Hammerfall
Glory To The Brave

THE REVIEW

"Glory to the Brave" is the debut album from Hammerfall. Released in 1997, it marked the revival of the '80s Heavy Metal, bringing freshness back to the genre and reintroducing the sounds of iconic groups like Warlord, Helloween, and, why not, in part, Manowar.

The song lyrics range from classic sword and sorcery to interdimensional travels, tributes to Heavy Metal to the loss of loved ones, so they were written both to tell stories and simply to entertain the audience, in the most classic '80s style. Let's delve into the album analysis.

The CD kicks off brilliantly with "The Dragon Lies Bleeding", showcasing great drumming, powerful choruses, and melodic guitars in a fast yet epic song. We then move to "The Metal Age", which strides in with the classic '80s Heavy rhythm, with lyrics about a parallel dimension dominated by the Metal Age. This piece really highlights the guitar riffs, making it a perfect song to perform live. Next, we move to the song that also names the band, "Hammerfall". Here, the group celebrates itself with a fast and melodic song, with a central chorus to shout at the top of one's lungs. "Hammerfall - We Will Prevail!""Hammerfall - Let Us Hail!"
Then we transition to a truly heartfelt ballad like "I Believe", a poignant piece where slow and light sections alternate with the main chorus, where the guitar riffs become heavier to add more drama to the song. We then reach a decidedly well-played cover dedicated to the legendary (and their idols) Warlord, "Child Of The Damned" (from the album "Deliver Us").

We return to sword and sorcery in "Steel Meets Steel", a song dedicated to the Templars, also in typical '80s style with rousing rhythms and a shoutable chorus. We continue with "Stone Cold", perhaps the least remarkable piece of the album, still noteworthy for the guitar riffs at the beginning of the song. Then we find "Unchained", a rousing song with the double bass always in the background. We finally reach the title track "Glory To The Brave".
This is a small masterpiece, an epic ballad with a poignant text that starts with 3 minutes of arpeggios and a guitar with a warm and delicate sound, with the crystal-clear voice of Joacim Cans introducing us to this tale. Then it builds up in intensity, and the guitar becomes distorted to reach the epic and pompous central chorus. The lyrics are another highlight and talk about the sadness of losing a hero who nevertheless continues to live on in the memories of people, thanks to his deeds, and for this, he goes to rest in the halls of the brave.

In conclusion, this album in 1997 marked a clear revival of the classic Heavy Metal that was (and unfortunately) overwhelmed by the stagnant power of those times. These guys brought True Metal back to the forefront, giving it new freshness, and they deserve credit for this. This album is considered a classic, a little gem of Heavy Metal in recent years.