HAMMER: “THE WORST OF 2005/2015” shows all the band’s culminating songwriting and performance ability

The metal band HAMMER, featuring Richard (bass guitar, electric & acoustic guitar, mandolin, vocals and harmonica), Christian (electric, acoustic & lead guitar, vocals) and Arlek (drums, percussion, vocals), have released their compilation album entitled “THE WORST OF 2005/2015”. The album contains selected tracks taken from their previous 6 albums.

This is in many ways, the last of the straight up metal albums that you can find on the market, as most modern metal releases do not explore classic music like this anymore. Sat the same time this album represents the peak of the band’s powers. “THE WORST OF 2005/2015” is a monster of an album, featuring blisteringly heavy riffs and consistently great tunes.

Also though, the album does not explore longer and epic songs. In many ways, this is where the album succeeds as these songs are compact, concise and able to keep the listener interested throughout, with plenty of captivating sequences. This is demonstrated right from the opening track, “Let The Fire Burn”, which shows all the band’s culminating songwriting and performance ability.

HAMMER’s sound struts between a blend of classic Judas Priest and AC/DC, especially in the vocal department, which is clearly defined on “Rock and Roll”. Guitarists Richard and Christian are in blistering form throughout the album, jamming out diverse and varied metal riffs and plenty of great solos and shredding.

There’s also great drumming from Arlek all-round and Richard shows how well the bass can be played in this genre without going into overdone theatricals. The vocals…well the vocals are just legendary sounding from the first track to the last. And if you’re thinking that this band may be all studio hype, you’re wrong.

Just check out “One Is A Bitch, One Is A Witch” for a taste of HAMMER in all of their live glory. And if you are expecting a noisy, garbled and distorted live recording, as so often happens with underground metal bands, wrong again. The track shows off brilliant instrument separation and stunningly clear vocals worthy of a studio recording.

If you like metal fast as a freight train, don’t miss the back to back tracks, “Don’t Make Me Angry”, “I Like To Play On Saturday Night” and “Lost Control”. The songs racy choruses are awesome and the linking guitar riffs are infectiously catchy.

The name “Wrong Way Willy” may not seem too compelling enough by just a quick look, but once you get past the initial gaze and the audio sets in, be prepared to be blown away. It is all about power in the songwriting, the guitar riffs, the vocals, the percussion, everything. And if you’re thinking it can’t get any better than this, it does! Tune into “Heavy Metal Machine Gun”, “The Hammer” and “Infernal Waves”.

If anything “THE WORST OF 2005/2015” demonstrates that HAMMER can clash fists with any of the so called “new metal” led by lowly underachievers and unintelligent cronies of who we won’t mention names, but you know who they are.

This album shows HAMMER in their prime and how much they did to contribute to the overall metal phenomenon. If you’re a classic metal fan and you don’t like this band, you’re not a metal fan. HAMMER is the definitive sound of everything that ever has been and everything that ever will be metal!

OFFICIAL LINKS: SOUNDCLOUD – YOUTUBE