Hammerfall

Threshold

[0.5/5] When Sweden’s Hammerfall originally hit the ground running in 1997, their Glory To The Brave album made it cool to wear cut-off denim in the post-grunge climate, shun conditioner and be proud of the tingly feelings you got while blasting Judas Priest and Helloween. Alas, the quality and creativity of the band’s subsequent material has dropped quicker than an outdoor thermometer in mid-January Saskatchewan. Threshold scrapes the bottom of the barrel with a clichéd and formulaic plod backed by the embarrassing fact that grown men can indeed write lyrics like those in “Reign Of The Hammer” and “Howlin’ With The ’Pac.” Additionally, Joacim Can’s once-ballsy, stratospheric vocals are lifeless and limp, the songs seemingly tacked together, and the phoned-in guitar work not even worthy of an air-guitar salute. And if a metal album can’t at least rouse temporary bouts of air guitar, it ain’t worth shit. (NUCLEAR BLAST) Kevin Stewart-Panko