HAMMERSTAR
“Hammerstar”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Hammerstar are a heavy metal band from the USA formed in 2020 by vocalist Quimby Lewis (Skullview) and guitarist Johnny Frankenshred (Frankenshred, ex Commandment, ex Exiled). The band are completed by two other Frankenshred members, Robbie Erwin (bass) and Atomic Tommy Higgins (drums). Hammerstar released their self titled debut album in 2022.

And what an album it is! Ten hard hitting heavy metal come power metal come thrash metal monsters. Across forty five fast paced minutes, Hammerstar pound and prod the senses with an amazing aural attack – pumping adrenaline with every song that roars past! Launching the album in a blaze of fiery fury, ‘Heart Of Stone’ is a high velocity rampage of rocket powered power metal. The pace and power of ‘Heart Of Stone’ is incredible, and a fantastic opening salvo to boot! The stunning opener is followed by the equally stunning – and prophetically titled – ‘Power Of Metal’. Glinting with a more melodious intent than ‘Heart Of Stone’, ‘Power Of Metal’ is a crowd pleaser with its anthemic nature and highly sing a long-able chorus. Definitely rooted in the heavy metal genre, ‘Power Of Metal’ is classic sounding metal clearly inspired by the glorious eighties.

The energy level Hammerstar have began the album with is phenomenally high with absolutely no sign of dipping – ‘Midnight Ride’ taking off in a blaze of NWOBHM sounding guitar riffs. And a pounding “foot on the monitor” feel courtesy of the bands incredibly infectious musicianship. Head bangers everywhere are gonna love this one – Hammerstar delivering an excellent and highly head bang-able tune! And for the first time the band drop a gear for the more sedate ‘Burned Alive’, and a magnificent mid tempo foot stomp. Think the power driven metal of legendary metallers Judas Priest and you’ll have some idea of what ‘Burned Alive’ sounds like. And immediately, the electrifying pace returns with a vengeance, in the mighty shape of the speedy ‘Path Of The Brave’ – and a second chance to vigorously nod your head back and forth. Simply breath taking!

And the most melodic metal offering heard so far, ‘Soul Reaper’, is simply sublime. The infectious level is off the charts, and the chant style chorus is gonna go down a fucking storm in a live arena. Hammerstar are on to a sure fire winner with this one. ‘Rise Above The Skies’ returns the emphatic foot stomp of earlier – with added menace and fear. There’s also an air of the epic doom metal style of American fantastical metallers Dio about ‘Rise Above The Skies’ – the elegance and poise very similar. ‘Divide And Conquer’ sees the blistering pace of earlier return with added bite and spice! The pace changing abilities of the band is phenomenal, swinging from all out fast and furious metal to mid tempo thunderstorms in the blink of an eye.

And as if to prove my last statement correct, the power driven style of mid tempo metal makes its presence felt once again with the heavy hitting ‘Hymn Of The Viking’ – and the heaviest foot stomp of all the foot stompers on the album! The band showing their musical prowess by wandering all around the heavy metal genre, giving listeners a multitude of styles and sounds to enjoy. The final song on offer ‘What Have I Become’, is an incredible seven minutes in length, opening with the finest balladry you could wish ever for…err balladry! On a heavy metal album! Good God no! But thankfully the balladry was just the intro, for foot stomping anthemic metal soon takes over – yet as ‘What Have I Become’ progresses, it swings from balladry to anthemic and also projects a hymn-like aura at times.

Overall, a blistering heavy metal album, full of energetic fast and mid paced songs to head bang furiously to.

TRACKLIST

Heart Of Stone
Power Of Metal
Midnight Ride
Burned Alive
Path Of The Brave
Soul Reaper
Rise Above The Skies
Divide And Conquer
Hymn Of The Viking
What Have I Become

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