We Will Rise [Import]

Stefan Elmgren, ?????????????????????? | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 21, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Spitfire Int'l
• ASIN: B00005Y6SI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #336,784 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. End of Time

2. Enlighten Me?

3. We Will Rise

4. Metal Mind

5. Silent Screams

6. Master of My Soul

7. Mandrake's Dream

8. When Will I Know

9. First Strike [Instrumental]

10. Created Fantasy

11. Force of the World

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars sweet melody, nothing new, February 12, 2003

By 

Hansaboy (Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We Will Rise (Audio CD)

It isn't unusual for a musician to satisfy his or her desire on working a 'solo' album, and so is Hammerfall's Stefan Elmgren. Although this solo album is NOT bad at all (and I never felt sorry for having bought this one), it fails to offer something new (at least to me). The music is just fine, the lyrics are OK. I like "We Will Rise," "Silent Screams," (hi guys at Amazon.[com],it's not "Silent Creams" as the track listing said!) and the instrumental "First Strike". Other tracks passed my ear easily. Yet this is just another standard power metal album. If you like Hamerfall, Stratovarius, or Edguy, you'll like this one. If you're looking for NEW speed-metal flavor, skip this one.

3.0 out of 5 stars A solid little classic lost in time, February 14, 2011

By 

John. N (Big Run, PA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: We Will Rise (Audio CD)

A solo effort by then HammerFall Guitarist Stefan Elmgren, 2002's "We Will Rise" is a classic lost in time. Well, when I say classic, I more or less mean a "personal classic" but you get the point. Anyway, back when this album was released (during my high school years) I couldn't exactly afford to shell out the money for the $30~40 import, which was the only version of the album I could find at the time, so it eventually fell off my radar. Recently, for some reason, I felt compelled to pull the memories of this record out of cold storage and stumbled upon the less expensive Spitfire pressing.

Upon listening, I'm glad to say "We Will Rise" has survived the years quite well. As if it needs to be said, this isn't a five star album, but the music is solid and well performed. The songs (outside the tacked-on instrumental) work well together and while one could say "if you like HammerFall you'll probably like this" I can't really say that not do I want to. Full Strike's music feels a little more subdued in the abstract sense and such a label only misconstrues what is here. What I will say is I was pretty surprised by the subject matter presented within the lyrics, something that flew over my head eight years ago. While HammerFall may sing of Templars, figures with deep religious ties, Stefan and vocalist Niclas Johnsson write about the problems that religion and politics have brought mankind throughout history and mankind's ability to overcome obstacles through unity.

Personally, I find it hard to beat the superb title track (really, if an album's title track isn't good, that's a bad sign), "Silent Screams" (a solid power ballad) and "Created Fantasy." Unfortunately, the most disappointing thing about "We Will Rise" is the fact it's most definitely a one shot deal; Stefan has since left HammerFall and the music scene to focus on his career as a pilot. Personally, I would have welcomed another album, even years later, but at least there will always be this little cult classic.

3.0 out of 5 stars Yep, sounds like Hammerfall, September 3, 2009

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: We Will Rise (Audio CD)

Hammerfall guitarist Stefan Elmgren decided to try his hand at a solo project in 2002. He called this project - which also features ex-Lost Horizon vocalist Niclas Johnsson - Full Strike and released the debut album We Will Rise. These solo projects are always hit and miss. Sometimes they're a great way for an artist to create music that wouldn't fit in their main band. Other times, it's just more of the same and you wonder why they bothered.

Sadly, the only real difference I could detect between Hammerfall and Full Strike is that Full Strike's songs are a little less warrior-obsessed than Hammerfall's. The songs on We Will Rise are all in the same anthemic, melodic power metal mold as the average Hammerfall album, and Johnsson's vocals aren't that far removed from Joacim Cans'. Now this is great if you're a Hammerfall fan and want more of that kind of music. If you're looking for something new and different, well, you won't find it here.

We Will Rise is a perfectly decent, perfectly enjoyable melodic power metal album, it just isn't anything you haven't heard before. If you're a big fan of bands like Hammerfall, Lost Horizon and Nocturnal Rites, by all means give Full Strike a try.

Edition Notes: The copy of We Will Rise I ran across turned out to be the Japanese import version with the exclusive bonus track "Ghost Traveler". It's a decent song, and is at least as good as any other song on the album, but I doubt it's worth the hefty import price tag.