Customer Reviews

Hammerheart

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Make no mistake, Bathory's HAMMERHEART is one of the best metal recordings EVER! When I first heard HAMMERHEART it utterly blew me away. I bought a copy for a friend and didn't see him again for four months; he said he listened to it EVERY DAY of those four months -- it's that good! This recording is simply the quintessential realization of metal's potential.

Bathory is, for the most part, a one-man "band" masterminded by 'Quorthon', a pseudonym for Ace Thomas Forsberg of Sweden. Forsberg released a total of 12 legitimate Bathory albums and a handful of Bathory compilations (as well as two hard rock recodings under the name 'Quorthon'). The music on these recordings ranges from black/speed/punk metal to epic/moody/doom/power metal, obviously depending upon Forsberg's mood. HAMMERHEART is definitely his magnum opus. Please DO NOT judge this album by his other works like the first two satanic/horror/speed platters or the one-dimensional OCTAGON (which was Slayeresque but with lousy production and non-memorable ditties). Trust me, HAMMERHEART stands alone.

The songlist includes:

(1.) "Shores in Flames," a blow-by-blow account of a savage Viking village-raid.
(2.) "Vahalla" which shares the basics of Norse mythology in an epic way.
(3.) "Baptised in Fire and Ice" which features fitting punkish-styled verse vocals and a brilliantly implemented low-tuned bridge.
(4.) "Father to Son" which starts out calm enough until a startling and crushing start/stop riff speedily kicks in.
(5.) "Song to Hall Up High," the debut Bathory ballad; Quorthon can't really sing, of course, but all his vocals strangely fit the music, passionately and naturally.
(6.) "Home of Once Brave" an emotional slow-paced juggernaut marred only be Forsberg's inexplicable rip-off at the end of the closing riff for "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (still, I admit, it totally fits!).
(7.) lastly, there's the hallowed "One Rode to Asa Bay" a potent historical relating of how Christianity was introduced to the Viking culture, which was the death-knell of fantastical Norse religion.

"One Rode to Asa Bay" is a long but simple song; it's also one of my favorite metal pieces, a masterpiece, in fact. It stands up there with the very best metal songs you can possibly cite (e.g. "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "A Dangerous Meeting," "Crown of Sympathy," "The Cry of Mankind," "A Celebration for the Death of Man/In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion," "Wings of Time," "Beyond the Realms of Death," etc.).

The production isn't the greatest; in fact, it was literally recorded in a garage in suburban Stockholm (the so-called "Heaven's Shore Studio" -- yeah, right); but it in no way mars this work of genius.

I strongly encourage fans of all styles of metal to add HAMMERHEART to your listening arsenal, unless of course you only prefer bands like Poison and Warrant (giggle).

Personally, I won't even take calls from supposed metal fans who don't own HAMMERHEART and hold it dear.

the only music i`ve heard where i`m transported to earlier times ,preparing a dragon ship ,crashing over cold waves, distant lands on the horizon. This has an atmosphere all to itself,cold,haunting, melodic,passionate.Thankyou Quorthon , you,ve gave me something special...
.. When the wind cries out my name
And time has come for me to die
Then wrap me in my cape
And lay my sword down at my side ...

How to review Hammerheart, the greatest metal recording of all time?

I bought Hammerheart when it came out, around 1907 or something like that. I was a huge Bathory fan since I was 13. Basically, since the first time I heard them. That was the age of cheesey "hair metal" bands, when pop radio co-opted "metal" and turned it into... well, y'know. A few U.S. bands kept the faith (Chastain, Flight of the Griffin, Cirith Ungol, etc.), but mostly L.A. kids like me had to turn to Europe for the genuine goods. Bathory was a Godsend, and as with many of these albums, you could only buy them from tiny hole-in-the-wall places that also sold guns without serial numbers, various other paraphernalia, and whose doors would close when the owners got arrested for stabbing people at various local gigs. But we were just glad they were there.

After 3 albums of (ahem) interestingly produced death metal, (they really were albums back then, not CDs or tapes - it was before refrigerators, computers, iPods or sliced bread), Bathory released what is considered the first true Viking Metal album in Hammerheart's predecessor: Blood, Fire, Death. Viking Metal is basically metal mixed with death and/or speed metal, mixed with a little bit of folk leaning on the Scandinavian style of folk music and (same) mythology. Production typically includes sound effects as well, like horns, battle sounds, swords clashing, etc. This was the predecessor to Dragon Metal, which leans heavily on these types of effects). Anyway, "Blood, Fire, Death" was a great album but leaned heavily on Speed for influence - Hammerheart, in complete contrast, was different. And it's for this reason that it became a landmark.

