Hammerfall – Gates Of Dalhalla Live CD

Gates Of Dalhalla is a live DVD and CD package that was recorded to commemorate Swedish heavy metallers Hammerfall’s 15 year-anniversary. The open-air concert was held in Dalhalla in Sweden on the 28^th July 2012. With two hours and twenty minutes of HammerFall history featuring songs from every album as well as several guests.

The setlist included songs from their latest album, such as “Patient Zero,” “Bang Your Head,” “One More Time,” along with some of the band’s greatest hits: “Riders on the Storm,” “Heeding the Call” and “Let the Hammer Fall.” It also features some rare tracks, which the band has not played in a long time such as “Threshold”, “Crimson Thunder”, and “Fury of the Wild”.

The performance features some very special guests: Stefan Elmgren, former guitar player, on a couple of tracks; Jesper Strömblad (an original member of Hammerfall, and ex In Flames) on “The Dragon Lies Bleeding”; and Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), the original Hammerfall vocalist, on “Steel Meets Steel”. Along with Joacim Cans frontedchoir, named “Team Cans”, also added some extra spice, performing “O Fortuna”, as well as “One More Time” and “Glory to the Brave” with the band. The finale featured the entire group perform together to the band’s favourite tracks, “Hearts on Fire”. Their appearances add a nostalgic touch to the album and are definitely one of the highlights epically for the long-term fans.

We only got the audio to review however, I have watched a few of the video tracks on YouTube and I’ve included in the one for “Hammerfall” below, so have seen the unique and huge stage set up and have to admit it looks rather lovely! However, the crowd seems rather far away with the water in-between them and the stage so you don’t really hear them on the record. The produce is crystal clear and slightly too polished for a live recording but that is a minor quibble.

Overall ‘Gates Of Dalhalla’ is a great and well chosen array of songs to keep the die-hard Hammerfall fans as well as their new followers happy, as it spans the band career including the classic tracks from the first albums right the way through to their recent material. Rating 9/10

‘Gates Of Dalhalla’ is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.

Tracklisting:

CD1
1  Patient Zero
2  Heeding The Call
3  Any Means Necesasry
4  B.Y.H.
5  Riders Of The Storm
6  Let’s Get It On
7  Crimson Thunder
8  Renegade
9  Blood Bound [feat. Stefan Elmgren] 10 Last man Standing [feat. Stefan Elmgren] 11 Fury Of The Wild     [feat. Stefan Elmgren] 12 Drum Solo: Anders Johansson
13 Always Will Be
14 Dia De Los Muertos
15 Steel Meets Steel  [feat. Michael Stanne]

CD2
1 Threshold
2  The Dragon Lies Bleeding [feat. Jesper Strömblad] 3  Let The Hammer Fall
4  När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn [feat. Roger Pontare] 5 Something For The Ages
6  The Templar Flame
7  Oh Fortuna [feat. Team Cans] 8  Glory to The Brave [feat. Team Cans] 9  One More Time [feat. Team Cans] 10 HammerFall
11 Hearts On Fire [feat. all guests]

 

 

[youtube=http://youtu.be/BF-WYdnCB1Q]

 

 

Line-up:

Joacim Cans – vocals

Oscar Fredrick Dronjak – guitars

Pontus Norgren – guitars

Anders Johansson – drums

Fredrik Larsson – bass

 

Guest musicians:

Mikael Stanne – vocals

Stefan Elmgren – guitars

Jesper Strömblad – guitars

 

Links:

www.hammerfall.net
https://www.facebook.com/hammerfall
http://www.youtube.com/hammerfall4REAL
http://www.twitter.com/HammerFall4REAL