For many, two long years of waiting have ended; the crusaders of HammerFall have returned with their newest heavy metal onslaught Crimson Thunder. A band that has been hailed by the media and fans alike as the new kings of heavy metal while at the same time being the catalysts of the power metal chain reaction that is currently spreading like wildfire through Europe.

What exactly makes this band so popular? The answer is fairly simple: their straightforward sing-along hymns and the excellent timing of their debut album Glory To The Brave. Metal was in decline, bands had strayed from their roots and the fans were, although mostly subconsciously, ready for the return of old school heavy metal. It was then that HammerFall struck like lightning and with one swift blow took the metal world by storm. They never delivered anything new and basically just replayed old Helloween, Manowar and Iron Maiden songs, but it was the passion and the intensity behind the music that convinced the masses.

It isn’t a surprise that all three previous HammerFall albums have been total hit-chart successes and I am 100% certain that Crimson Thunder won’t be an exception to this rule. All the tracks on this album are straightforward (and mostly predictable) heavy metal songs with sing-along choruses that seem impossible to get out of your head.

It is pure HammerFall all the way, in each and every song.

One of my biggest problems with this band is their lack of progression and unfortunately Crimson Thunder doesn’t improve this situation much. While their debut album might have had the factor of surprise on its side, now five years later HammerFall’s music starts to become too predictable and other bands in the scene are quickly taking over. On the positive side however, Crimson Thunder won’t disappoint the fans and one can safely say that this is HammerFall’s most diverse release up to date. Whether it is the fast “On The Edge Of Honour”, the bombastic title track or the melancholic ballad “Dreams Come True” it is HammerFall at it’s best.

Crimson Thunder is a decent album that, although suffering from predictability, will again set the hearts of millions of fans on fire. Even though it never reaches the level of HammerFall’s debut, it nevertheless outshines their other full-length releases (Legacy Of Kings and Renegade). Highlights of the album are “Hero’s Return”, “Trailblazers”, “On The Edge Of Honour” and ironically the best song of the album is the Chastain cover “Angel Of Mercy”.