Still on a natural high following a hugely successful two-year tour with the German metal veterans Helloween under the banner of the “United Forces” tour, that took both bands all over the world together, the award-winning Swede’s HammerFall are back to avenge the fallen!
“Everything is like it’s always been”, HammerFall’s founder and guitarist Oscar Dronjak says with pride. He continues: “When I started HammerFall more than 30 years ago it was because no one played the music that I grew up with and was a huge fan of. If no one did it, it was up to me to do it and that’s how it is still to this day. The music I write is the music that I love and believe in, heavy metal can’t be faked and that’s a fact!”
A fact as clear as ever before when HammerFall gets ready to unleash their 13th album 'Avenge The Fallen' on the 9th of August, 2024. That’s right, less than a year after taking the final bow of the “United Forces” tour the quintet of Oscar, singer Joacim Cans, bass player Fredrik Larsson, guitarist Pontus Norgen, and drummer David Wallin are back with ten brand new solid pieces of classic heavy metal. “This is our 13th album”, Joacim says with pride. “How do you still stay relevant after 13 albums? It’s very much like the opening line to the song 'Avenge The Fallen': What is the worst, be the one who died, or be the one who survived. Think about it, because it is a tough question”. He continues, “Do we want to be a band who releases new music just for the sole reason of getting out on the road again or do we want to keep pushing and challenging ourselves? In times where people have less and less attention span, we still think in the form of full length albums. A few good songs don’t make a strong album. A strong album comes from an album full a great songs and that’s what we’re delivering with 'Avenge The Fallen'.”
While many of the songs on 'Avenge The Fallen' were crafted on the road, there’s also songs from the album based upon ideas spawned as far back as 20 years prior. The beautiful ballad 'Hope Springs Eternal' being one of those ideas and a perfect example of the creativeness between Oscar and Joacim, who all these years later, continue to keep inspiring each other while crafting new music. “I’ve had this idea for a ballad waiting to come alive for a long time, but it just wasn’t there”, Oscar explains. “I just couldn’t get it right, then as soon as Joacim had a look at it, he knew exactly what was missing”. It’s this kinship and musical connection that is the real secret weapon to the success of HammerFall. “The way we build the melodies for the verses, the pre choruses and the bridges; The crafting of new songs…. that’s what makes us such a strong team and what’s carried HammerFall ever since he set foot in our old rehearsal room!” Oscar continues.
While in the Los Angeles’ in the hands of the producer Jay, HammerFall also found themselves with a star-studded team on backing vocals for 'Avenge The Fallen'. “Besides our fellow Swedes: Thomas Vikström (Therion), Jake E (Cyhra) and Niklas Isfeldt (Dream Evil) who recorded their parts in Sweden, we found ourselves sitting in the studio in USA together with none other than the powerhouses, John Bush (Armored Saint, ex-Anthrax) and Marc Lopez (Metal Church)”. Joacim continues. “We’ve always had good singers doing backup vocals on our albums, but this is something completely different for HammerFall. It’s thanks to this high calibre of collaborators on the album, that we’ve been able to meet the challenge of overcoming the most demanding back-up vocals we’ve ever had while achieving the best results.
The music from the album was recorded in Sweden by HammerFall guitarist Pontus and mixed by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman, once again co creating a true and genuine HammerFall sound that the fans have come to love.
When it comes to the main focus of the album Joacim mentions ‘freedom’ and the urge to let anyone be who they want to be. It’s represented in the albums cover, where the bands faithful warrior Hector choses to walk his own path, despite what others tell him to do. Much like HammerFall have and always will do.
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Tracklisting
Side A:
1. Avenge The Fallen
2. The End Justifies
3. Freedom
4. Hail To The King
5. Hero To All
Side B:
1. Hope Springs Eternal
2. Burn It Down
3. Capture The Dream
4. Rise Of Evil
5. Time Immemorial
