BATHORY - Hammerheart · BLACK TAPE

Black music cassette.

More about 'Hammerheart'

Man, where do I even begin with this absolute masterpiece? "Hammerheart" stands as Bathory's monumental fourth studio album, and honestly it's the record that completely redefined what extreme metal could be. Released in 1990, this beast of an album saw Quorthon steering his black metal pioneers into uncharted Viking metal territory, trading the raw savagery of earlier releases for something far more epic and atmospheric. The shift is breathtaking - where previous Bathory albums felt like being trapped in a dungeon with demons, "Hammerheart" feels like standing on a windswept Nordic cliff, watching longships disappear into the mist.

What makes this album so damn special is how it balances brutality with genuine beauty. Tracks like "Shores In Flames" and "Valhalla" showcase Quorthon's evolved songwriting, weaving together crushing riffs with soaring melodies that actually give you chills. The production is cleaner than anything Bathory had done before, but it never loses that essential rawness that made them legends. "One Rode To Asa Bay" is probably one of the most emotionally powerful metal songs ever recorded - it's got this haunting quality that stays with you long after the tape stops spinning.

For fans of:
Burzum, Enslaved, Moonsorrow, Primordial, Falkenbach and Agalloch

Track listing

A1. Shores In Flames
A2. Valhalla
A3. Baptised In Fire And Ice
B1. Father To Son
B2. Song To Hall Up High
B3. Home Of Once Brave
B4. One Rode To Asa Bay

Manufacturer: 375 Media GmbH, Schlachthofstraße 36A, 21079 Hamburg, Germany, Contact: www.backonblack.com