HammerFall

Biography

HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg. It was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak. They have released thirteen studio albums.
The band has largely stayed consistent with their original sound throughout its career. The group's mascot "Hector" – a role-playing game character belonging to the paladin class – has appeared on most of their album covers.

Early days (1993–1996)

HammerFall was formed when guitarist Oscar Dronjak quit Ceremonial Oath and invited Jesper Strömblad (from Ceremonial Oath and In Flames) to join him as a drummer in a new musical project he had been contemplating for some time. Dronjak had already composed the song "Steel Meets Steel," which was later included on HammerFall's debut album. Dronjak and Strömblad were later joined by lead guitarist Niklas Sundin, bassist Johan Larsson, and vocalist Mikael Stanne. When Niklas Sundin and Johan Larsson left HammerFall the following year, Glenn Ljungström (then guitarist of In Flames) and Fredrik Larsson (bassist of the former Swedish death metal band Dispatched), replaced them.

All five members played in other bands at the time. Dronjak and Larsson played in Crystal Age; Strömblad and Ljungström played in In Flames and Stanne sang for Dark Tranquillity. Both of these bands influenced Swedish melodic death metal. HammerFall was relegated to being a side project of them all for several years. Their concerts were limited mostly to a local music contest named Rockslaget. The band had few songs of their own and played mostly covers from bands such as Pretty Maids, Judas Priest and Alice Cooper.
In 1996, HammerFall reached the semi-finals of Rockslaget. When Mikael Stanne could not perform with the band in the semi-finals, they found Joacim Cans, who agreed to play with them for the night. The concert was a success although the judges disqualified HammerFall for the finals. By the end of that day, Joacim had already been made an official member of the band.

Glory to the Brave and Legacy of Kings (1997–1999)

To give more exposure to their work and try for a professional recording deal, a short live performance was recorded and sent to the Dutch label, Vic Records. The musicians soon received a deal and spent the whole of the following year writing the album Glory to the Brave×Glory to the Brave27 June 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube MusicTracklist · 9 tracks1The Dragon Lies Bleeding4:232The Metal Age4:293Hammerfall4:474I Believe4:545Child of the Damned3:436Steel Meets Steel4:027Stone Cold5:438Unchained5:389Glory to the Brave7:20. The album was initially released in the Netherlands and obtained positive feedback; it is also worthy of notice that the band's mascot, the paladin Hector, first appeared on the cover of this album.
As HammerFall grew in popularity, the time available for members of the band to dedicate to other projects became limited. Dronjak and Cans wanted to pursue the path of HammerFall (Dronjak's Crystal Age had ceased to exist some time ago), but Strömblad and Ljungström were committed to In Flames and Larsson was committed to the thrash metal band None. Thus, HammerFall's line-up soon underwent changes. Stefan Elmgren assumed the lead guitar and Patrik Räfling assumed the drums (they joined the band in the beginning of 1997 before the release of Glory to the Brave album) and Larsson decided to remain in the band until a suitable replacement for him was found. This happened in May 1997, when bassist Magnus Rosén joined the band. Stefan Elmgren played some of the guitars on the Glory to the Brave album (such as the acoustic guitars on "I Believe") and Patrik Räfling actually played the drums on all songs in place of Jesper. However, at the time they were considered as guest performers, not members of the band.

