FEANOR has been a leading force in Argentian Heavy Metal since the early 00’s
releasing a couple of solid metal albums, first two albums sung in Spanish
before they evolved into a global metal act with members from both the U.S. (Frank
Gilchriest and David Shankle) and German (Sven D’Anna, Thilo Hermann and Micke
Stark) metal scene.
This evolution, however didn’t alter the soul of the band which is dedicated to
heavy/power metal, the European way, something which became more than obvious
with their previous albums. Yet four years are enough time for a band to re-brand
themselves and alter their path, but this is not the case here.
Epic power metal is carved in the heart of the band (thus being bass player and main songwriter Gustavo Acosta) so deep, that it would be impossible to witness FEANOR play something else. Their new album “Hellhammer” is another grandiose dose of German styled power-metal with a variety of metal standard themes such as Tolkien literature, Pirates, German mythology etch.
One would say that we have had enough with metal cliches, yet all these know-it-all should ask themselves why bands like FEANOR are too metal for them. And frankly, even if someone feels tired with the use of the same themes again and again, the first notes of “Sirens of Death” should remind him every thing that made metal so special: powerful guitars, bombastic drums/bass and soaring passionate vocals. Teutonic power metal at its best.
Throughout the album the band’s main influences are more than obvious: ACCEPT/GRAVE DIGGER at its more straight metal times (“Sirens of death”, “Hellhammer”, “Forged in Steel”), MANOWAR/WOTAN for a dose of epic bombastic metal (“Gilgamesh pt.2”, “The flight of the Valkyries”, “This one’s for you”), HELLOWEEN/RUNNING WILD for some hinges of power metal (“Bad decisions”, “H.M.J.”) etch. All the heroes of metal are here. Its amazing how FEANOR manages to capture the essence of their influences and create their own unique sound.
“Hellhammer” is a ambitious record, and FEANOR seem to put so much effort into
it: It clocks more than 70 minutes and features ten guest musicians such as Ross
the Boss, Vanni from WOTAN, Piet Sielck etc.
It doesn’t sound sterile of ideas and it doesn’t become repetitive. Its full of ideas, riffs and melodies, a collections of the best elements of German power metal. Thilo Herrmann, wait let me re-phrase it: the LEGENDARY Thilo Herrmann alongside with E.V. Martell do a stellar work in the guitars, both of them sounding as if they have been in the band since forever and Mike Stark delivers a powerful performance on vocals.
As I mentioned before there is a variety of songs: from straight teutonic power metal to epic mid-tempo metal tracks and from lengthy power ballad duets to anthemic mid-tempo epics they are all here, and everything sounds as a part of a greatest piece of art: a celebration to Heavy Epic Metal, with everything metal in it.
FEANOR have worked really hard to create such masterpiece. Is for those of us
who grew up in the 90’s, who craved for our favorite’s band next CD and listened
to it from the beginning to the end. An album made from old school metalheads for
metalheads exclusively.
”Hellhammer” has been released on the 19th of September 2025 by No Remorse Records and is available on CD and Digital format.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
