This one was presented to me as “Melodic Power Metal with a NWOBHM approach”. StormHammer are German, have been around since 1993, and this is their fourth full release.
To describe this simply as Power Metal would be misleading. I sensed a Progressive element about it. Whilst it does not get bogged down in technical nicety, which sometimes can be true of Progressive music, there’s the unmistakable sense that a story is being told over the 64 minute duration of this album. The impression given by the cover art of “Signs of Revolution” and indeed their previous albums, with the shield, buried sword and the mediaeval castle, is that we’re going to get something epic and it appears that what is being strived for musically. Regrettably it doesn’t achieve it. Whatever theme may be inherent in this album, I have to say that I found it turgid. It starts off ok though with a weepy, orchestral piece for an intro, followed by a decent bit of speed drumming and guitar virtuosity on “Omens of Agony”, a not particularly original Power Metal track. I could envisage the crowd rocking to “Kiss at the Abyss”, which has a repetitive and punchy chorus. I suspect it works better live than recorded. One of the problems with this album is the singer’s voice, which has a crumbly edge and started to grate with me very quickly. The track “Signs of Revolution” suggests that battle is about to commence, but fails to get off the ground. I realised that StormHammer have a distinct similarity in musical style and delivery with fellow countrymen Brainstorm, but there is a major difference. When I saw Brainstorm live, people were doing congas round the room. Here it just drifts along and ironically there’s no power. It’s just dreary. One climactic moment 4 minutes into the title track is not alas sufficient. “Well of Wisdom” has a hypnotic beat and the makings of a rock anthem, but this singer’s voice doesn’t do it any form of justice. The track which follows, “Bridges of Eternity”, is a ballad which ought to evoke the lighters in the air, except that the lighters here apparently have no fuel. A speedier number is then ruined by the singer’s dreadful voice and overall lack of shape. I had listened to this album a few times in the hope that it would get better, but it doesn’t. The complete nadir was “From Dusk to Dawn”. It’s all over the place as a track, an abomination of styles and possibly the worst track I’ve ever heard. What on earth were they thinking of? If this is some German idea of mixing emotion with Power Metal, it was totally lost on me. Subway to Sally have a vocalist with an unusual voice who can extract maximum emotional impact. His counterpart from Stormhammer extracts none. It’s not helped that the sound on this album doesn’t accentuate any atmosphere that there might be. It’s a mess. “It’s dragging on a bit”, commented my listening companion at this point. What’s worse is that “Challenge of Life” provides stiff competition in the three red buzzers department. Is this all some sort of joke? The singing, or rather torturous wailing, “Ride on a Razorblade” is out of key and out of sync with the playing, which had by now become pedestrian, as if the band was bored with it too. I’m pleased to be able to report that at least on the final track, “Calls from the Other Side”, the tedious chorus line is broken up with a really good guitar solo, proving that StormHammer may have talent. Unfortunately it doesn’t come out very much on this album.
Perhaps you have to be German to appreciate this. I do know that Germany has some great bands. Unfortunately StormHammer isn’t one of them. “Signs of Revolution” had no appeal for me at all.
http://www.myspace.com/stormhammerband
http://www.stormhammer.de
http://www.silverwolf-productions.com
