Hammerfall - Avenge the Fallen

Angry Metal Guy 70

Hammerfall were the vanguard of the power metal resurgence in 1997, essentially saving the genre from a slow fade. Their Glory to the Brave debut reminded older folks why they once loved Helloween and Gamma Ray so dearly even as it snagged new metal fans with its infectious exuberance, strong foundation in classic heavy metal, and unnatural supply of hooks. The band capitalized on their unexpected success with the highly enjoyable follow-up Legacy of Kings and then kept going for the next 20-plus years with uneven results and diminishing returns. I left camp by the time 2002s Crimson Thunder came along, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the Hammer Crew and over the years I checked out the albums that got a modicum of good press. Since 2014, they’ve settled into a late-career comfort zone and released a string of good if not exceptional platters of 80s-style power metal with all the Hammerfall hallmarks present for better or worse. Now comes 12th album Avenge the Fallen and it’s more of the same, but perhaps, just perhaps, there’s a little more oomph and pizazz this time.

If you heard any Hammerfall album you know exactly what’s coming since the band rarely tampers with the style first heard back in 1997. This is upbeat, highly polished early-era power metal sitting someplace between Helloween and Manowar and carefully crafted to be anthemic, catchy, and soul-stirring. The opening title track nails the mission statement and delivers the sword-swinging goods with a rousing, chest-puffing piece of Manometal that even Joey DeMaio Himself would grudgingly hail. Joacim Cans’ ageless vocals provide the rally cry as the traditional metal riffs stir the war pot and pound mindshare into swords. It’s the blueprint Hammerfall used forever but when it works, it really works. “The End Justifies” sounds exactly like a lost cut from Legacy of Kings, with the classic trad-metal gallop and the epic flexing funneling directing into a classic power metal tune that feels familiar and inspiring. Cans sounds like Don Dokken but still commands the war party, and the hooks are everywhere. “Freedom” and “Hail to the King” offer even more of the good stuff, anthemic as fook with oh-oh-oh chants and pounding drums putting the point across that this is epical stuff best listened to whilst wearing mail and flying battle standards.

As a long-time listener of Hammerfall, I kept waiting for Avenge the Fallen to tail off and become tepid or tedious, but that never happens. Even the inevitably overwrought power ballad “Hope Springs Eternal” isn’t bad or cringe-inducing, and the back half of the album has some winners waiting in reserve. “Burn It Down” is very Riot V-esque in sound and approach, so that’s a big win and the riffage is mighty. “Capture the Dream” is like a return to the band’s best days with everything working just right, and “Rise of Evil” is just a badass song with gritty riffs offsetting Cans’ smooth-as-silk crooning. At 47 minutes, Avenge the Fallen flies by in a triumphant blur with songs just long enough to do the job and not a bit longer. I’ve spun it start-to-finish 6 or 7 times and it goes down like fine bourbon on a cold winter’s night. I’ll admit to being surprised at just how solid it all is, since Hammerfall seemed to have settled into the 2.5-3.0 zone for the last 10 years.

While Hammerfall may be best known for the polished vocals of Joacim Cans, to me their success always depended on the level of machismo in the guitar work. On Avenge the Fallen Oscar Dronjak and Pontus Norgren bring the ancient thunder to the compositions with beefy, rabble-rousing riffs, stately harmonies, and regal soloing. Yes, it’s power metal, but the olden variety that skews just off the block of Maiden, Priest and Manowar. While they never go Iced Earth heavy, they do enough to give the songs grit and backbone. This allows Mr. Cans to do his thing without worrying about relative heaviness quotients. His burnished, clear delivery sounds as good here as it did in 1997 and he’s a master at adorning this kind of metal with class and charisma. Would I love for him to get harder and meaner at times? Sure, but he has a specific style that’s worked for the band and he sticks to it. The star of the show here is the writing, which is way more consistently catchy than usual. To my ears, this is the most enjoyable Hammerfall album since 2014s (r)Evolution and I’m happy to hear them sounding this spry again.

I came into Avenge the Fallen expecting a respectable platter of safe, familiar Hammertunes, but this is better than that. It’s not a new sound or style, just their standard fare done more convincingly and with more pop than they’ve shown in a while. We may never get another Glory to the Brave, but if this is what Hammerfall can deliver in 2024, I’m pretty happy with the state of play. Recommended for hammer-fisted weekend warriors worldwide. Up the hammers!



Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Nuclear Blast
Websites: hammerfall.net | facebook.com/hammerfall
Releases Worldwide: August 9th, 2024

The post Hammerfall – Avenge the Fallen Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.