In early 1997, German label Nuclear Blast approached HammerFall with a contract for a European release deal, which included four albums. The deal was accepted and the band proceeded to record their first two music videos — "HammerFall" and "Glory to the Brave". After the release of a promotional single, Glory to the Brave was released throughout Europe. The results were quite unexpected, even after the intense marketing campaign made by Nuclear Blast. The album reached position number 38 on the German Music Chart on the week of its release, something which had never before been achieved by a debut heavy metal music album.
Siding with bands Gamma Ray, Jag Panzer, Lake of Tears and Raven, several tours through the European continent ensued. The concert on Wacken Open Air was performed to a crowd of over ten thousand people.
Towards the end of 1997, Glory to the Brave was released in Japan and the United States. Sales of the album reached one hundred thousand copies. HammerFall was also nominated for the Swedish Grammy award in the Best Hard Rock act category.
In February 1998 they did a small club tour (5 gigs) in Belgium and the Netherlands. Support was the Belgian band Double Diamond, who later became Fireforce.
In February 1998, the recording of Legacy of Kings began. This album was once more written by Joacim, Oscar, and Jesper, who despite having quit the band still took part in the process in order to keep the same general mood of their first release. The album was produced by Fredrik Nordström (from Dream Evil) and Oscar, with the help of Joacim. The band spent a total of one and a half months in the studio recording this album.
HammerFall made some expressive concerts before the release of Legacy of Kings, playing in festivals together with bands such as Alice Cooper, Rammstein, Deep Purple, Dream Theater, Saxon and Stratovarius.
Their first world tour took place in October 1998. During the shows in Sweden, Joacim Cans caught a serious throat infection which made it impossible for him to sing. Shortly afterwards, Magnus Rosén was afflicted with the same disease, and after him the whole of HammerFall's support crew became sick. The members of the band played for as long as possible and then were forced to postpone or cancel a few dates. During their passage through South America, HammerFall took a short break to visit the Brazilian beaches, but they soon resumed their tour.
By the end of that tour, drummer Patrik Räfling left the band, and Anders Johansson, a friend of Magnus Rosén, joined as a touring musician. In the beginning of 1999 he was made a permanent member of the band. Anders had previously worked with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen on Rising Force in the 80s and 90s and on a number of other projects; he is the brother of Jens Johansson from Stratovarius. He has been praised for his technical and polyrhythmical talent, in metal as well as other genres.

Renegade and Crimson Thunder (2000–2003)

After a long series of concerts, the band returned to Sweden in order to spend time with their families and begin writing songs for their next album. HammerFall made arrangements for this album to be recorded by Michael Wagener, who had previously produced bands such as Accept, Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne. The recording took eight weeks, and the album was entitled Renegade×Renegade9 October 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Templars of Steel5:242Keep the Flame Burning4:393Renegade4:214Living in Victory4:425Always Will Be4:496The Way of the Warrior4:067Destined for Glory5:098The Champion4:569Raise the Hammer3:2210A Legend Reborn5:1211Run With the Devil3:3912Head Over Heels4:3513Hammerfall in Wireworld14Renegade4:20. The switch from producer Fredrik Nordström to Wagener was met with skepticism from the media in general. However, after the release, critics were mostly positive, even though there was a consensus that the band's sound was remarkably different. A music video by director Roger Johansson was created for the song "Renegade" and reached the top of the Swedish parade; the same soon happened with the album itself, which reached gold status with over forty thousand copies sold.

