Power Metal has been part of my life since Helloween and their Keeper of the Seven Keys albums. A long time, considering that that first album was ’85-’86 I think. Manowar was around then, wearing animal skins and looking absolutely ridiculous. I confused (and wrongly assumed) that Hammerfall were Manowar clones. It might’ve been the early promo pictures where they were dressed in furs like Conan. But whatever, sorry to you Manowar fans but Hammerfall is way better.

13 has always been my lucky number. Spooky, I know, but when you’re a band who has consistently unleashed great Power Metal albums since forming in 1993, by now you know what works and what doesn’t.

I recently saw Hammerfall with Kamelot and they were fucking amazing, my first time seeing both bands and it was a crazy fun show. Fortunately for me they played like, three songs off Avenge the Fallen so going into the album I was already familiar with those tracks.

“Avenge the Fallen” is the opener and it comes out swinging, the chorus is fucking huge, no matter the venue, I saw them at a theater in Albuquerque and they played like they were at a festival; the same way Dragonforce did when they played the same venue in 2019. Big riffs, a chorus to die for and that’s where we’re at with Hammerfall in 2024. Continuing their legacy in the best way possible.

They thrash hard on “the End Justifies”  get riled up to celebrate “Freedom” and then there’s “Hail to the King” which is my second favorite track after “the End Justifies”. It makes you feel good, shouting the chorus at the top of your ragged lungs.

This album has some surprises up It’s sleeves “Hero to All” is another flag waving festival track, it’s bombastic and triumphant, with gang vocals galore. They get emotional and romantic on “Hope Springs Eternal” a slowed down groover, almost suitable for dancing with the one you love.

But then comes the heavy again with the very Judas Priest-ish “Burn It Down” they continue in that vein with the striding “Capture the Dream” and then, just to fucking do it, they go Iron Maiden with “Rise of Evil” which actually will satisfy that 80s itch perfectly. “Time Immemorial” is the closer that Avenge the Fallen needs, it’s got so many hooks it would make a fisherman jealous and it’s got enough incentive to make you hit play again when it ends.

Avenge the Fallen is a great Hammerfall album. How it’ll be remembered out of their catalog is a story yet to be told. On album Thirteen Hammerfall continue to bring Swedish Power Metal to the salivating masses. Get this now, not later.

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