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Rating:
8.5 |
HammerFall - Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years Of Glory [Compilation]
12 October 2007
Disc I
01. The Abyss
02. Last Man Standing
03. HammerFall v2.0.07
04. The Dragon Lies Bleeding
05. Steel Meets Steel
06. Glory To The Brave
07. Heeding The Call
08. At The End Of The Rainbow
09. Legacy Of Kings
10. Let the Hammer Fall [live]
11. Templars Of Steel
12. Renegade
13. Always Will Be
14. Keep The Flame Burning
15. Riders Of The Storm
Disc II
01. Hearts On Fire
02. Crimson Thunder
03. Hero's Return
04. Blood Bound
05. Secrets
06. Fury Of The Wild
07. Never, Ever
08. Threshold
09. Natural High
10. Dark Wings, Dark Words
11. The Fire Burns Forever
12. Restless Soul
13. The Metal Age [live]
14. Stone Cold [live]
Everyone knows Hammerfall either as the super popular Swedish band of the power metal genre, or as one of their own personal favourite bands and now for the first time since the release of their first album ten years ago in 1997 a compilation is available featuring all of Hammerfall's best and most popular songs from each of the six studio albums the band have put out over the last decade.
On two discs that together last just under two hours and twenty minutes we have epitome of Hammerfall, all of the best high tempo power metal gallopers and the best of the slower ballads plucked from their respective albums as well as some bonus live tracks recorded back in 1998 and an apparent "three new tracks" which consists of a pretty pointless introduction track, new song "Last Man Standing" which is a good stomper of a song sounding just like something you would imagine fellow Swedish metallers Dream Evil to put out, and a re-recording of "Hammerfall" bring a more modern sound to the song.
If you know Hammerfall well, if you own all of their albums then this compilation can only possibly be suited for the crazy, devoted fans of the band, but also if you are not so familiar with the band, or you do not know them at all - "Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years Of Glory" will give you a good, representative taste of the best of what Hammerfall have to give. This is good, solid, true melodic heavy metal with catchy guitar melodies with even catchier, infectious singing and choruses with the odd sing along section like the power metal trend goes these days. There are the odd faster songs, double bass drums pumping and frantic guitaring - but also we have to other side to any good band, where we have the slower, heartfelt ballads such as the grand "Glory To The Brave".
There are no sound problems that are common to compilation albums with the possible variation of production between albums, all the songs seem to flow on the discs, there is nothing to complain about - this compilation is just pure unadulterated Hammerfall for way over two hours. Like I say, if you know you like the band then you will already know if this compilation is going to be worth your money or not. If you are an avid Hammerfall maniac you can get your hands on this release from the band, but also if you have always been curious to get into Hammerfall or perhaps wondered which album to start with, then this compilation gives a good place to start. So let's let the hammer fall!
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Written on 04.11.2007 by
Baz Anderson
Member of Staff since 2006.
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Comments
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10
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Queen Of Hippies - 04.11.2007 at 21:08
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Haha, nice way to end the review.
I might want to get this compilation, since all my favourite songs are in it - if my parents let the money fall  . |
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Really good review Barry  .
As you said on this review, "Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years Of Glory" will give you a good, representative taste of the best of what Hammerfall have to give, and especially if you are not a die hard fan of the band. It's my case. I have just few albums of Hammerfall, and I found on this compilation classical faster songs and ballads, various songs' style, a wide range of their music. I can't agree more with you on this point in your review.
And to conclude, your last sentence made me smile (pure Hammerfall till the end). |
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| The first song I discovered Hammerfall with *And the big universe of Metal to* is not even on the album =( THey should have put Raise the hammer ^^' But the compilation seems good anyway, and great review^^ |
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I just cant't help it...call them cheesy...call them repetetive...call them whatever you want...i call them one of the best power metal bands ever...I just can't help it...I really love Hammerfall, it's one of the few power metal bands i like...
I got the ltd edition on the Nuclear Blast anniversary show, along with a couple of other CD's...I knew perfectly well what to expect, and that's exactly what i got....Very nice review Baz, and as with the ones before me - your last sentence really made me smile...  |
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Steel meets steel.... meets steel meets steel! I likely won't buy this because I have everything they've released, but a totally worthy compilation from a band that doesn't necessarily change my world but is always in my CD player! Seeing these guys live was one of the most fun concerts I've been to  ! |
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| I miss 2 songs a lot... The Way Of The Warrior and Genocide! Although it's a great compilation with average new songs! |
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| It's an excellent compilation. It has all the good songs of the band. Also the new ones are really good! |
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| Last man standing is the best. I am the one. |
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| Steel Meets Steel is a great compilation, perhaps one of the best for any metal band I have seen. Compilations are good for bringing new listeners into bands, I find most of the time when I hear a compilation I am glad I bought previous albums since some songs you always want to hear are not on compilations. I find Steel Meets Steel is almost perfect, it goes through the bands whole discography and some live performances so new people to Hammerfall can look at them and say wow these guys rule...at least thats what I thought once I bought this album, and now I own all of there discs. 10 rating, this album is great and a way to get people into metal. |
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| I think that the reviewer forgot to mention that there is one more new song on that compilation - "RESTLESS SOUL" which is not to be found on any other Hammerfall record. |
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