Oscar stated on www.metalrules.com just prior to the release of 'Renegade' that they were going for a more "commercial" sound in order to attract a broader audience that otherwise would have been lost to them and that future albums wouldn't follow in this mold.
The band's second world tour began in January 2001. Concerts from this tour counted with a replica version of the album's cover on stage. It was set up as a castle in ruins from which the musicians entered the stage. In total, the tour included almost sixty shows.
The band then released a DVD entitled The Templar Renegade Crusades, which included video footage from recording sessions, live concerts, tour backstages, and encounters with fans. The footage ranged from the recording sessions of Legacy of Kings to the gold album party which took place in November 2001.
HammerFall then proceeded to record their fourth album — Crimson Thunder×Crimson Thunder23 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Riders of the Storm4:332Hearts on Fire3:513On the Edge of Honour4:494Crimson Thunder5:055Lore of the Arcane1:276Trailblazers4:397Dreams Come True4:028Angel of Mercy5:389The Unforgiving Blade3:4010In Memoriam4:2111Hero’s Return5:2312Rising Force4:31. Arrangements were made for recording sessions to take place in both JM Studios: from Charlie Bauerfeind, in Wisseloord Studios — in the Netherlands, and studio Blind Guardian — in Germany, for the bass.
By the end of the recording sessions in 2002, a listening session for the press was held. Overall, the reactions were quite positive, and most seemed to perceive the album as a change for the better from Renegade. A single for the song "Hearts on Fire×Hearts on Fire23 September 2002 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Hearts on Fire3:522We're Gonna Make It3:343Rising Force4:294Templars of Steel (live)5:515Heeding The Call (live)4:356Let The Hammer Fall (live)5:51" was released six weeks prior to the album's launch and remained for weeks on the number one spot on the parades of some European countries. The song also attracted a number of new fans to the band due to its chorus-driven melody and simple riffs coupled with fast guitar solos.
The shooting of the music video "Hearts on Fire" by director Roger Johansson was scheduled for August of that year. The band's plans, however, had to be held back for a week due to an incident that occurred one night. While Joacim was drinking with his girlfriend in a rock club he had been frequenting for over a decade, he was attacked by an unidentified person who hit him in the head with a beer glass and hastily escaped. Joacim instantly lost consciousness and had to be taken to a hospital, in which he underwent plastic surgery and rested for a couple of days. As soon as it became medically possible, he joined the band to record the music video.
In order to promote the release of the band's album in North America, they toured with Dio during November and December 2002. Subsequently, the manager of the band disappeared, taking the entirety of the tour's revenue with him. Despite this the tour was very successful, and proceeded to Europe. Changes were made to the band's stage setting, and many investments were made on fireworks and on the presence of the mascot Hector on stage. The scenery on the cover of the single Hearts on Fire was also reproduced and added to the performances. The tour progressed to Japan and then to South America. HammerFall was present on festivals in Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic, playing with bands such as Iron Maiden, Slayer, Twisted Sister, U.D.O. and Stratovarius.
HammerFall's tour was brought to a sudden end when Oscar Dronjak suffered a motorcycle accident, breaking his left arm and sustaining several minor injuries.
They were then left with no choice but to take a break. Stefan dedicated himself to getting a pilot license, Magnus and Anders continued working on their side projects and Joacim began work on his solo album and had his first child. Oscar simply focused on recovering. Together with a group of specialists, he was able to recover to his full capacities. He then joined Anders, Joacim, Stefan again, with bands Helloween, Gamma Ray and Pretty Maids, amongst others, and played in the celebration of the 20 years of the German rock club Rockfabrik.

Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken and Threshold (2005–2008)

The live album and DVD One Crimson Night×One Crimson Night20 October 2003 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Lore of the Arcane1:442Riders of the Storm4:543Heeding the Call5:004Stone Cold7:105Hero's Return4:386Legacy of Kings4:467Bass Solo: Magnus Rosen3:378At the End of the Rainbow4:339The Way of the Warrior4:0310The Unforgiving Blade3:4911Glory to the Brave6:3512Guitar Solo: Stefan Elmgren2:4313Let the Hammer Fall5:51Disc 21Renegade3:552Steel Meets Steel4:373Crimson Thunder7:294Templars of Steel6:105Hearts on Fire4:036Hammerfall8:257The Dragon Lies Bleeding5:068Stronger Than All4:299A Legend Reborn5:11 was released in February 2003. After two years of hiatus the band released Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken, which was followed by a European and South American tour. A video for the song "Bloodbound" was made by director Roger Johansson.
On 16 October, it was reported that HammerFall (along with the band Europe) would be part of the Eurovision song contest. This rumor was refuted by lead singer Joacim Cans only a couple weeks later. Joacim was quoted as saying "So there were no talks whatsoever to be part of this."

