Finnish metallers Battle Beast — who last fall parted ways with lead singer Nitte Vänskä and replaced her with Noora Louhimo — will release their second, self-titled full-length album on May 17 via Nuclear Blast Records. The Cd was produced and mixed by the band at Jkb Studios in Helsinki and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios. The cover artwork was created by Claudio Bergamin (Halford, Arjen A. Lucassen, Magica) and can be seen below.

The album's first single, "Into The Heart Of Danger", including first reactions to the album, by the international music press, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

"Battle Beast" track listing:

01. Let It Roar
02. Out Of Control
03. Out On The Streets
04. Neuromancer
05. Raven
06. Into The Heart Of Danger
07. Machine Revolution
08. Golden Age
09. Kingdom
10. Over The Top
11. Fight, Kill, Die
12. Black Ninja
13. Rain Man
14. Shutdown (bonus track)

Battle Beast recently toured Europe as the support act for Sonata Arctica.

Regarding Vänskä's departure from the band, Battle Beast previously said: "On August 19th [20120], Nitte sent the rest of the band an e-mail stating that she was leaving the band, effective immediately. As the reason for her leaving, she cited her will to focus on her family life. As this happened without any prior notice, the rest us were slightly disappointed. But what's done is done, and we're thrilled to announce the new Battle Beast vocalist with a voice and character to take the band to heights of glory."

According to a press release, Louhimo "is already experienced in performing some of the most demanding rock songs in existence and is now ready to take her big step into the metal world. With lungs of leather and a voice to order gods with, Noora possesses all the requirements to deliver the kind of power needed for performing Battle Beast's music."

Battle Beast's debut album, "Steel" — which was originally released in Finland in 2011 via Hype Records — was made available internationally on January 27, 2012 through Nuclear Blast Records.

Formed in 2008, Battle Beast won the Wacken Open Air Metal Battle contest in Finland last year, enabling the band to perform at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and represent its home country in the international Metal Battle finals. The group beat out 26 other acts from all around the world, which led to a record deal with the world's biggest independent heavy metal label.