Initially formed in 1993 as a "True Metal" outlet for various Death Metal Musicians (most notably Jesper Stromblad of In Flames and Mikael Stanne of Dark Tranquility), the name Hammerfall has become sinonymous with the best that Europe has to offer in contempory Heavy Metal.
Initial lineups were necessarily fluid, though always containing Stromblad, Stanne and Lead Guitarist Oskar Dronjak. However as the project took shape it became clear that something very important was in the offing. The nascent 'supergroup' entered the Swedish National Talent Contest "Rockslaget", reaching the Semi Final stage where Stanne was unable to be a part of the band due to other commitments. Vocalist Joacim Cans was drafted to good effect, though the band were eliminated at this stage. However, 40 percent of the 'classic' lineup was now complete and the band forged ahead, heartened by the progress a traditional HM band had made in such a competition. Promo packages were duly despatched, one such attracting the attention of Vic Records in the Netherlands- the Crusade had commenced...
The buzz around this band, still without any real deal, was phenomenal. Metal fans were growing tired of the stale Death Metal scene which was dying on it's feet, and many were turned off by the extreme politics and Music of the burgeoning Black Metal bands just starting to make international headway from their Nordic homes... word came on the underground of a band heralding the return to melody, of a return to the glory days of Metal. When Hammerfall's debut album came outin 1997, those rumours were justified. Fusing the ludicrous pomposity of Manowar to the musical sophistication of Helloween, 'Glory To The Brave' was truly a breath of fresh air in the Metal world. All over Europe and South America kids broke out the cardboard guitars and started banging heads furiously- the album debuted on the German National Chart at #38 (the highest entry position by any Metal band in that country)and the juggernaut was unleashed. Literally hundreds of Power Metal bands sprouted seemingly overnight in the wake of Hammerfall's success, and a movement was born. Stromblad left the band at this point (though he continued to contribute songs) to be replaced by the bald though irrefutably Metal Stefan Elmgren, a Yngwie Malmsteen fanatic whose playing neatly complemented the more solid style of Dronjak. The band, also featuring Swedish Metal Superstar Marcus Rosen on bass and Patrik Rafling on Drums became Festival favourites all over Europe the following summer (I remember a particularly solid set at Holland's Dynamo Festival that year) before returning to the studio to record the album which many longstanding fans still consider to be their crowning achievement- 'Legacy Of Kings'.
Now under the auspices of Nuclear Blast records, the band were able to spend 40 days perfecting their magnus opus, and had never sounded better. Metal Anthems were what the band excelled in producing, epic paeans to warriors and their acolytes, hymns to Metal. And 'Legacy' contained 10 such diamonds. The band couldn't fail. The album entered the Swedish Charts at #15, the gigs were getting bigger (by now Japan, Brazil, Argentina and Chile had also fallen under the Templars' spell as well as Germany and Sweden).
But for many that's where the story ends. With the release of 'Renegade',many longtime fans detected a lessening in intensity. Renegade had some good songs to be sure, especially "Keep The Flame Burning" and "The Way Of The Warrior", but there was now a little to much melody and not enough Metal. But the shows were still great, Cans' slightly weak vocals notwithstanding, the production values high in the traditional sense of the big Metal bands the band had always unashamedly paid tribute to. The addition of ex-Dio and Yngwie Malmsteen drummer Anders Johansson addedextra firepower to the sound, not to mention a new found enthusiasm which helped the band through extensive and exhaustive touring scheduling.
The band's fourth album, Crimson Thunder, featuring the tremendous Pop Metal Anthem Hearts On Fire, smashed records everywhere, making number one on the Swedish Chart (the last Metal or Hard Rock act to do the same was Europe!)and heralded a new age of even greater prosperity for European Heavy Metal. The band has survived numerous setbacks in the last year (a vicious pub attack on Cans and a serious Motorbike Crash for Dronjak included)but still looks set to make another push for even greater glory. And Glory,as they themselves say, goes to the brave.
Bio written by: Hammerheart |
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