This was the second time seeing Hammerfall this year, but the first one seeing them on an actual tour.
Why? Because this was the very first date of their ”European Outbreak” tour, that’s why.

With them they had brought Vicious Rumors and Amaranthe along as support, and they had both done a good job of this. However, there had been some controversy surrounding which bands would be supporting this tour; some said classic heavy metal band Riot from the U.S., others said the Swedish metalcore band DeathDestruction (which has Hammerfall’s Fredrik Larsson on bass). As far as I know, Amaranthe have been the only constant and I don’t know exactly when Vicious Rumors joined the ranks, but I do know I approve of the final selection.
Hammerfall themselves ought not to need any further introduction, so let’s just skip right along to the show...

For you who have read the report on Hammerfall’s gig at Rockharz, you will remember me writing that it was a very stripped show, devoid of all things Hammerfall except for the music; well, for this tour the band had gone out and promised a completely new and fully functional stage setup the likes we had not seen before at a Hammerfall concert. Alright, I was intrigued.
When the curtains finally came down, they revealed that there were two-level bleachers on either side of the elevated drumkit, the front of which were covered with small lights which varied in colour throughout the show; the band members were also happy to use these bleachers actively throughout the show to stand on, which helped keep the performance varied and interesting. While it was true that I had not seen anything like it at a Hammerfall concert in the past though, I must admit I was a little underwhelmed compared to some of the things they have done in the past (for example I remember them having a whole castle wall once complete with a functional draw-bridge – this was at Sweden Rock Festival, though I can’t remember what year).
Oh yes, I should not forget to add that Oscar Dronjak was wearing red contact-lenses, something it took a couple of songs before I noticed, most likely to add to the zombie-theme of their latest album.

The concert began, not surprisingly, with Patient Zero (opener of the latest album, Infected), and already Hammerfall were also show-casing a decidedly heavier sound than their normal one; so heavy in fact that the bass-play of Larsson made the very ground shake! While this was fun in itself, it didn’t necessarily work so well with the rest of the sound which needed to reign in the bass a bit and instead let some more of the screaming guitars out to create the classic Hammerfall. It wasn’t disastrous in any way, but it was still nice to hear that they made it better after a short while and we could continue the show with the trademark sound of this power metal quintet.
Other than this there really wasn’t really much to remark upon; Hammerfall delivered a thought out, highly experienced show which was vital and compelling to behold, and Joacim Cans held the audiences interest in between songs by doing his frontman stuff just the way you would expect him to do. Really, this isn’t rocket science, this is a rock show, and that is something Hammerfall knows precisely how to deliver to get the desired effect.
What I would like to dwell upon for a short while though is the setlist; not only was it deliciously long, but it also held some especially tasty bits which made this reviewer happy. On the top of my list I guess I must put the forever and a day old The Dragon Lies Bleeding which is always a pleasure, and the performance of Always Will Be with Dronjak on keyboards and Pontus Norgren on acoustic guitar was a sure hit as well. After that one I must admit that Dia De Los Muertos, which came directly after, felt a bit indifferent, but other than that the many new songs stood up well to their older siblings.

”A lot of bands just drive through Denmark, but not Hammerfall, we chose to begin our tour here with all of you!”
- Joacim Cans (vocals)

There is certainly truth in his words, and there was no doubt that the Danish crowd was glad to see Hammerfall back again, even though they are regular visitors of our little kingdom.
The size of the crowd had been good for the support bands, and had steadily been growing since the opening of the hall, so that by the time Hammerfall hit the stage the place was maybe not sold out, but still well-filled with a pumped metal crowd ready to raise hell and beers alike!
For the aforementioned Always Will Be I saw actual lighters raised in the air, and a wave of arms flowed through the hall as the song gently played on; this was only a short breather though as basically all of the rest of the gig had devil-horns flying high, necks bending low and voices shouting out loud. Yes, this was exactly what going to a heavy metal concert is all about, and Hammerfall was delivering a perfect soundtrack for the situation!
Heck, the atmosphere created by the band and the many fans was so compelling I even saw some of the support-band figures popping into the hall to get a taste of the ambiance.

You will have no doubt when I tell you that this was a highly entertaining evening. Hammerfall may not be the most innovative band out there, but what they do is delivering the goods. Quality goods. The stamping and Hammerfall chanting to Steel Meets Steel proved this better than anything else.

Setlist:

Patient Zero
Heeding The Call
Any Means Necessary
B.Y.H.
Blood Bound
Let’s Get It On
Last Man Standing
Renegade
Always Will Be
Dia De Los Muertos
Riders Of The Storm
Steel Meets Steel
Let The Hammer Fall
Legacy Of Kings
The Dragon Lies Bleeding
The Templar Flame
Glory To The Brave
One More Time
Hearts On Fire