RSS Feed


STORMHAMMER
Echoes Of A Lost Paradise

Massacre (2015)
Rating: 7/10

Germany’s StormHammer have previously been known as Lizard and Steamhammer and are on their fifth full-length release. The band has been active since the early 90s but each and every one of their five studio albums has emerged this side of the millennium, although it’s been some six years since the last album which was 2009’s Signs Of Revolution.

The band’s current line-up features two relatively new members in the form of lead guitarist Bernd Intveen (ex-Folkearth) who joined in 2013 and more importantly vocalist Jürgen Dachl (ex-Diabolus Dust), whose talents were enlisted in 2014.

It’s fair to say that since their inception StormHammer has seen numerous vocal alterations, the band getting through some six singers which can’t be good for the stability, especially when one also considers that guitarists, drummers and keyboardists have also come and gone at quite a rate over the years too. Hopefully though, it’s time to put such formation shake-ups to one side and concentrate on the “now” with Echoes Of A Lost Paradise; an hour-long, 12-track composition boasting the original duo of bassist Horst Tessmann and rhythm guitarist Manny Ewender, who are also joined by drummer Chris Widmann – the latter returning to the fold after a six-year absence.

The album marches into the ear canal on the militant, battle-worn throbs of ‘Remembrance’ – a brief instrumental rally – which then leads us into the epic strains of ‘Glory Halls Of Valhalla’; a slow-building soundtrack of trickling drums, sparse guitar plucks and Dachl’s commanding narration. Admittedly the anticipation begins to kill me, but then the outfit finally lurches into a driving, thrash-edged example of power metal and it is rather engaging.

This time round StormHammer execute their tunes with more conviction, and this is vital to their staying power because not only have the many line-up changes affected them, but it’s also fair to say that the band’s back catalogue is not that impressive. But with ‘Glory Halls Of Valhalla’ there’s a nice metallic niftiness about proceedings; the band combining brooding power metal aesthetics with energetic thrash clods which hint at a late 80s design. Couple this with some atmospheric subtlety and scorching leads and we have ourselves a bona-fide power metal extravaganza.

Musically, there are hints to classic Metallica – especially with the introduction of ‘Fast Life’ – but when the pace shifts this becomes muscular yet breezy power metal, and I’m thankful because I’m often tired by the rather predictable chest-pounding nature of some glossy metal within that particular genre.

StormHammer lives up to its name by churning out racy and vigorous songs which are extremely catchy. Dachl’s voice is not the most overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be as his instant rasps fit in perfectly with the battering ram of riffs and steely percussion to the point where StormHammer becomes a rather engaging unit not overwhelmed by one individual. Dachl’s style gives the sound a rougher, more old school edge, but by recruiting new members the band seem re-energised and ready to fight as we find epic metal pounding such as the title track, which rallies hard and fast as a traditional metal powerhouse.

Commendations must go to the production which gives the opus an almost loose feel, which is something I’m not accustomed to when it comes to these often grandiose and all too contemporary and cold designs. This is raging late-80s metal defined by Dachl’s infectious bellows, though, my only gripe being tracks such as ‘Leaving’, which – although coming in on a juddering riff and meandering solo – is severely let down by Dachl’s vocals as he decides to adopt a more cleaner style which doesn’t seem to fit the occasion. All seems fine and dandy initially as he barks orders upon a wave of traipsing guitars, rattling bass and pacey drum, but as the track progresses it becomes a rather predictable affair as does the slightly formulaic ‘Bloody Tears’.

Some detractors may also be aware of the amount of programming on the opus, but this is something which acts more as an undercurrent and is often drowned out by the weighty riffs anyway.

StormHammer is certainly a more potent beast now though, and while they tend to trudge mercilessly but without any real variation – take ‘Holy Wars’ for instance – there is still that icy splendour one would often experience with these sort of albums, and there are moments when you feel as if the rhythm section is offering up one gallop too many as the combo rushes headlong into more predictable avenues.

However, I’ve still enjoyed this opus immensely and not once overwrought by its obvious flaws, because when the band gets it right Echoes Of A Lost Paradise literally shits all over the previous works of StormHammer. ‘Promises’ is a fine mid-tempo power rocker with killer riffs – although the subtle keyboards are something I could’ve done without – while ‘Stormrider’ is a deadly dose of groove-based power metal juddering that gets the head banging in serious fashion.

The album finishes with the delicate prowess of ‘The Ocean’, which is a slightly underwhelming manner to round off this opus, but finally it seems as if this veteran act has got its shit together. Hopefully, all is well within the camp and StormHammer can plough out into the next venture, but as it stands Echoes Of A Lost Paradise is a strong heavy metal album and the band’s finest by far.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share