Total possession of the atmosphere!
After receiving the Concession of Pain demo (September 1987), John Peel arranged for a session. They recorded 4 songs on 3 January 1988: "Forgotten Existence", "Attack in the Aftermath", "Psychological Warfare", "In Battle There is No Law".
The session was broadcast on Wednesday 10 days later, sharing the session segments with McCarthy.
Vinyl Solution contacted the band after hearing the Peel show and they agreed a one-album deal. Vinyl Solution was the label run by/from the London shop of the same name. You can read some of the history of the shop (last located on Portobello Road) here. They released a diverse catalogue from dance music to punk (POISON IDEA) and death metal (CANCER).
In Battle... was recorded at Loco Studios in Llanhennock, South Wales. The recording was mixed without their knowledge or consent and released on this day in 1988. Less than a year after the demo and only 5 months after the Peel session.
It suggests the mixing issue wasn't the fault of the studio as BOLT THROWER returned to Loco in April the next year to record Realm of Chaos for Earache.
Birmingham's CEREBRAL FIX were recording around the same time (In Battle... / '88) as BOLT THROWER. They recorded Life Sucks... and Then You Die at the same studio, released it on the same label and then toured with BOLT THROWER in support of their respective albums! They also had some exposure on John Peel's Radio One programme.