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Hammertime: Hammertime
06/10/10 || InquisitorGeneralis
Let me just start this off by saying there is only one band in the world awesome enough to have the same band name, album name, and song name all at once. Bad Company’s “Bad company” from the album “Bad Company”. Got it? Good. Now let’s get started.
It’s Hammertime. And in this case, that does not mean a washed up rapper from Oakland, Ca who does Cash For Gold commercials with Ed McMahon. We are talking about Finland’s own hardcore act, you guessed it, Hammertime. Now, every time I do a label sent I swear I will never cover any of the garbage sent to us ever again, it all sucks, rah rah rah… tell me if you have heard this one already? But, when Statik Fucken Majik asks, he receives. Plus, hardcore is one genre I have not really touched on during my tenure here at Global D. Variety is the spice of life. And Cocaine. That makes life spicy too.
What we have here is pretty basic, breakdown heavy hardcore with a few thrash and melodic metal influences tossed in. The songs are fairly simple and short but pretty enjoyable. “Restless” is actually pretty awesome and the breakdown-riff at the end of the song rules, I cannot deny. I would definitely say this is much-better-than-average hardcore and sounds a lot like Cro-Mags, Melvins, and Agnostic Front. This is definitely not metalcore or mallcore. Hammertime succeed in creating an old-school sound and feel on “Hammertime” which means points in the plus column for me.
There is not too much variety to be found on “Hammertime” though but if you are looking for straight-up, angry hardcore variety is probably not high on your priority list. The guitar playing is nothing fancy but effective; plenty of chuggah chuggah riffing but it is a bit more interesting than what I am used to hearing from this type of band so good jobs there fellas. The drumming is what you would expect, a few speedy moments mixed in with pounding breakdowns. There is no double-bass, insane fills, or flashy drum wankery though. Hammertime keeps it pretty plain except for the end of “Still alive” during which the drummer miraculously finds his second foot pedal and the band pumps out a pretty fucken heavy ending to the album’s final track.
I don’t like much hardcore, I’ll admit. But, “Hammertime” ain’t shabby. This will not be replacing “Symbolic” or “Annihilation of the Wicked” in my favorite cd rotation any time soon, but it is a nice break from the teched-out blackened deaththrash I normally listen too on a regular basis. Don’t let the score fool you, this is from my perspective. If you enjoy 80’s style simple, aggressive, and heavy hardcore you should check Hammertime out. One suggestion I must make though; stop saying It’s Hammertime over and over again. That is just plain silly.
Label Sent Garbage, consider yourself slightly redeemed.
- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Fullhouse Records
- Website: Hammertime Myspace
- Band
- A bunch of pissed-off Fins: vocals and instruments
- Tracklist
- 01. It’s Hammertime
- 02. Iron hearts
- 03. Era of blood
- 04. Running to the grave
- 05. Restless
- 06. Harsh truth
- 07. Hell inside
- 08. True love
- 09. Still alive