By departing from pretty much all speed influences, Hammerheart marked the world's debut of pure Viking Metal - basically, Viking Metal defined as a style in and of itself, whereby writer/creator Quorthon (R.I.P.) shared his heart and his pride about his homeland. It is truly a landmark album, by any standards you could use to measure. Little known, is that it was recorded and produced in Quorthon's garage... while it was still under construction. Yet, by Bathory standards, and just about any other standards considering the material, the production was a cut above by far. And what's more, it seems the stars aligned and God smiled upon his efforts, because no better sound could've be created - it matched the songs perfectly, and created a mood that's scare been duplicated.

The magic of Hammerheart is, unlike so many CDs that sound only like music... Hammerheart "puts you there." Ask anyone who's put a review here, they'll agree - that's why they left a review. Hammerheart actually transports you from where you are listening... TO the battlefield. You find yourself "in the moment." Sword and axe in hand. Surveying the slaughter and flames and mud of the battlefield. Hearing the people scream. Watching the chaos unfold and conflagrate. The drums pounding and your blood boiling over.

This is a CD it's best I don't listen to in public - like on the downtown city bus - because I inevitably find myself singing aloud. I'm not on a bus, I'm on a warhorse charging into battle, hacking off limbs and smashing through enemy lines.

Hammerhart is a series of anthems, served up with fury and the deafening slam of a warhammer. I could go into each track, but that would be pointless. And besides, a brother already did that above). What's true is that if you love metal, any type at all, you owe it to yourself to give Hammerheart a long, loud listen. Word of warning - on previous Bathory albums one had to crank the stereo to its mightiest heights just to hear what the **** was going on. But Quorthon put a little magic into this one. And one New England Audio Research midrange driver later, uh, I realized the effects on this album will smoke your speakers if you're not just a bit cautions. So error on the side of caution before you crank the knob.

Have I said anything at all here? I hope not. The tankards of ale rise, then fall, but if anything... I hope I've convinced you to reach out to your mouse and click away, your new CD arriving in just a few days ready to blow your speakers and make your neighbors hate you. This CD is worth putting on your top shelf. 32 years of listening to metal, attending concerts all over USA and Europe, and consciously defying to grow up in my musical tastes... Shores in Flames (first track) continues to reign supreme as my Number One Metal Song of All Time. And this CD is in the top ten.

I think you'll agree. Get this CD and hear what metal is really all about. And enjoy a frothy one on me while you do).

I will admit--I'm not a BIG fan of metal, BUT--this is "Viking metal"--or you might even say, it is rather like folk music in a way. Still, whatever you want to call it, I enjoy this CD very much. My favorite tracks are "One Rode To Asa Bay" (the killer last song) and "Baptized By Fire and Ice"--my only other REAL experience with Scandinavian metal being Burzum (yes I realize Bathory is a SWEDISH band), I had figured this would be sung in Norse--therefore I was very surprised that it is sung entirely in English--and quite well enunciated, too. I would have still liked it if it was only sung in Norse, but I must admit I get more out of it, being an English speaking person. Anyway I've heard that everyone in Scandinavia speaks English. So, long and short of it--I think Bathory is an awesome band, and even if you don't like any sort of "metal" at least listen to this music more than once, it will grow on you--this CD is a masterpiece...now I want to find the CD that has the wonderful song "Foreverdark Woods"..Hail the Mighty Norsemen!

Hammerheart is an album with an epic sound to it. Some would classify it as Folk- or Viking-Metal. Quorthon's voice is kind of a cross between screaming and singing; possibly wailing at some points. Although "Blood, Fire, Death" is considered by many to be the first "Viking Metal" album, I feel that "Hammerheart" is the first FULL album that is Viking Metal. "Blood, Fire, Death" is mostly speed metal with a Viking theme. If you crave an epic folk metal sound, then this album is for you!

I always liked this album , ever since i `ve heard it for the first time in the early 90`s . Its original and refreshing . Not just the usual black metal guitar slugfest . Although i am not of the northern origin it still got me thinking about origins of my own slavic mythology roots . I know , nowadays there is many attempts for , so called viking metal or whatever , but for me this is THE original . Everything else is either just a copy , or imitation . No offense .