HAMMERFALL „No Sacrifice, No Victory”

Genre: Power Metal
Country: Sweden
Band Website: www.hammerfall.net
Duration: 50:05


Killer Songs: “Any Means Necessary,” “Punish And Enslave,” “Bring The Hammer Down”

Bringing the hammer down for the seventh time in their illustrious careers, Sweden’s power metal champions once again ascend to the genre’s throne with this newest slab of heroic bombast titled “No Sacrifice, No Victory.” Never mind the two new members (on guitar and bass, respectively), these guys barely make a difference on the patented HammerFall sound that’s been embraced by legions of crusaders worldwide. Knowing that the best way to open a mighty album is with as much grandeur as possible “By Any Means Necessary” arrives in a gaggle of chunky riffs and rumbling percussion. The chorus sounds reminiscent of a Rogers & Hammerstein production and the lyrics—cartoonish as usual. Guitar solos are faithfully done in the noble tradition of Judas Priest and Euro metal. As for Joachim Cans’ vocals: this raven-haired man sounds better than ever.

The first song here joins “Punish And Enslave,” “Hallowed Be My Name,” the title track and “Bring The Hammer Down” in the fist pumping, goblet raising, screaming-for-the-glory-of-steel category. The remainder of the album ranges from generic speed metal, a lonesome power ballad, and the downright weird. Take “Life Is Now” for example, whose inspiring message of personal growth and self-fulfillment is overshadowed by a melody suitable for a Disney film. Hearing how much relish they have for this type of juvenile music, HammerFall should seriously consider doing soundtracks for cartoons. In fact, HailnKill thinks it’d be perfect for them to revive the theme song of the 1987 Transformers animated film popularized by Spectre General.

Now “Legion” is supposedly the most extreme number on “No Sacrifice, No Victory” with its not-so-subtle nod to Satan, but knowing these Swedes, they couldn’t frighten children if they tried. The token ballad that begins with Manowarian organs followed by Scorpions-esque acoustics named after the side project of Immortal’s Abbath (“Between Two Worlds”) is filler, plain and simple, while “Something For The Ages” brings HammerFall’s skills at instrumentation to the fore. It actually sounds like a song without lyrics. “One Of A Kind” was meant to close this epic feast by way of a glorious, resplendent anthem. Nah-ah. There’s a surprise cover of “My Sherona” at the very end. It’s good, clean, STUPID fun. Well, so is the whole album.

note: 7/10

Tracklist

1.Any Means Necessary
2.Life Is Now
3.Punish And Enslave
4.Legion
5.Between Two Worlds
6.Hallowed Be My Name
7.Something For The Ages (instrumental)
8.No Sacrifice, No Victory
9.Bring The Hammer Down
10.One Of A Kind
11.My Sherona

Line-up

Joacim Cans-Vocals
Oscar Dronjak-Guitars
Pontus Norgren-Guitars
Fredrik Larsson-Bass
Anders Johansson-Drums