Label: http://www.nuclearblastusa.com/
Release Date: April 5, 2005
Home Page: http://www.hammerfall.net
There was a period of time, during the mid-1990s, when I didnt listen to much Metal. At least, not to new Metal. Looking back on it, Im not really sure how I lost touch with my beloved genre. Was it because Metal went underground, and I didnt know how or where to find it? Maybe the Grunge sounds of ALICE IN CHAINS, SOUNDGARDEN and PEARL JAM had momentarily diverted my attention. Or perhaps, just perhaps, I was an unwilling participant in some covert government experiment, that separated people from Metal, in a misguided attempt to learn what effect it would have on their psyches. Being a fan of Metal, and the X-Files, the latter explanation seems the most plausible to me.
When I finally broke free of this government-sponsored mind control, one of the first bands to rekindle my interest in Metal was HAMMERFALL. I vividly recall driving down the road one summer day, cranking up Legacy of Kings and practically feeling giddy. I immediately went out and bought Glory to Brave, and then waited, impatiently, for the next HAMMERFALL CD to be released. Two years later, Renegade was finally released. Yuck! What the hell happened here? Wheres the speed and power of Legacy of Kings? OK. OK. No need to worry. You cant hit a homerun every time at bat. Two more years, then Crimson Thunder. This sucks! Whats going on? This is just as bad as Renegade.
Here we are its 2005, and HAMMERFALL have just released their fifth full length CD, the aptly titled Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken. At this point, HAMMERFALL have completely fallen off my musical radar, and I doubt I would have even bothered to listen to this disc had it not been given to me for review. So, is this a matter of third times the charm or three strikes and youre out? Unfortunately, Chapter V picks up right where Renegade and Crimson Thunder left off.
Since the songs on Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken lack variety, a song by song review is unnecessary. Almost all of the tracks move at roughly the same pace and they almost all contain some of the silliest backing vocals Ive ever heard. Clichéd lyrical themes reoccur with the regularity of heartburn after bad Mexican food. Even at this late juncture in their careers, its seemingly impossible for HAMMERFALL to make it through an entire song without a mention of swords, templars or hammers. Musically, HAMMERFALL is just as clichéd as they are lyrically. The musical performances contained on Chapter V suggest that the band members were on auto-pilot when they laid down their tracks.
So, whats changed? Why did the first two HAMMERFALL CDs kick my ass, while the last three have met with my disdain? I think there are three reasons. First, my tastes have changed. With all the Metal now available to choose from, Im more discriminating. I tend to seek out music thats challenging and original. Secondly, HAMMERFALL seems to have lost their passion. Those first two CDs have an underlying intensity and even an aggression, thats missing from subsequent releases. Perhaps somewhere between struggling to get a record deal and playing Wacken, making music went from being their lifes dream to being a job. Finally, Patrik Räfling left. His drumming on the first two CDs was superb. He was the engine that made HAMMERFALL go. Whether HAMMERFALL consciously decided to soften their sound or it was directly attributed to Patriks departure, I couldnt say. What I do know is, you dont have to look very long or very hard, to find something more entertaining than Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken.
Rating: 5/10
Reviewer: General Zod
