Hammerfall struck the UK shores, and we were there to bask in the epic!
[date]9th May 2015[/date]
[venue]o2 Academy Islington[/venue]
[city]London, UK[/city]
[support_bands]Skarlett Riot + Neonfly[/support_bands]
Hammerfall are the undeniable kings of power metal, love them or hate them. Yes they have been around a shorter time than Helloween, Edguy and plenty of other power metal bands out there, but one thing about Hammerfall keeps the crown for the Swedes – their consistency.
Whether it be an album or a show, you always know what you are going to get with Hammerfall, and it’s what has propelled them to the top of their game in the 18 years of their existence. Tonight they are back in London as part of their World Wide Revolution tour, much to the excitement of a hammer-wielding UK crowd.
With the standard Hammerfall introduction of thunder and lights engulfing the venue the band enter and blast off with ‘Hector’s Hymn‘, an ode to the band’s mascot. The band were hit with a few sound issues, mainly the mix of the music being noticibly unbalanced, but that will not faze the band, nor the hundreds of banging heads.
By the time the opening ring of ‘Any Means Necessary‘ resonated through the PA, all had been fixed and was the start of some serious vocal work by the crowd, so much that frontman Joacim Cans simply dropped his microphone and let the choir before him chant ‘if by any means necessary’. The crowd involvement with Hammerfall really was a highlight of tonight’s performance, it simply proves Hammerfall ascendancy to a legendary status.
Another outstanding element of tonight’s performance was the guitar work of Pontus Nogren, who did not miss a note on his incredibly fast and sharp leads over the chugging and ringing of icon Oscar Dronjak. The skill was truly present on tracks such as ‘B.Y.H‘, ‘Heeding the Call‘ and the ‘400 Meter Medley‘ which included a few instrumental versions of songs that span Hammerfall’s career.
With the skill there, the crowd was also there to help with fist-pumping anthem’s such as ‘Blood Bound‘ and ‘Last Man Standing‘, and of course chanting along with the ever-catchy hooks of ‘Threshold‘ and the prolific ‘Let The Hammer Fall‘.
What’s amazing about Hammerfall is that they don’t really need to do a whole lot of work on stage – it’s that career consistency that has seriously reflected on the fans to a point that they already know how to get involved…and get involved they do! Few bands can boast that trait about them, and it seems when the last notes of ‘Hearts on Fire‘ ring out, Hammerfall are missed already. The last time I have seen a band with this kind of aspiring command over an audience was Iron Maiden.
Hammerfall just can’t set a foot wrong live anymore no matter what happens. And despite some sound problems, they definitely haven’t set a foot wrong tonight. The Hammerfall spirit was alive in London!
