Website: Hammerfall
Funny, Hammerfall may be the only band in existence who can pull off 1980 in 2006.
With an ever-changing lineup purloined from seemingly every Swedish band ever created, Hammerfall’s ten-year career has certainly seen its ups and downs. Yet they have not lost their vision in the slightest: to bring back true Heavy Metal, as one would define by the likes of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Although this style has evolved with increasingly progressive elements and predictably themed with fantasy and folklore — christened Power Metal — Hammerfall successfully keeps their music from heading too far into the world of cheeseball elves and orcs while upholding their heritage and carrying on the legacy of their heroes.
Which brings us to Threshold, their sixth studio outing. Hammerfall hasn’t changed much since their 1997 debut, but given the throwback nature of their music, it doesn’t show. Rather, once again the band graces the public with tightly-written anthems and modest shows of musicianship intended to create a mood and explore tales of might and victory. And while many of the songs are lost among each other, breakout tunes like “Shadow Empire” and “Carved In Stone” show that there are still some new tricks in their old-style bag as they incorporate small bits of modern style. It’s these little moments peppered throughout the disc that keep Hammerfall distinct from their brethren and just varied enough to entice their audience to keep buying new albums.
It’s nothing truly new or interesting that hasn’t been done before. And sure, it’s hokey at times. But it’s Hammerfall-style hokey, not Blind Guardian or Rhapsody of Fire-style hokey, so the cringeworthy moments are much fewer and farther between. Above all, Threshold continues the fun that is Hammerfall without embarrassing their audience. Now if only other power metal bands could grasp this concept.
