Tracklist:-
1. All Will End
2. A New Low
3. Freezing To Death
4. Walk Away
5. No Escape
6. Already Dead
7. Obsolete
8. Better Things To Do
I could've sworn that I'd already reviewed this 7", but looking back through my archive it seems I never got round to it. Time to put that right. For anyone that doesn't know The Hammer, they're a kick-ass hardcore/punk band from Gothenburg, Sweden. I first featured them here in 2014 after Headless Guru Records released their early demo tape. Little over 6 months later they released their debut 7" via both Headless Guru and hometown label Moral Panic Records. It was pressed on black vinyl and 500 copies were available.
The Hammer plays fast punk. The kind of fast punk that gets into the hallowed pages of Maximum Rock N Roll (I miss subscribing to that zine!). They’re even better live too. On No Escape they shoehorn eight tracks onto 7”s of wax. All Will End is just pure moshable hardcore with chunky riffs. They’re prone to sudden spurts of fast (almost grinding) punk, which makes an appearance throughout A New Low. They actually remind me a bit of Boak. I saw these guys at a matinee show in Harrogate last year after one too many cider’s and they were really good. Freezing To Death takes me back to that gig. Walk Away is an angry end to side A, with time-changes and riffs-a-plenty. The title-track that opens side B completely rips and the songs that follow are obviously faster too. They use more fast/slow dynamics during Already Dead, which ends pretty abruptly. Penultimate song Obsolete is catchy in a weird way while Better Things To Do ends it all with some stupidly crazy PV, that seems to just go on and on. I’ve always really enjoyed Swedish hardcore in it’s various forms. The Hammer is one of the better modern day bands. They aren’t trying to be something they’re not. No Escape is brilliant honest fun. Get it while you still can!
The Hammer plays fast punk. The kind of fast punk that gets into the hallowed pages of Maximum Rock N Roll (I miss subscribing to that zine!). They’re even better live too. On No Escape they shoehorn eight tracks onto 7”s of wax. All Will End is just pure moshable hardcore with chunky riffs. They’re prone to sudden spurts of fast (almost grinding) punk, which makes an appearance throughout A New Low. They actually remind me a bit of Boak. I saw these guys at a matinee show in Harrogate last year after one too many cider’s and they were really good. Freezing To Death takes me back to that gig. Walk Away is an angry end to side A, with time-changes and riffs-a-plenty. The title-track that opens side B completely rips and the songs that follow are obviously faster too. They use more fast/slow dynamics during Already Dead, which ends pretty abruptly. Penultimate song Obsolete is catchy in a weird way while Better Things To Do ends it all with some stupidly crazy PV, that seems to just go on and on. I’ve always really enjoyed Swedish hardcore in it’s various forms. The Hammer is one of the better modern day bands. They aren’t trying to be something they’re not. No Escape is brilliant honest fun. Get it while you still can!
You can stream and download No Escape (name-your-price) here:-
7" copies are still available from both labels below:-
Headless Guru Records - http://headlessgururecords.bigcartel.com
Moral Panic Records - http://moralpanic.bigcartel.com/
The Hammer Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hammerhc
Moral Panic Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/moralpanicrec
Headless Guru Records Fcaebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeadlessGuruRecords
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