Their 6th album, titled Threshold×ThresholdAugust 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Threshold4:452The Fire Burns Forever3:223Rebel Inside5:344Natural High4:165Dark Wings, Dark Words5:036Howlin’ With the Pac4:067Shadow Empire5:158Carved in Stone6:139Reign of the Hammer2:5010Genocide4:4311Titan4:24Disc 21Natural High4:312Natural High (karaoke version)4:313The Fire Burns Forever3:194Raise the Hammer (live)5The Fire Burns Forever (video), was released on 20 October 2006 and it went directly to a number 1 position on the Swedish charts.
On 6 March 2007, a statement was posted online at HammerFall's official website (and his own official website), that bassist Magnus Rosén would not be involved with the band anymore. The reason for his departure stated that he was unhappy in the band and wants to focus on other projects. On his own website (and therefore with his own official statement) it was announced that Magnus was tired of the simple bassplaying he was forced to play in HammerFall, and that he was unable to bring his own material to the band. He now wants to "be more creative in his career". On 10 April it was announced on the official HammerFall homepage that the replacement for Magnus is former member Fredrik Larsson, who played bass on the Glory to the Brave album.
Three new songs were recorded for the band's first compilation album. These are "Last Man Standing×Last Man Standing14 September 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Last Man Standing4:30", "Restless Soul", and "The Abyss". They also rerecorded the Glory To The Brave track "HammerFall". "Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years of Glory" was released on 12 October 2007.
On 2 April 2008, Stefan Elmgren announced his decision to leave HammerFall in order to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His replacement is Pontus Norgren from The Poodles. On 27 June 2008, the band released the compilation album "Masterpieces×Masterpieces27 June 2008 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Child of the Damned3:422Ravenlord3:313Eternal Dark3:084Back to Back3:395I Want Out4:386Man on the Silver Mountain3:267Head Over Heels4:368Run With the Devil3:369We're Gonna Make It3:3610Breaking the Law2:1311Angel of Mercy5:4012Rising Force4:2913Detroit Rock City3:5414Crazy Nights3:4015När vindarna viskar mitt namn3:0716Flight of the Warrior4:2017Youth Gone Wild3:1818Aphasia2:34". The album has on it a collection of every song the band has covered, plus three new cover songs previously unreleased. This was Stefan Elmgren's last release with the band.

No Sacrifice, No Victory and Infected (2009–2012)

