HammerFall

Sweden's Hammerfall emerged as a pivotal force in the European metal revival during the mid- to late 1990s, restoring melodic power metal to prominence in a landscape overshadowed by the alt-rock and grunge surge while sustaining that momentum across subsequent decades. Their 1997 debut Glory to the Brave earned a Swedish Grammy and paved the way for equally successful follow-ups such as Renegade (2000), Threshold (2006), (r)Evolution (2014), and Dominion (2019), each achieving comparable traction across Europe and the Americas with several earning gold certification. February 2022 brought the Fredrik Nordström-produced Hammer of Dawn, followed in 2024 by Avenge the Fallen, the band's thirteenth studio album.

Gothenburg served as the founding site in 1993 when ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak assembled the initial lineup, an event tied to the breakup of his prior band that also gave rise to In Flames. Early progress proved slow as several members balanced commitments elsewhere—drummer Jesper Strömblad and guitarist Glenn Ljungstrom with In Flames, vocalist Mikael Stanne fronting Dark Tranquillity—resulting in set lists dominated by cover material. By the arrival of their acclaimed 1997 debut, however, the group had undergone near-total personnel turnover and shifted to primary focus.

A 1996 deal with Dutch label Vic Records enabled the band to enter the studio alongside Dronjak, Ljungström, session drummer Patrik Räfling, and newly recruited vocalist Joacim Cans to record what became Glory to the Brave. Although initially issued only in the Netherlands, the album attracted Nuclear Blast, which acquired the rights and re-released it in June 1997. That success initiated a run of regionally gold-certified albums including Legacy of Kings (1998), Renegade (2000), and Crimson Thunder (2002), with popularity surging especially in Germany and extending overseas.

Personnel shifts and personal setbacks followed Crimson Thunder, including Dronjak's serious injuries from a motorcycle accident and Cans's reconstructive surgery after an assault involving a broken beer glass at a club. The 2003 live release One Crimson Night bridged the resulting studio hiatus. A triumphant return arrived in 2005 with the fifth album Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken, whose songs drew inspiration from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Westeros themes also informed 2006's Threshold, while 2009's No Sacrifice, No Victory marked the debut of new guitarist Pontus Norgren, who replaced Stefan Elmgren. 2011's Infected topped the Swedish charts behind the zombie-themed single "One More Time," and 2014's (r)Evolution, the ninth full-length, became the final outing for drummer Anders Johansson, who had held the position since 2000.

Early 2016 brought an announcement of the Napalm Records signing, which yielded the tenth studio album Built to Last that winter. Summer 2019 introduced the single "(We Make) Sweden Rock," a tribute to influences including Judas Priest and Yngwie Malmsteen; the track and eleven others formed the eleventh album Dominion, released that August. After pandemic-related isolation throughout much of 2020, HammerFall resumed sessions with producer Fredrik Nordström late in 2021, issuing Hammer of Dawn in early 2022 and the deluxe reissue Renegade 2.0 later the same year. The expanded package incorporated a 2020 remix, the original album, period bonus tracks, and a DVD titled The Templar Renegade Crusades containing studio and live footage, a cover of Helloween's "I Want Out" accompanied by a video montage, three additional tracks, and a documentary on the making of the original album.

Two years afterward, after completing the global United Forces tour alongside Helloween, HammerFall tracked ten songs for their thirteenth album Avenge the Fallen with vocal producer Jay Ruston. Lead single and video "Hail to the King" surfaced in May, with the full album following in August.