I can’t deny it’s always a pleasure to review the album of an obscure band. To some extent, they are the foundations of Metal music as they are the ones that hold the torches high keeping the flame alive in all senses. However, the feeling of reviewing albums of such icons as HammerFall is really something out of this world. It’s very hard to express in words this feeling of reviewing the album of such a paramont to Power Metal and Metal music as HammerFall are. It’s fair to say together with Helloween, Angra, Rhapsody and Viper they are the one of the bands that helped shaping Power Metal the way it is now. HammerFall‘s unique blend of emotion and power is something that stood the band from the crowd. It’s possible to recognize the band’s music with very few notes. They are one of the very few bands that can do that.
HammerFall are a band of many facetes and qualities that undeniable. They got all the power if Helloween and added lots of emotion mixed with more classical elements. Add to that the musical theatricality and the stage and visual presence of Manowar and voilà there we have HammerFall. Joacim Cans’ voice with the guitars of Oscar Dronjak forged one of the most powerful bands with songs that glue in the fans’ mind. Interestingly, here with “Avenge the Fallen” the band doesn’t follow their tradition of covering a non-metal song, another thing that made them different from other bands.
Well, I don’t have a very extensive history with the band. I met the band with 1997’s “Glory to the Brave,” a the deluxe edition that a student of mine lended to me and I don’t how it got broken – I suspected it was my CD player. Since then I’ve been hearing – and buying – the band’s albums just to keep up with their music.
“Avenge the Fallen” commmences with the tittle track “Avenge the Fallen” that is the three-minute depiction of what Hammerfall have been doing in the last 30 years. I can’t figure out track that represents better the spirit of the band with all the elements that made them famous. The Speed Metal inspired “The End Justifies” follows opening bullet in all means. It’s another track that depicts the band in a wondrous manner. It’s almost a self-homage. Almost? Hmm… I guess they deserve it. And, finally, as usual, there is a power ballad called “Hope Springs Eternal,” another track that sounds as a homage to the band. Some might say the band got lazy here, but I’d rather say the album is more of a self-homage. Much better put. By the way, almost forgot, “Burn It Down” shows perfectly HammerFall‘s Helloween’s roots. Pay close attention to the bass lines.
In a very simple way of saying it, “Avenge the Fallen” is a typical HammerFall album. From head to toe, the ten new songs follow the band’s formula with their very known high adrenalized music embellished with strong singalong choruses plus the classical music inspired guitars. Don’t forget the lyrics about medieval battles full of cape and sword stories even though, I think the band tends to lirically repeat themselves with themes the end justifies the means and others.
There is no easy way of telling it, so I’ll shoot it right away. Die-hard fans won’t miss a thing and other Power Metal bands from this sad and lonely and pathetic little planet will look at it very jealousy. Well, as Hammerfall always say the end justifies the means.
HammerFall “Avenge the Fallen” will be released on August 09th via Nuclear Blast Records.
Track Listing:
- “Avenge the Fallen”
- The End Justifies
- Freedom
- Hail To The King
- Hero To All
- Hope Springs Eternal
- Burn It Down
- Capture The Dream
- Rise Of Evil
- Time Immemorial
- Night Terrors (Bonus Track)
Watch “The End Justifies” official video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!