Dark Connection

Upon its release, Dark Connection was praised by critics. Blabbermouth.net spoke positively on the release, mentioning that it is "bursting with absolutely blistering riffs and guitar work", combined with "deeply infectious vocal work and choruses", concluding that "At the end of the day, in terms of art and creativity, Beast in Black has hit the ball out of the park with album number three."{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/reviews/dark-connection|title=Beast in Black Dark Connection|author=Jay H. Gorania|date=October 25, 2021|access-date=October 11, 2022}}

Sonic Perspectives praised it, commenting: "Having been at the forefront of bringing the worlds of melodic metal and 80s post-disco/synth pop together for the past decade, former Battle Beast guitarist and mastermind Anton Kabanen, and his current fold of veteran metal warriors, usher in their latest studio venture in effortless fashion, proving that what is old can indeed become new."{{cite web|url= https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/beast-in-black-dark-connection/|title=Beast In Black – Dark Connection (Album Review)|date=October 28, 2021 |author=Jonathan Smith|access-date=October 11, 2022}} Games, Brains & a Headbanging Life called it a very satisfying listen, besides a few tracks that don't have as much oomph as others. It's "one that shows just how much they've grown and just how bright their future is."{{Cite web|url= https://www.gbhbl.com/album-review-beast-in-black-dark-connection-nuclear-blast/|title=Album Review: Beast in Black – Dark Connection (Nuclear Blast)|author=Carl Fisher|date=October 25, 2021|access-date=October 11, 2022}} A reviewer from Metal Storm praised it, and stated it as being the bands strongest album yet; Praising all aspects such as performance, production, overall sound, and album cohesion.{{Cite web|url= https://metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=17204|title=Beast In Black - Dark Connection review|date=October 25, 2021|access-date=October 11, 2022}} MetalMusicPlanet deemed it as being "Absolutely essential listening for fans of the genre and for anyone who just loves any kind of melodic Rock or Metal music."{{Cite web|url= https://metalplanetmusic.com/2021/10/album-review-beast-in-black-dark-connection/|title=Album Review : Beast In Black: Dark Connection|author=Andy Hawes|date=October 22, 2021|access-date=October 11, 2022}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Dark Connection track listing

| all_writing = Anton Kabanen, except where stated

| title1 = Blade Runner

| length1 = 4:07

| title2 = Bella Donna

| length2 = 3:52

| title3 = Highway to Mars

| length3 = 5:13

| title4 = Hardcore

| length4 = 3:34

| title5 = One Night in Tokyo

| length5 = 3:07

| title6 = Moonlight Rendezvous

| length6 = 5:38

| title7 = Revengeance Machine

| length7 = 4:09

| title8 = Dark New World

| length8 = 3:57

| title9 = To the Last Drop of Blood

| length9 = 3:55

| title10 = Broken Survivors

| length10 = 4:25

| title11 = My Dystopia

| length11 = 5:51

| total_length = 47:48

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Bonus tracks

| title12 = Battle Hymn

| note12 = Manowar cover

| writer12 = Joey DeMaio, Ross Friedman

| length12 = 6:54

| title13 = They Don't Care About Us

| note13 = Michael Jackson cover

| writer13 = Michael Jackson

| length13 = 4:32

| total_length = 59:14

}}

Beast in Black

• Yannis Papadopoulos – lead vocals
• Anton Kabanen – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards
• Kasperi Heikkinen – guitars
• Máté Molnár – bass
• Atte Palokangas – drums

Additional personnel

• Cynthia – keyboards
• Mikael Salo – backing vocals
• Paolo Ribaldini – backing vocals

Production

• Anton Kabanen – production, recording, mixing, orchestration
• Roman Ismailov – artwork
• Yannis Papadopoulos – mixing (assistant)
• Jarmo Katila – photography
• Toni Kilpinen – photography (editing)
• Emil Pohjalainen – mastering
• Janne Peltonen – layout

{{reflist}}

Official music videos

• {{YouTube|id=tXZK2PIL3pc |title=Beast in Black – Moonlight Rendezvous (Official Music Video)}}
• {{YouTube|id=7iu2YjG88AQ |title=Beast in Black – Hardcore (Official Music Video)}}
• {{YouTube|id=EF2PrtDjR50 |title=Beast in Black – One Night In Tokyo (Official Music Video)}}

{{Beast in Black}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2021 albums

Category:Beast in Black albums