Veterans of a traditional power metal style that is cut from the 80’s culture, Hammerfall strides valiantly into their twelfth studio record for Hammer of Dawn. Consistently surrounding themselves with premiere producers, mixers, and recording people (this time around Fredrik Nordström and Jacob Hansen handling some of the workload), the quintet gained extended time to fine tune their schedules due to a lack of road work in 2020-2021 through the pandemic restrictions. At this point in the game, most know what to expect – victorious anthems of an up-tempo to mid-tempo variety, the occasional heartfelt ballad, and a bevy of catchy riffs, lead breaks, and soaring choruses/melodies to join in the festivities delivered.
The little nuances of proper pacing and attitude injected into the guitar passages of Oscar Dronjak and Pontus Norgren showcase a united front that promotes syncopation headbanging, especially through the marching title track and energetic “Live Free or Die”. Black Sabbath meets Accept-like bends penetrate the straightforward punchy “No Son of Odin” – the confident upper delivery from vocalist Joacim Cans executing some interesting register twists a la Rob Halford or King Diamond, while a few of the solo sections take on a Viking-like texture. Speaking of King Diamond, he makes a mini-guest appearance for “Venerate Me” – another stellar 80’s-oriented metal effort where the melodies and music match up in a symbiotic symphony template, probably a future staple for Hammerfall live shows to come. Fantasy, medieval tales, battles, and personal strength for the genre at hand are all fair topics in the realm of the band – while the ballad “Not Today” shines through its clean / electric tenderness, a stunning/emotive lead tradeoff sequence, and key touches for transitions that cover all the bases for a dynamic arrangement that has staying power.
Hammerfall has been on a roll as of late over its last three studio records – and Hammer of Dawn continues the trend of executing top-notch heavy metal with a host of UK/German influences that put this style on the map back in the 1980’s. Grab your goblet, bring your vibrant voices, and bow to the masters as they lead the current generation for this never say die genre.