HammerFall's album No Sacrifice, No Victory×No Sacrifice, No Victory18 February 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Any Means Necessary3:352Life Is Now4:433Punish and Enslave3:574Legion5:365Between Two Worlds5:286Hallowed Be My Name3:567Something for the Ages5:038No Sacrifice, No Victory3:329Bring the Hammer Down3:4110One of a Kind6:1411My Sharona3:57 was released in February 2009. This album features a cover song My Sharona×My Sharona26 April 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1My Sharona3:57. The Album peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard heatseakers charts.
A music video for the song "Any Means Necessary×Any Means Necessary6 February 2009 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Any Means Necessary3:352Last Man Standing4:303Blood Bound3:494Hearts on Fire3:515Renegade4:20" was released some time before the actual release of the album. To kick off their new album, HammerFall toured all over the world with several support bands, such as fellow Swedish band Sabaton. In the summer 2010 the band played a couple of high-profile festivals throughout Europe, including Sonisphere Festival, High Voltage Festival, Metalcamp, Graspop Metal Meeting and many more. The summer tour was named "Any Festival Necessary".
HammerFall's 8th album was released on 18 May 2011 (Sweden), 20 May (Europe), and 7 June (North America), under the name Infected. After several months of recordings in Göteborg, Sweden and Nashville, TN, the new studio album was finally finished in February. The European tour followed, under the name "European Outbreak". Infected is also the first HammerFall album not to feature the mascot, the knight Hector, on the cover.
In 2012, HammerFall recorded a live DVD while performing a show in Dalhalla, Sweden, that featured some former band members as well as other special guests. The DVD celebrated 15 years of the band's existence, and was titled "Gates of Dalhalla×Gates of Dalhalla30 November 2012 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 52 tracks · 3 discsDisc 11Patient Zero6:002Heeding the Call4:393Any Means Necessary3:444B.Y.H.3:585Riders of the Storm5:266Let's Get It On4:037Crimson Thunder5:058Renegade4:169Blood Bound4:1610Last Man Standing4:0711Fury of the Wild4:4912Drum Solo - Anders Johansson3:1213Always Will Be4:2514Dia de los Muertos5:1315Steel Meets Steel4:0416Threshold4:5917The Dragon Lies Bleeding4:2618Let the Hammer Fall5:3319När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn3:0720Something for the Ages5:0621The Templar Flame4:5022Oh Fortuna1:5523Glory to the Brave6:2924One More Time4:1925HammerFall5:4626Hearts on Fire4:45Disc 21Patient Zero6:002Heeding the Call4:393Any Means Necessary3:444B.Y.H.3:585Riders of the Storm5:266Let's Get It On4:037Crimson Thunder5:058Renegade4:169Blood Bound4:1610Last Man Standing4:0711Fury of the Wild4:4912Drum Solo - Anders Johansson3:1213Always Will Be4:2514Dia de los Muertos5:1315Steel Meets Steel4:04Disc 31Threshold4:592The Dragon Lies Bleeding4:263Let The Hammer Fall5:334När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn3:075Something For The Ages5:066The Templar Flame4:507Oh Fortuna1:558Glory To The Brave6:299One More Time4:1910Hammerfall5:4611Hearts On Fire4:45".
In 2013, HammerFall took a break and some time to spend with their families or side-works. Oscar wrote a book about HammerFall, Legenden om HammerFall (Swedish: "The Legend of HammerFall), that was released on 24 October and tells of the band's events during the past 16 years, but it still exists only in Swedish.

(r)Evolution and Built to Last (2014–2017)

HammerFall once again reunited with producer Fredrik Nordström. The vocals were recorded by James Michael. For the mix, Fredrik Nordström spent 3 weeks in his own studio.
(r)Evolution was released on 29 August 2014, and stormed the charts worldwide, debuting on #1 in Sweden and on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, as well as reaching Top 5 in several other countries. The subsequent tour, dubbed the World Wide (r)Evolution 2014-15, will see HammerFall return to Latin America together with Edguy and Gotthard, followed by a full European assasult in the beginning of 2015. The band was somewhat distraught when drummer Anders Johansson left shortly after the release of (r)Evolution, but David Wallin (Pain) was brought in as a temporary replacement to ensure that the show would go on. Around the same time, it was also decided that Fredrik would be on parental leave from September 2014 through March 2015. Former guitar player Stefan Elmgren stepped in handled the 4-string duties during that period, making this line-up a unique experience during the Latin American and European tour.
In March 2016, the band announced that they had signed with Napalm Records. Their tenth studio album, Built to Last×Built to Last4 November 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 24 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Bring It!4:202Hammer High4:393The Sacred Vow4:134Dethrone and Defy5:115Twilight Princess5:056Stormbreaker4:537Built to Last3:548The Star of Home4:489New Breed5:0310Second to None5:30Disc 21Hector’s Hymn2Any Means Necessary3Renegade4B.Y.H.5Blood Bound6Let the Hammer Fall7Live Life Loud8Guitar Solo: Pontus Norgren9400 M Medley10Threshold11Last Man Standing12HammerFall13Bushido14Hearts on Fire, was released on 4 November 2016.
On 16 December 2016, David Wallin resigned from the band to focus on his family, and the same day the band introduced their new drummer Johan Koleberg.
On 2 September 2017, it was announced that David Wallin's family related issues had been resolved and that he was reinstated into the band.

