the ages," the band comments, "These mysterious beasts played a huge part in the history of Middle-earth and surely deserve a mighty hymn! Let us stand in awe of these magnificent guardians of the skies and keepers of ancient knowledge!"

The Return Of The Shadow was recorded by Janne Saksa at the Sound Supreme Studios, Finland, and was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound Studios. As a special gift to fans, the album includes a bonus EP, entitled 'Lost Lands' that features three songs written around the beginning of the band’s hiatus that, sound wise, are different from the tracks on the main album.

The Return Of The Shadow was released on June 3, 2022 through Napalm Records and can be ordered here.