Hammerfall - Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken
Nuclear Blast - NB 1375-2 - 2005
By Philip Whitehouse
Equally admired and reviled throughout their existence, and ones the proud recipients of a drunken ear-bashing by none other than Napalm Death's Shane Embury, Swedish power-metallers Hammerfall may find the balance of opinion tilting towards the haters when latest album, Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken hits the shelves. For one thing, the record could be more accurately subtitled Unoriginal, Uninspiring, Unremarkable. Okay, so there's a bit more of an eighties Accept-esque vibe about some of the tracks within, but its pretty much business as usual. Mid-to-fast paced power metal, soaring vocals, strong choruses, galloping rhythms and the obligatory semi-ballad 'Never, Ever' - basically, its Judas Priest meets U.D.O. at a sleavy biker dive, much like the previous four albums.
All of which would be fine for the more voracious advocate of power metal's virtues - if it weren't for the fact that Hammerfall seem to occasionally stumble around in search of innovation, and lose track of their strengths in the process. Mid-album instrumental 'Imperial' consists of a languid, 2-minute clean guitar melody which is neither intricate nor memorable enough to work as a song introduction, let alone a standalone instrumental solo track. Elsewhere, the closing 10-minute 'Knights Of The 21st Century' is a clumsily written 'epic' with sections that fail to flow, themes which aren't developed, and guest vocals by Cronos from Venom which consist solely of him growling for 2 minutes at the beginning and 2 minutes at the end... 'Hrrrr... grrrrgggh... the prophecyyy... arrrrrgggh... hell fucking yeah... hrrrghh...' If this sounds appealing, then you're welcome to it.
Even the production seems to have taken a step back from their last album, sounding less punchy and thick, more shiny and polished but somewhat emasculated. However, the high points of the album make up for things somewhat - opening track 'Secrets' is a speedy, urgent, archetypal power-metal lead-off track, whilst 'Take The Black' will undoubtably make for one hell of an anthemic live track. Sadly, these moments don't stop Chapter V... from being a disappointingly inconsistent release.
5/10
Hammerfall Official Website.
Nuclear Blast Records
Nuclear Blast - NB 1375-2 - 2005
By Philip Whitehouse
Equally admired and reviled throughout their existence, and ones the proud recipients of a drunken ear-bashing by none other than Napalm Death's Shane Embury, Swedish power-metallers Hammerfall may find the balance of opinion tilting towards the haters when latest album, Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken hits the shelves. For one thing, the record could be more accurately subtitled Unoriginal, Uninspiring, Unremarkable. Okay, so there's a bit more of an eighties Accept-esque vibe about some of the tracks within, but its pretty much business as usual. Mid-to-fast paced power metal, soaring vocals, strong choruses, galloping rhythms and the obligatory semi-ballad 'Never, Ever' - basically, its Judas Priest meets U.D.O. at a sleavy biker dive, much like the previous four albums.
All of which would be fine for the more voracious advocate of power metal's virtues - if it weren't for the fact that Hammerfall seem to occasionally stumble around in search of innovation, and lose track of their strengths in the process. Mid-album instrumental 'Imperial' consists of a languid, 2-minute clean guitar melody which is neither intricate nor memorable enough to work as a song introduction, let alone a standalone instrumental solo track. Elsewhere, the closing 10-minute 'Knights Of The 21st Century' is a clumsily written 'epic' with sections that fail to flow, themes which aren't developed, and guest vocals by Cronos from Venom which consist solely of him growling for 2 minutes at the beginning and 2 minutes at the end... 'Hrrrr... grrrrgggh... the prophecyyy... arrrrrgggh... hell fucking yeah... hrrrghh...' If this sounds appealing, then you're welcome to it.
Even the production seems to have taken a step back from their last album, sounding less punchy and thick, more shiny and polished but somewhat emasculated. However, the high points of the album make up for things somewhat - opening track 'Secrets' is a speedy, urgent, archetypal power-metal lead-off track, whilst 'Take The Black' will undoubtably make for one hell of an anthemic live track. Sadly, these moments don't stop Chapter V... from being a disappointingly inconsistent release.
5/10
Hammerfall Official Website.
Nuclear Blast Records