Dominion, Hammer of Dawn and Avenge the Fallen (2018–present)

On 18 December 2018, HammerFall announced their eleventh studio album Dominion×Dominion16 August 2019 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Never Forgive, Never Forget5:312Dominion4:403Testify4:294One Against the World3:535(We Make) Sweden Rock4:166Second to One4:117Scars of a Generation4:418Dead by Dawn3:599Battleworn0:3910Bloodline4:4611Chain of Command4:0112And Yet I Smile5:29. It was released on 16 August 2019.
Following a major tour in support of the album throughout Europe, and North America as a special guest of the band Sabaton, the band later announced their live album Live! Against the World×Live! Against the World23 October 2020 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 44 tracks · 3 discsDisc 11Never Forgive, Never Forget5:322One Against the World3:533Heeding the Call4:554The Way of the Warrior5:075Any Means Necessary3:456Hallowed Be My Name4:387Blood Bound3:498Redemption6:589Hector’s Hymn5:4710Natural High4:32Disc 21Second to One4:322Renegade Medley7:013Keep the Flame Burning5:114Dominion5:195The Dragon Lies Bleeding4:286Last Man Standing5:087Let the Hammer Fall8:318Hammer High5:239(We Make) Sweden Rock5:2410Hearts on Fire5:09Disc 31Never Forgive, Never Forget5:322One Against the World3:533Heeding the Call4:554The Way of the Warrior5:075Any Means Necessary3:456Hallowed Be My Name4:397Blood Bound3:498Redemption6:589Hector’s Hymn5:4810Natural High4:3311Second to One12Renegade Medley13Keep the Flame Burning14Dominion15The Dragon Lies Bleeding16Last Man Standing17Let the Hammer Fall18Hammer High19(We Make) Sweden Rock20Hearts on Fire21(We Make) Sweden Rock22One Against the World23Dominion24Second to One which was released on 23 October 2020.
On 19 March 2021, HammerFall announced that they will join Helloween on a big European tour in 2022 and '23 called United Forces. Latin American tour dates as well as North American dates were added later on. The tour saw the band supporting their twelfth studio album, Hammer of Dawn×Hammer of Dawn25 February 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Brotherhood4:402Hammer of Dawn4:023No Son of Odin4:014Venerate Me4:435Reveries4:466Too Old to Die Young5:087Not Today5:418Live Free or Die3:529State of the W.I.L.D.4:5310No Mercy4:05, which was released on 25 February 2022. They released the single "Brotherhood" a day before the album's release. The following month, Hammerfall supported Helloween on tour in Europe. They supported Helloween on tour again the following year.
On 26 April 2024, the band released the first single "Hail to the King×Hail to the King25 April 2024 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Hail to the King4:32" and its corresponding music video. At the same time, they announced that their thirteenth studio album, Avenge the Fallen×Avenge the Fallen9 August 2024 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Avenge the Fallen3:292The End Justifies5:103Freedom4:224Hail to the King4:325Hero to All4:576Hope Springs Eternal5:327Burn It Down4:218Capture the Dream4:379Rise of Evil4:0110Time Immemorial5:5711Night Terrors4:36, which was released on 9 August 2024.

Current

Oscar Dronjak – guitars, backing vocals (1993–present)
Joacim Cans – lead vocals (1996–present)
Fredrik Larsson – bass (1994–1997, 2007–present)
Pontus Norgren – guitars, backing vocals (2008–present)
David Wallin – drums (2014–present)

Former

Jesper Strömblad – drums (1993–1996)
Mikael Stanne – lead vocals (1993–1996)
Niklas Sundin – guitars (1993–1995)
Johan Larsson – bass (1993–1994)
Glenn Ljungström – guitars (1995–1997)
Stefan Elmgren – guitars, backing vocals (1997–2008)
Magnus Rosén – bass (1997–2007)
Patrik Räfling – drums (1996–1999)
Anders Johansson – drums (1999–2014)

Touring

Pontus Egberg – bass (2012)
Stefan Elmgren – bass (2014)
Johan Koleberg – drums (2016–2017)