HammerFall: Live! Against the World

I would like the reader to be aware of two things; 1) I am a huge fan of live albums. I know some people are not but they really work for me. I'm very interested in how songs mutate from the studio to the stage. 2) I love HammerFall. The 1990s were very much a barren decade musically for me. I absolutely loathed grunge and what I meant by that is utterly hated practically the entire genre and living in the UK I had to live through Britpop and some of those bands made grunge seem like Beethoven. Then HammerFall and their brand of power metal turned up and for a few years I became a total fanboy.

I'm not quite as obsessed as I was , I can't remember the last time I thought, 'Hey, I must listen to Infected,' but I stll love them and with that knowlede available to you, I tell you that I love Live! Against the World. It's essentially a greatest hits set (minus my favourite HF song "Riders On the Storm" crushingly) and what a set of hits! If , like me, you already love HammerFall you will be creaming yourself at the tracklisting which is heavy on the older hits but finds place for newer classics like "Dominion" and the quite frankly mental "(We Make) Sweden Rock". Arguably the most intriguing song is the "Renegade Medley" which mostly comprises of the big riffs from the album before a full-throated assault on the title track itself.

Recorded on February 15th 2020 in front of a crowd with, 'some serious balls' at the MHP Arena in Ludwigsburg, Germany, Live! Against the World is just what's needed in the world today, big riffs, memorable tunes and a straight-faced sense of the ridiculous . My heart was on fire for the entire duration!

Track Listing:
1. Never Forgive, Never Forget 

2. One Against the World 

3. Heeding the Call 

4. The Way of the Warrior 

5. Any Means Necessary 

6. Hallowed Be My Name 

7. Blood Bound 

8. Redemption 

9. Hector's Hymn 

10. Natural High 

11. Second to One 

12. Renegade Medley 

13. Keep the Flame Burning 

14. Dominion 

15. The Dragon Lies Bleeding 

16. Last Man Standing 

17. Let the Hammer Fall 

18. Hammer High 

19. (We Make) Sweden Rock 

20. Hearts on Fire 

Added: October 27th 2020
Reviewer: Simon Bray
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 1052
Language: english

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