HAMMERFALL — Crimson Thunder (review)

HAMMERFALL — Crimson Thunder album cover

Album · 2002 · Power Metal

3/5 · 2023-10-08
lukretion

HammerFall’s fourth LP, Crimson Thunder, does not offer major stylistic innovations compared to the formula the Swedes had used since their very first album, Glory to the Brave. As heralds of the “power metal renaissance”, HammerFall continue to cunningly assemble together assorted influences from the 80s heavy/power metal scene, including NWOBHM, neoclassical metal (Rainbow, Dio, Malmsteen), and traditional epic metal (Manowar). While the influences are obvious, the blend the Swedes have to offer is admittedly hard to resist when the band play on all cylinders. Alas, this is probably where Crimson Thunder is lacking and the reason why it has gained such a bad reputation among fans and critics. It is actually not a bad album per se, but it comes across as uninspired and dull – almost as if the five-piece did not put their whole heart into writing and recording it. For this reason, it simply does not stand up to the comparison with the three albums that preceded it.

It is quite difficult to find obvious factual faults with the songwriting and arrangements of the album’s 11 songs (well, except the simplistic lyrics and the awfully cheesy ballad “Dreams Come True” – but those come as part of the package, I suppose). Everything sounds competent and ticks all the right boxes when it comes to traditional heavy/power metal. The no-frills drumming is fast and precise, providing a steady if slightly unimaginative rhythmic foundation to the songs. The guitars switch with ease between riffs, melodic leads and power chords, transmitting tension and then release to the music, as necessary. Dual leads and interplays are used cleverly hinting at NWOBHM influences. Occasionally, the bass takes on a lead role while the guitarists take a backseat, like on the single “Hears on Fire”, providing astute shifts in dynamics. HammerFall also indulge in gentle nudges to neoclassical metal, especially in the guitar solos, just to remind us that they are after all from the land of Mr Malmsteen. Meanwhile, Joacim Cans churns out his usual share of simple and easy-to-memorize melodies, helped by male gang backing-vocals in the choruses, a trick taken directly from the playbook of Manowar. The production is excellent, bursting with power and clarity, reminding everyone why Charlie Bauerfeind (Rage, Blind Guardian, and many others) has gained such a strong reputation as a metal producer.

These are all textbook traditional heavy/power metal aesthetics, which should awake and excite the Metal Defender in our soul. Alas, it instead actually risks putting it to sleep. The first half of the album is particularly dull, filled with a bunch of similarly bland songs that can only be distinguished by the speed of their underlying click-track. While listening to them, I reminded of the tired feeling I sometimes get at metal concerts, late in the evenings of a weekday, after an intense day at work. I knew exactly at which part of a song I am supposed to get excited and animated by, but I just can’t gather the energy to do so. These songs have the same effect on me: I know precisely what each part is supposed to achieve– the verses building tension, the pre-choruses slowly increasing in loudness and then the epic release in the mighty refrains -, but they just fail to get to me. Ultimately, I believe it comes down to run-of-the-mill songwriting, which recycles ideas that we have all heard somewhere else, done better (possibly by HammerFall themselves).

Once we are past the terrible keyboard-driven interlude “Lore of the Arcane”, the album’s second half gets better. Here HammerFall seem to have put a little bit more imagination into the songwriting. “Trailblazers” feels fresh and dynamic, thanks to its frequent tempo changes and a chorus that for once does not feel totally cliché. Chastain’s cover “Angel of Mercy” offers a nice, doomy diversion, fuelled by a moody chorus with a Dio-esque feel to it. I also like the mellow instrumental “In Memoriam”, where Stefan Elmgren showcases good taste in the choice of leads and texture. “Hero’s Return” gets a thumbs-up for giving me strong NWOBHM vibes (Iron Maiden, especially in the verse) and it again has a decent chorus and a nice clavinet coda to round things off. The version I own also includes a bonus track, a speedy rendition of Malmsteen’s iconic song “Rising Force” from his 1988’s Odyssey album, which actually feels somewhat amateurish as it fails to capture the classy, pompous feel of the original.

Ultimately, the bunch of decent songs surfacing in the latter part of the record save it from a complete flop. It is still fair to say Crimson Thunder does not quite match up with the expectations the band’s first three LPs had created. But at the same time, it is not a terrible CD to spin once in a while, preferably while doing something else while listening to it (it’s quite a good album to drive to!), in order to reduce the sense of dullness that would otherwise become pervasive in an active listening session.